SUBARU’S SOLTERRA EV AVAILABLE TO ORDER

Orders are being taken for Subaru’s first all-electric vehicle the Solterra. But it ain’t cheap, priced from $77,990 plus on-roads, with two grades to pick from. With two electric motors, one for each axle, Solterra delivers 160kW of power and 337Nm of torque, and has a range of 414km (WLTP). The 71.4kW battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes with a 150kW DC charger, while a single phase 7kW home charger takes seven or eight hours. Solterra is another vehicle that… Read more

LATEST SUBARU IMPREZA HERE BY CHRISTMAS

Subaru Australia has announced details of the latest (sixth generation) version of its ever- popular Impreza small hatchback. Three variants are available: 2.0L, 2.0R and 2.0S priced at $31,490, $34,990 and $37,990 respectively. The all-new Subaru Impreza boasts a proven direct injection 2.0-litre Boxer engine, with an eight-speed Lineartronic transmission and paddle shift manual mode. Synonymous with Subaru, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) is standard for all Subaru Impreza model variants. It’s mounted to a refined Subaru Global Platform which delivers a further ten per cent increase in torsional rigidity which… Read more

SUBARU CROSSTREK 2.0S HYBRID

Crosstrek is the smallest of Subaru’s three SUVs, sitting below the mid-sized Forester and larger Outback. It competes against vehicles such as MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX- 30. While the name is new, Crosstrek has actually been on the Australian market since 2012 as the XV. Five Crosstrek variants are offered: 2.0L, 2.0R, 2.0S (petrol), plus Hybrid L and Hybrid S, with prices ranging from $34,990 to $45,090 plus on-road costs. Our test was in the top-spec Hybrid S. As with all Australian Subaru models, except… Read more

CROSSTREK CROSSES INTO FAMILIAR TERRITORY

‘Haven’t we met somewhere before’ sprung to mind on my first encounter with the Subaru Crosstrek, for there is a lot in common here with the company’s XV sport utility vehicle? In fact, says Subaru, the newly named compact is the latest iteration of the popular XV, including two petrol / electric hybrid models, aimed at anyone who wants a versatile, reliable, and stylish small SUV. Priced from $34,990, the all-wheel drive Crosstrek comes in five variants – AWD 2.0L, AWD 2.0R, AWD 2.0S, AWD Hybrid L and AWD Hybrid… Read more

SPECIAL EDITION SUBARUS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS IN AUSTRALIA

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its arrival here Subaru Australia has released special editions of its Outback, Forester and WRX vehicles. Those with very long memories may recall the Subaru 360 and 1000 cars back in the 1960s but these were imported by specific dealerships prior to Subaru Australia’s formation in 1973 as a national importer with its nationwide dealer network. Early models included the 1400 GSR sedan, DL sedan and wagon and GF two-door hardtop but the brand’s breakthrough came in 1978 with the arrival of the 4×4… Read more

SUBARU OUTBACK AWD SPORT XT

After all these years, I still think of the Subaru Outback as a wagon rather than SUV — the Forester too. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a diesel Outback anymore, but the latest turbocharged petrol version certainly addresses any perceived deficiencies in performance. And, like a fine wine, Outback continues to get better with age. Its one major gap in an otherwise impressive repertoire remains the fact that it seats only five. In fact, Subaru hasn’t offered a seven-seater as part of its range since the propeller-nosed Tribeca in 2013. But… Read more

SUBARU OUTBACK XT

Japanese vehicle maker Subaru has been at the forefront of all-wheel-drive vehicles for many decades. Indeed, it produced nothing other than all-wheel-drives for many years. The only Subaru that isn’t driven by all four wheels is the BRZ sportscar, which was a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota, with the latter being a called the Toyota 86. Five variants are offered: Outback, Sport, Touring, Sport XT and Touring XT. The first three are powered by the traditional 2.5-litre engine, the XT models get a new 2.4-litre turbocharged unit. Our test… Read more

NEW-GROWTH FORESTER SHOWS OFF DEEP-ROOTED CHOPS

The Subaru Forester came to life in1997 as a bare-bones, no-nonsense cross-over vehicle ready to take on the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Grand Vitara. Using the Impreza platform, but built in the style of a station wagon, with a taller stance, higher hip-point seating and all-wheel drive, over the years it has gained in size, sophistication and popularity, becoming a top seller. Indeed, Subaru recently celebrated 300,000 Forester sales in Australia. A late addition to the small SUV segment a quarter of a century ago, the Forester,… Read more

NEW NAME, NEW LOOK FOR SUBARU’S COMPACT SUV

Subaru Australia has announced details of the latest version of its XV compact SUV with new styling, extra equipment and, most of all, a new name. The all-new Subaru Crosstrek is available now for pre-order via Subaru.com.au or through your local Subaru Retailer. Australian pricing and specifications have been confirmed prior to the anticipated launch in April. The Subaru XV has been around since 2012 under that name both in Australia and overseas markets apart from North America where it was sold as the Crosstrek. With the release of the… Read more

THE FORESTER WITH MORE (OR LESS)

In a somewhat mystifying move, Subaru has released a Forester special edition known as the Forester 2.5X. But from what we can see the only difference between it and the entry level Forester 2.5i AWD is the infotainment unit. There are no markings to differentiate the car, but digging a little deeper into the detail reveals more. The “absolute beloved classic”, gushes the PR department, will feature an exclusive 7.0- inch Alpine audio unit that introduces wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Well, if you’re a user of either system,… Read more