2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon 4-door 2.5l All Wheel Drive 2 Owner Carfax on 2040-cars

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Subaru files for S209 trademark in the U.S.

Last week, Subaru filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Organization to trademark "S209." The paperwork indicates Subaru would like to apply it to "automobiles, structural parts, and structural fittings therefor," and "floor mats for automobiles." An application doesn't mean anything, but the obvious deduction would be that Subaru is thinking about another special edition Impreza WRX STI for the U.S. market, one that brings a taste of JDM-only nomenclature our way. The S appellation is as serious to the Subaru Tecnica International division as STI is to Subaru overall. The STI boffins have rolled out these extra special modes since the S201 STI in 2000, the Japanese market reaping a new S harvest every couple of years. Our last distant visions of such were the S207 shown at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, and the S208 revealed last year. The 208 benefited from a bump in horsepower, from 323 hp to 329 hp and 319 pound-feet of torque, quick-ratio steering, a front strut tower brace, Bilstein dampers as part of a DampMatic II suspension, torque vectoring front and rear, 19-inch BBS wheels, Brembo brakes, a carbon roof, and an unmissable rear spoiler. None of the previous "S" models made it to the U.S. If this one does, we can only guess how Subaru will differentiate it from the hottest Impreza we've had, the recent Type RA (pictured). Our Type RA lost 68 pounds with the help of a carbon roof and spoiler, while a bag of engine mods and revised gearing helped make the most of unchanged 310 hp and 290 lb-ft from the 2.5-liter EJ25 engine. A power bump would likely be first on the wishlist for an S209, but it should be noted that the recent Japanese S cars have used the EJ207 2.0-liter boxer-four, not our 2.5-liter. As with the carmaker's home market, we'd expect an S209 to go into severely limited production. Subaru built 300 units of the S206, 400 of the S207, and 450 of the S208. Even if we do get a brawnier STI, Japan is likely to keep its power close with the WRX STI TC 380 teased last month, putting out 375 hp from a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer-four. Still, the South-Africa-only WRX STI Diamond Edition rocked 349 hp and 342 lb-ft from its 2.5-liter, so there's a lot of headroom for a U.S. S209 to play with. If we get one, that is. Related Video:

Subaru recalls certain 2017-2019 Impreza and Crosstrek models

Subaru will begin two recalls covering hundreds of thousands of vehicles on December 13 for engine-related issues. The first recall covers 466,205 vehicles and includes 2017-2019 Imprezas and 2018 and 2019 Crosstreks. This recall is for an Engine Control Module that could continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off. That could result in a short circuit and blown fuse. Dealers will update the vehicle's software to fix the issue, and some vehicles may also need their ignition coils replaced. The second recall applies to 2017-2018 Impreza and 2018 Crosstrek models totaling 205,000 vehicles. Certain models are equipped with aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation valves that can come apart. If that happens, the separated components could potentially enter the engine and cause a loss of power while driving. Dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve if necessary, unless the separated bits can't be found, in which case the engine will be replaced, free of charge. Owners with affected vehicles can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.

What grownups drive (fast) | 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0XT Touring Review

If you look at the 2017 Forester XT Touring and don't notice the changes compared to the 2016 model, we won't blame you. They're subtle. The naturally aspirated models get a new front bumper that matches the surrounding body color, but the turbo model we drove still has the black gap in the middle. The grille gives up the wide mesh look for a pattern that subtly accentuates the Pleiades badge. Look into the updated Forester's eyes, though, and you might see a new spark of beauty, with a redesign that prominently features a surrounding strip of LEDs. There's also a new color; our test vehicle came in the new-for-2017 Sepia Bronze Metallic paint, a tasteful brown(-ish) that might let you get away with going longer between washes. On the inside, this Forester had the new Saddle Brown leather interior exclusive to the Touring trim. It's the rich sort of brown that reminds one of a rustic but well-appointed hunting lodge, where one would expect to catch a whiff of pipe tobacco and whiskey. It just smelled like a normal car, though, at least before we got in it. Touring spec also offers up a heated steering wheel and seats, the automotive equivalent to a chair in front of the fireplace. Most touch points are attended to with sturdy-feeling materials, and the most important one – the wheel­ – feels grippy and comfortable without being overwrought. The front seats are firm but comfortable, with an upright seating position. They're a bit reminiscent of those moderately expensive high-back office chairs, except in this case, the office rolls around with the seat. Sitting behind them isn't bad, either, as they're shaped in a way that carves out extra room for the knees. The door openings are large enough to make ingress and egress an easy task, which is a merciful thing, especially when wrestling a car seat into the back. As for our own rear-facing kid carrier, it fits in the Forester just fine, but, when clipped in the passenger side, means the front occupant is just one click closer to the dash than they'd be ideally. Their knees won't be crunched into the glove box, though (that's a position some of us have learned to live with in other cars with a rear-facing car seat installed). The view from the driver's seat is exceptional. Tall, wide windows let you keep track of everything that's going on around you. They also bring in a lot of light, and piloting the Forester is a bit like driving a greenhouse on wheels.