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Subaru Ascent crossover's roofline revealed

Just recently, Subaru announced that the new Ascent three-row crossover would be revealed at the L.A. Auto Show. Along with the announcement came a teaser that didn't reveal much of anything. Now Subaru has released a second teaser, shown above, that is significantly more generous. The teaser gives us a solid look at the roofline and greenhouse of the Ascent. In general, it looks very much like a taller, more squared-off Outback roof, particularly at the back. But it doesn't quite look as upright as the Forester. The top of the front fender has a more pronounced shoulder over the wheel arches than either of those Subarus, too. Based on past spy shots, we're expecting the rest of the Ascent to continue the "big Outback" look. Expect a similar hexagonal grille and chiseled sheet metal as the Outback and the rest of the Subaru line. We'll get our complete look at the new crossover on November 28 at the L.A. Auto Show. Related Video:

2015 Subaru Impreza gets visual tweaks, added refinement

While our love for the Subaru Impreza is mostly reserved for its turbocharged WRX and STI models, there's still a fully competent, well-rounded package in the base model, now in its fourth generation. In order to keep it competitive, Subaru has given the Impreza a light refresh for the 2015 model year, and while the car hasn't changed much mechanically, there are a number of thoughtful updates in store for the revised model.
Most noticeably, the front end has been touched up, with a revised lower fascia that's a bit more aggressive than before, nicely incorporating foglamps on higher-end models. Around back, not much has changed, though there's a new lip spoiler on sedan models to improve aerodynamics. Inside, a new infotainment system is available, with a seven-inch color touchscreen, and Subaru's EyeSight driver assistance package can now be had on the Limited models. There's also an updated instrument cluster with an LCD color display, new door and shifter trim, a standard rearview camera, and a few tuning enhancements that allow for a quieter ride, according to Subaru's release.
Under the hood is the same 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine as before, with 148 horsepower on tap, mated to either a five-speed manual or continuously variable transmission. Subaru notes that there's a quicker ratio for the electronic power-assisted steering (that's a good thing), and reminds us that the Impreza is still pretty fuel-efficient considering its standard all-wheel drive, able to achieve 28 miles per gallon in the city, 37 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined.

10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.