Tokyo 2009: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept previews Fuji Heavy's new design language
by Jonathon Ramsey on Oct 21st 2009 at 8:28AM 
Subaru Hybrid Tourer -- Click above for high-res image gallery
The Subaru Hybrid Tourer is sharp-nosed and an all-out sharp piece of car. The car's flat floor hides two electric motors, one aft that powers the car in low-speed acceleration and assists with acceleration, and one up front connected to a direct-injection turbocharged gas engine. The Tourer is also fitted with Subaru's trademark symmetrical all-wheel drive system and a Lineatronic CVT transmission.
As for its design, Subie officials tell us that the nose points the way for Subaru's new corporate face and the rest of the car indicates the general design language we'll see from the brand represented by the Pleiades. "It will be anti-Bangle, editing, not adding – cars have too many character lines now." But forget about the gullwing doors -- those were fitted to provide the best view of the interior. You can have a great view of it in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Subaru Hybrid Tourer
Photos copyright ©2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
XGM 8:54AM (10/21/2009)
After driving a Caliber I shudder every time I read CVT transmission. Anyone have experience with a good one ?
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akboss302 9:24AM (10/21/2009)
Trust me, don't use the Caliber as a benchmark for all CVT's, they get much better. I recently drove a 2010 Maxima with a CVT and it worked very well, I went in skeptical but came away impressed. Still prefer my old-school 3 pedals though...
Motor_Yakuza 9:09AM (10/21/2009)
I like it, put this new corporate face on the Subaru's version of the FT-86 and we have a winner.
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Redline 10:56AM (10/21/2009)
My thoughts exactly.
Ligor 12:26PM (10/21/2009)
while at it,
refresh the Legacy & Impreza with this face as well & watch Subaru's sales go up up up
i'd be all over the Legacy
Alex 9:29AM (10/21/2009)
Overall i really like this new design. The heavily sloped windshield, however, i do not like. It creates either a deep run-away dash, or you feel like you are sitting too far away from the dash.
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StickShift 9:33AM (10/21/2009)
This is a definite improvement over the chrome mustache on the Impreza and Forester and the awkward face of the Legacy. I can't wait for them to all be face lifted now.
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stealthebeatles 9:59AM (10/21/2009)
Calling out Bangle by name. Kind of funny.
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Smegley 10:04AM (10/21/2009)
Dear Subaru,
USE THIS DESIGN.
Sincerely,
Someone who would buy a Subaru if they didn't look like crap
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BoxerFanatic 11:26AM (10/21/2009)
Fantastic comment.
Seconded by an owner of previous subarus that don't look like crap, and wanting some new options for the future.
BuonRotto 10:20AM (10/21/2009)
""It will be anti-Bangle, editing, not adding – cars have too many character lines now."
This statement is simply wonderful, at least as principle. We'll see about practice, but I wish more car companies would follow this line of thought. I hate that seemingly every sedan out there has a Bangle butt now, and others like Acura have swung and whiffed big time with the more-complex-creases-for-the-sake-of-complex-creases approach. I'd buy a Subie now, odd styling being a negative on the new Outback too (and well, every previous one really), but this would seal the deal for myself and even my wife who seems more concerned about what I look like in my car than I do.
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John H. 10:30AM (10/21/2009)
Looking good.
But no creases and curves on top of creases and curves?
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askroon 10:36AM (10/21/2009)
Wow.. Their new design language.... looks exactly like their current design language.. This is just a more radical interpretation.
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Trevor 11:19AM (10/21/2009)
Thank you Subaru for wising up and realizing that the customer is right. Customers think your new cars are ugly, too feminine, and won't buy, unless at the assistance of massive discounts.
The new Impreza and Legacy are abominations of uglyness. There is no cohesive design anguage anythere, just a hodgepodge of contrasting design elements from other cars. Your new cars also feel cheap, especially to existing Subau owners. The plastics feel cheap, you stopped clear coating the inside of the doors like before, and the seats are even worse than the bad ones you've always had (too flat, not enough cush).
The 2005-2007 Legacy GT and 2005 Imprezas were the last good body you made. I sold Subarus for 3 years and have a 2005 Legacy GT Wagon and was thinking I will just have to keep it forever, because Subaru refuses to release anything attractive upto this point.
This new car a a great step towards correcting the wrongs of the past (particularly the nose). Keep up the good work.
Someone was bashing CVT earlier. Nothing wrong with CVTs if they are properly maintained. Problem is Subaru owners tend to abuse and neglect their cars. (To them its strictly an object of utility) Subaru built the first mass production car with a CVT back in the 80s, called the Justy. It had decent service life, no worse than a regular automatic, but it was definately more expensive to repair/replace than a typical automatic gearbox when it did go wrong. It's a matter of scale, few were made (Subaru was still a small car company then) therefore replacement parts were expensive, particularly the older it got.
-Trevor Bommersbach
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BoxerFanatic 11:37AM (10/21/2009)
Between this and the Honda SkyDeck, are these companies realizing that you don't need a giant, tall, square BRICK of a vehicle to transport people on the road?
About time. And about time they realize that classic, clean design elements, even despite odd grilles, are GOOD THINGS, and can be interpreted in a thoroughly modern way.
And that ingress and egress in a crowded parking lot is something to give thought to, in door design.
Thank you for starting to get the point...
Now, if I can ask two more favors... BUILD THEM, with normal, affordable, maintainable propulsion systems, not technical fads that add costs.
And expand this to include sleek cars for people who don't need to haul around four full-size seats all the time.
If these are grand touring cars for 4 people, or 6, in Honda's case... how about some grand touring coupes for 2 people, and the occasional short-distance rear seat passenger. (Subaru.... that means SVX. Honda, that means a new Prelude. BOTH preferably AWD, at least optional RL-like full-time SH-AWD on the Hondas . :D )
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pickles 11:40AM (10/21/2009)
Subaru NEEDS this standard of design desperately. The new Outback is massively coated in design cliche with fakey ribbed rocker panels (which just add weight and zero function), jagged, sloppy disjointed rear light shapes for no good reason, Sebring (!) headlights and a sad, anonymous front grille they couldn't possibly be proud of. Clean design so much better represents an enduring brand like Subaru than the current mishmash of cheezy, ersatz 'rugged' styling.
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TRIP 1:37PM (10/21/2009)
I sincerely hope the next-gen Tribeca borrows heavily from this design language. I was in the minority of people who actually liked the way the first-gen Tribeca looked, though I completely understand how it put off a lot of people. But then Subaru went to the other extreme and turned it into a bland-mobile. So I'm really hoping this new design language makes it mark soon. Also, I drive a Murano with the Nissan CVT, and I love it.
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Nateb123 2:42PM (10/21/2009)
Looking at the interaction between the lines on the hood and grill I think this would be absolutely gorgeous in real life. Pictures I doubt do it justice. And as someone said before, less is indeed more. Not surprising that Subaru is the first manufacturer to really get a clue that "character lines" is often just a euphemism for "We suck at designing and decided more lines would make it look edgier". *Cough* Ferrari 458! *cough*
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cdwrx 5:08PM (10/21/2009)
Use a normal front door, sliding rear doors, build it, and I will buy it.
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Doogs 3:50PM (10/21/2009)
I give it a year, two maybe. That's about how long each "new corporate face, for reals this time!" seems to have lasted...
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