SUBARU’S SIXTH GENERATION OUTBACK

Subaru Australia has given us details of the sixth generation Outback that will be on sale here from March, 2021. It will sit on the Subaru Global Platform underpinnings, providing safety and efficiency benefits. Outback will gain an even higher level of safety and driver assist technology, including the Driver Monitoring System that helps maintain driver alertness. It will have the latest generation of Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system across the range. Every model will be powered by a 2.5-litre horizontally opposed Boxer engine. All new Outbacks will feature the… Read more

SUBARU FORESTER HYBRID – GREEN SHOOTS FOR BRIGHT FUTURE

Subaru has set out to introduce electric power to its vehicle range by giving it its best shot by adding a petrol-electric hybrid to its two best-selling models, the Forester and XV. Ranked first and second for the brand’s sales in Australia, the pair are seen as part of a long-term strategy for a variety of power plants and technologies in the coming years. Subaru says the Forester offers a fuel efficiency improvement of 19 per cent in the urban cycle and more than 9 per cent in the combined… Read more

SUBARU LIBERTY FINAL EDITION

Feeling in a nostalgic mood, Subaru Australia has released an exclusive Liberty Final Edition of just 31 vehicles in recognition of the model?s 31 years of success in this country,Based on the Liberty 2.5i Premium, the Final Edition adds extra equipment valued at $6,400 at just $1,990 more than the standard 2.5i Premium. The additional features are:Numbered internal badge – Final Edition18-inch STI alloy wheels (their colour is dependent on exterior paint colour)STI front lip spoilerRear boot lip spoilerFront grille – mesh patternHarman Kardon speakers, subwoofer and amplifierSeat and interior… Read more

SUBARU BRZ 2012 – 2019

Subaru BRZ is a full-on sportscar that’s delightful to drive. It has real RWD handling, excellent throttle control and steering that talks to you. It’s just perfect for early morning Sunday drives on your favourite bits of road. The Subaru is offered with a six-speed manual or an auto with the same number of forward ratios. The auto is a good one – but simply not in the class of a ?real? gearbox. The engine features Subaru’s trademark four-cylinder boxer layout and has a capacity of 2.0 litres. It puts… Read more

SUBARU BRZ SECOND GENERATION

Subaru’s second generation BRZ has finally been announced. It’s long overdue with the first edition having been on sale since 2012. Again, it is a joint development project with Toyota which sells the Toyota 86. As the event was held in the USA the details below are of the U.S. model. The four-cylinder boxer engine is a 2.4-litre unit and produces 15 per cent more torque than the superseded model. It drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Models equipped with the automatic have what Subaru… Read more

MID-LIFE UPDATE FOR SUBARU XV

Subaru Australia has launched the mid-life update of its XV All-Wheel Drive. Every 2021 XV model has new grille, front bumper, foglight surround and alloy wheel designs. In an interesting move the the XV hybrid range is now offered in two models, the XV Hybrid L and Hybrid S. Both have e-Active Shift Control, which is designed to supports responsive driving. When S mode is selected in SI-Drive, for responsive driving on winding roads, e-Active Shift Control activates automatically, based on information including accelerator use and the G sensor signal…. Read more

XV SPARKS MOVE TO SUBARU EV FUTURE

Subaru has taken the first steps – albeit small ones – to an all-electric automobile future with the XV and Forester models in petrol / electric hybrid form on sale in Australia. It has chosen its best-selling sports utility vehicles to introduce its plans for at least 40 per cent of all sales be made up of electric vehicles and hybrids by 2030. In a tie-up with Toyota, with whom it shared development of the BRZ / Toyota 86 sports cars, Subaru says it plans to reduce its ‘well to… Read more

SUBARU BARELY SCRATCHES THE IMPREZA SURFACE

Subaru has put its Impreza through little more than a ‘wash and brush-up’ for the MY20 versions of its sedans and hatchbacks. Last upgraded in 2017, Subaru says its aim was to add ‘sporty spice’ to the range. Designers have merely presented a fresh face to exterior styling. Unfortunately, it appears the engineers missed out on the memo about the potential boost and the powertrain delivers much of the same old, same old – only 5 kW more power and no change in 196 Nm of torque. It is left… Read more

SUBARU XV GETS HYBRID OPTION

Petrol / electric hybrid vehicles have been around in Australia since Honda and Toyota introduced them about 20 years ago. Subaru recently entered the field with hybrid versions of its two most popular vehicles, the mid-sized Forester and compact XV. We recently reviewed the Forester and will now look at the XV Hybrid. The Subaru XV first went on sale in 2012 and quickly struck a chord with ever-reliable Subaru buyers and has been a consistent seller throughout its life. The current (second generation) model arrived midway through 2017 and… Read more

SUBARU FORESTER HYBRID REVIEW

It’s taken some time but Subaru has finally ventured into the alternative propulsion field with petrol / electric hybrid versions of its Forester and XV SUVs. We’ve tested both vehicles and will look at the smaller XV in a future review but start off with the hybrid version of the Forester, a vehicle that we’ve been familiar with since it arrived here back in 1997. Although petrol / electric hybrids have been around for 20 years the Forester hybrid is just the second mid-sized SUV to come here, arriving not… Read more