2004 Subaru Outback Base Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Zipcar adds roof racks for nature loving urbanites

Hauling a bicycle, surfboard, snowboard, or a pair of skis can be a pain. Their size makes them awkward to carry, and a good roof rack can be expensive and cumbersome to install. If a thief decides that they need the rack (or what's on it) more than you, you're looking at a loss of several hundred dollars, or at the very least damage to your car a comprehensive insurance claim. Ask me how I know. Zipcar has the solution. The car sharing company has teamed up with rack and cargo manufacturer Yakima to supply roof rack equipped rentals in 17 North American markets. In the US, Zipcar customers will have the option between a Subaru Impreza or a Subaru XV Crosstrek equipped with a Yakima roof rack. Canadian customers can rent a Hyundai Elantra. Fine choices, but it seems like a missed opportunity to revive the old Volkswagen Jetta Trek edition. The Yakima mounts on the cars are adjustable and can hold two bikes, six skis or four snowboards, or two surfboards or paddleboards. Rates, as always, vary based on use. This isn't the first time Zipcar has offered Yakima bike racks for their vehicles for those outdoor enthusiasts that choose to live car free. Back in 2011, the company outfitted a number of vehicles in its New York City fleet with complimentary racks and New York State park passes. Related Video: News Source: Zipcar Green Hyundai Subaru Transportation Alternatives ridesharing zipcar

Subaru recalls more cars, slashes guidance as cheating issue widens

By Naomi Tajitsu TOKYO — Subaru Corp said it would recall more vehicles sold in the Japan domestic market on new cases of inspection cheating, and cautioned that rising recall costs would lop off about a quarter from its annual profit forecast. Shares in Subaru, already reeling from a series of recalls for issues ranging from faulty components to inspection do-overs, fell 5 percent to a four-year low on Monday after news of the fresh recalls and the bleak outlook. The company, the smallest among Japan's major automakers, said it would recall around 100,000 vehicles, including its popular Impreza sedan, after discovering that final tests for components including brakes were not conducted properly. Vehicles sold overseas will not be affected. "It's unforgivable that these inspection-related issues are continuing," CEO Tomomi Nakamura said at a briefing, while repeatedly adding that the latest recall would be the last related to testing misconduct. The automaker expects to incur 6.5 billion yen ($57 million) in costs related to the latest recall. This, along with other quality-linked issues, is expected to push down Subaru's operating profit to 220 billion yen in the year to March 2019. It had previously forecast a 300 billion yen profit. Subaru posted a surprise operating loss of 25 billion yen for the three months ended September, its first time in the red for a quarter since 2009 and missing a mean forecast for a 68.46 billion yen profit from 10 analysts polled by Refinitiv. Recall-related costs were the main driver of the loss, while global sales fell 6 percent over the quarter due to weak demand in the United States — its biggest market, where overall demand has cooled since record-high sales in 2016. (Click here for an interactive version of this chart) Engine recall Last month, Subaru nearly halved its first-half operating profit view, citing higher quality-related costs. It later announced a global recall of around 400,000 vehicles, including its Forester SUV and Impreza sedan, to fix a design flaw in the engines' valve springs. That came on the heels of another series of recalls stemming from revelations last year that uncertified workers had been submitting final inspection reports for vehicles sold in Japan. That had also led to a recall of about 400,000 cars. Recalls are common in the auto industry, and automakers regularly put funds aside to pay for them.

Subaru teases Viziv Adrenaline Concept crossover for Geneva

The latest installment in Subaru's Viziv line of concept vehicles is set for a reveal at the Geneva Motor Show next month. It's called the Viziv Adrenaline, and it'll add to a pair of electrified "e-Boxer" models on display, possibly the e-Boxer version of the Forester and a Crosstrek plug-in hybrid, which is branded as the XV in Europe. We're limited to this darkened, front three-quarters view for clues about the Viziv Adrenaline. It appears to be a two-door, raised crossover with bulging quarter panels, an interesting undulating belt line and plenty of creases for a rugged look. It also appears to sport futuristic-looking rearview cameras in place of conventional mirrors, and the LED headlights look pretty close to the ones found on last year's Viziv Tourer. Also, two cutouts at the top of the hood may indicate the presence of a combustion engine. Given that this is called the Viziv Adrenaline, are we looking at a performance model? Viziv is Subaru-parlance for "Vision for Innovation," so there are doubtless more details in store for us in Geneva. Last year's Viziv Tourer Concept presaged a production WRX wagon, and the Viziv Performance Concept from 2017 previewed a possible future WRX (don't forget the Viziv Performance STI Concept from last year's Tokyo Auto Salon). While Subaru has given us reasons to be wary about its concepts' ties to future production models in the past, don't forget the Viziv-7 did indeed become the Ascent three-row SUV. The Viziv Adrenaline debut is scheduled for March 5. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.