2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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2016 Subaru WRX: Is this successor worthy of the crown?

I was leasing a 2012 Subaru WRX, a car I had wanted since forever. When the lease was up, I decided to trade it in and get another WRX, a 2016 model. Now that I've put over 7,500 miles on the new one, I can offer a fair comparison of the previous-generation model and newest model. While the basic DNA is the same – turbocharged boxer engine + symmetrical all-wheel drive – these cars look and feel rather different. Exterior The prior model WRX ran from 2008 to 2014. In 2011, though, Subaru upped the ante by giving its rally-inspired baby a widebody look similar to the STI variant. The WRX was offered as either a sedan or a hatchback. I opted for the hatchback version because of the extra cargo space, and I felt it looked better than the sedan. I loved the look of this car, especially in the classic World Rally Blue paint. The flared fenders, hood scoop, and quad exhaust tips made for one aggressive-looking machine. It definitely stood out from the crowd. The new model, on the other hand, introduced in 2015, is only offered as a sedan. It blends into the crowd for the most part, but I think the front end looks great and the side profile looks sleek. At the rear, Subaru did a nice job with the stainless steel exhaust tips versus the old model's unfinished tips, but the taillight design is nothing special. The low-profile trunk spoiler is a nice touch. The 18" wheels on the Premium and Limited models look sharp, though they're a bit on the heavy side. Interior The previous generation WRX was criticized for its spartan interior, but I didn't mind it. I liked the simplicity. Everything was easy to use, whereas newer cars have a bit of a learning curve with infotainment systems and whatnot. The red stitching and WRX-embroidered seats added some uniqueness to the car. The fit & finish weren't great, though. There was a rattling sound coming from the driver's side A-pillar that I had to fix. Subaru did a good job with the new model's interior. It feels more elegant than aggressive. The climate control knobs have a nice feel and weight to them, and the steering wheel is superb. There's a digital display on the gauges, a small screen on top of the dash, and Subaru's Starlink system for radio and phone. A back-up camera is standard and displays on the Starlink's 6.2" screen for 2016, which has been a surprisingly nice perk to have.

Consumer Reports sneaks in early review of 2015 Subaru Outback

Subaru is taking a bit of a measured risk with its new generation of Legacy and Outback. While they ride on a slightly larger platform than before, with a revised front-end design, neither of them looks to be a radical departure from models they replace. Instead of focusing on exterior styling, the Japanese brand is trying to make the vehicles better to own with more sound deadening, improved fuel economy and more available tech. Pricing for the 2015 Outback isn't available yet, but with the 2015 Legacy pricing as a guide, it's likely a few hundred dollars more than the current model.
We just had our first stab at the new Legacy, which is slated to go on sale this summer, but Consumer Reports managed to snag an early look at the 2015 Outback in a sort of mini-review to get an idea of how the new model shakes out. Like many, we'd wager, CR isn't completely sold on the new styling, but seems otherwise moderately impressed by the upgrades. The improvements to the interior and infotainment system are especially well received by them. Naturally, though, CR notes that not everything is perfect with the high-riding wagon.
Scroll down to watch CR's preview of the new Outback and see what it thinks of this practical family hauler.

2020 Subaru WRX and WRX STI Series.White sneak in one more special edition

LOS ANGELES — This generation of Subaru WRX and WRX STI is nearly done, and has celebrated with special versions here and back in the home country. But the company isn't finished with limited edition models yet, as proven by the 2020 Subaru WRX and WRX STI Series.White model (their punctuation, not ours). Just like past Series.Whatever models, the Series.White is distinguished on the outside by an exclusive Ceramic White paint scheme. It's accented by black mirror caps, black badging and matte bronze wheels. On the WRX, they're 18-inch wheels from Subaru, and the STI gets 19-inch BBS wheels. The paint color isn't the only perk, as each car comes with a selection of desirable options. The WRX basically gets the Premium trim's Performance Package, plus a few goodies. That means it gets Recaro seats, Brembo four-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers, LED adaptive headlights, and the sunroof is deleted. It also gets a special Bilstein suspension setup that hasn't been offered on the WRX before. The WRX STI gets a Bilstein suspension, too, as well as Brembo six-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers, Recaro seats, stiffer steering rack mounts and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Neither model gets any extra power, though. Subaru will only build 500 examples of each model, a total of 1,000 cars. The WRX Series.White has a price of $34,895, and the WRX STI costs $43,595. These special Subarus go on sale next year.