Autoblog

Subaru issues recall over cars that may start themselves

John Neff — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Recalls, Crossover, Subaru

Subaru has issued one of the strangest recalls we've come across in some time. As it turns out, certain Subaru models may randomly start their own engines. The issue is confined to select models equipped with an automatic or CVT and the company's optional Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. If the RES key fob is dropped, it could "randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button."

Vehicles affected include the 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback with an automatic or CVT, 2012-2013 Impreza with the CVT, and 2013 XV Crosstrek with CVT (shown), all equipped with the Audiovox RES accessory. Likewise, certain 2013 Legacy and Outbacks may have received replacement RES fobs that could be affected. All told, 47,419 vehicles are included in the recall.

Should one of these cars start on their own, Subaru says they will run up to 15 minutes, but the vehicle may also continue to start and stop until either the battery in the fob dies or the car runs out of fuel. Of course, if one of these cars is parked in an enclosed area, that means harmful gasses could build up, which could be dangerous if inhaled.

The fix is an obvious one: Subaru will replace the RES fobs for free. Owners of the affected vehicles can expect to be notified by the end of April, though their car might let them know sooner.

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Subaru issues recall over cars that may start themselves originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru to get more BRZ coupes to sell thanks to high demand

George Kennedy — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:28:00 EST

It's no shock to us that the Subaru BRZ is selling extremely well. The insanely fun drift-happy coupe, which was joint-developed with Toyota, has captured the affection of journalists and enthusiasts alike.

To that end, Subaru of America has requested - and is set to receive - 2,000 additional BRZs over the next four months. The aim is to meet demand that has been high enough to have kept the fun-to-drive coupes on dealer lots for very almost no time at all. According to Subaru of America COO Tom Doll, "We are selling all the BRZs we can get." He continued, "We have been sold out of the car since it was introduced."

Initially going on sale in April of this year, the BRZ has been built in Japan with 500 units a month coming to the US. Those arrivals have been outpaced by demand, and Subaru of America has sold 3,120 units through October. At this point, it is unclear if the boost in models allocated to the US will continue through next year.

Subaru of America has also requested more units of the XV Crosstrek. The high-riding Impreza derivative has attracted new buyers from outside Subaru, and Doll says he would like to see sales increase from 2,000 units to 2,500 units per month. Subaru sold 3,076 examples of the XV Crosstrek through October of this year.

Subaru to get more BRZ coupes to sell thanks to high demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Zach Bowman — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru, New Car Reviews, Off-Road

A Rugged Runabout For The Masses

If there's one thing manufacturers can't stand, it's a void in the marketplace. Product planners spend untold hours scouring the automotive spectrum for any whiff of white space, and once found, waste no time in sussing up a new model to fill the vacuum. That's how we wind up with oddities like the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, Chevrolet HHR Panel, and yes, the BMW 5 Series GT. Even Subaru has occasionally fallen into the answer-to-the-question-no-one-asked trap, resulting in models like the short-lived Baja.

So, when we first laid eyes on the 2013 XV Crosstrek, we couldn't help but approach the model with all the caution we typically reserve for unidentified casseroles. At first blush, the hatchback looks just like an Impreza with a lift kit and some funky body cladding. But given recent shifts in the Subaru playbook, the XV actually makes sense as part of the company's comprehensive lineup. As the Impreza has grown larger and softer, the WRX has moved even deeper into the performance realm and the old Impreza Outback Sport has vanished completely, leaving buyers looking for an economical, rugged runabout with no place to turn. That's where the XV Crosstrek comes in.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru XV is currently the top-selling car... in Switzerland

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Subaru, Volkswagen

Seems that the Swiss Family Robinson has stopped throwing its francs at the Volkswagen Golf, and is instead pelting the Subaru XV Crosstrek with its hard-earned geld. According to the Australian blog Best Selling Cars, the Volkswagen Golf has likely been the number one seller in Switzerland every single month since the hatch was first launched in 1974, except for when the Mercedes-Benz W123 sedan briefly deposed it in 1980.

In August, however, the Golf's dictatorship of the number one spot wasn't toppled by the Skoda Octavia, "the usual number two" that remained there ahead of the Golf, but by the XV, which ascended to the peak after having been Switzerland's fourth best selling car in July. The XV notched 722 sales and 3.2-percent share, ahead of the Octavia with 661 sales and the Golf, at number three, with 625 units sold.

True, the XV is the new hotness while the MkVI Golf plays its endgame. But the Subaru isn't exactly coming from nowhere from the standpoint of small-market popularity: it was the ninth best selling vehicle in Norway in July. Along with that fourth-place in Switzerland, they were the top sales rankings for the XV anywhere in the world. So take that.

Subaru XV is currently the top-selling car... in Switzerland originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru announces 2013 XV Crosstrek prices to start at $21,995*

George Kennedy — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Subaru

Subaru has announced pricing for its new 2013 XV Crosstrek. The quasi-crossover starts at $21,995 for the Premium trim, while a Limited model carries an MSRP of $24,495 (*not including a destination charge of $795).

The XV Crosstrek is essentially a high-water Impreza five-door with a little extra cladding and ground clearance. Listed at 8.7 inches to be exact, the ground clearance is a healthy three inches greater than the standard Impreza.

The compact model will feature the same 2.0-liter Boxer engine as its pavement-bound brethren, generating 148 horsepower and 145 pound feet of torque. The XV effectively replaces the Subaru Impreza Outback, a model that was quietly discontinued when the fourth-generation Impreza showed up for 2012.

Subaru announces 2013 XV Crosstrek prices to start at $21,995* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek finally arrives Stateside

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:06:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru

If the orange Subaru XV you see here looks familiar, it's because we've seen it before. Not only that, we've driven it. So why, then, would Subaru choose to unveil its high-riding Impreza yet again here at the 2012 New York Auto Show? It's coming to America, that's why. And the car displayed here in the Big Apple is the official U.S. model.

The XV Crosstrek is, essentially, a lifted Impreza that speaks to the Outback Sport models that came before it. It boasts a surprising 8.7 inches of ground clearance and Subaru states that its engineers have made quite a few tweaks to the body and chassis to make the XV substantially more rugged than its Impreza kin.

Power comes from the same 2.0-liter boxer four that's found in the standard Impreza, putting out 148 horsepower and mated to either a five-speed manual or Continuously Variable Transmission. Naturally, all-wheel drive is standard, and because the XV is capable of achieving up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway, Subaru touts that it's the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive CUV on the market.

The XV Crosstrek goes on sale this fall and official pricing will be announced closer to that time, but we're guessing it'll start off somewhere in the neighborhood of the 2011 Outback Sport's $20,720 price of entry. Scroll down for Subaru's press release.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek finally arrives Stateside originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru confirms debut of U.S. XV Crosstrek for NY

Zach Bowman — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Crossover, Subaru

Subaru has announced it will debut the 2013 XV Crosstrek at next month's New York Auto Show. While based on the company's Impreza platform, engineers worked in several tweaks to the body and chassis to imbue it with a bit more crossover utility. Additional ride height delivers 8.7 inches of ground clearance and a smattering of black plastic cladding helps the vehicle further stand out from its donor platform.

A 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine provides power and should deliver up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway. That's not a stellar number for a vehicle this size, but as Subaru points out, it's good enough to help the XV Crosstrek nab the honor of being the most fuel-efficient all-wheel drive crossover on the market. Buyers may bolt the engine to either a five-speed manual transmission or CVT.

Inside, the rear seats can be folded completely flat for around 52.4 cubic feet of cargo area. With the seats up, rear passengers can look forward to around 35.4 inches of leg room. Look for the XV Crosstrek to hit dealers this fall. In the meantime, hit the jump to check out the full press release and keep an eye out for our New York Auto Show coverage starting April 4.

Continue reading Subaru confirms debut of U.S. XV Crosstrek for NY

Subaru confirms debut of U.S. XV Crosstrek for NY originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

David Kiley — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru, First Drives

A Utility Knife For The Sensible Shoes Crowd

There are stories in every culture about a young man or woman who is supposed to marry someone sensible, attractive, a good cook and good provider. But when the protagonist of the story meets the would-be fiancee's more interesting, vivacious, funny and unconventional sibling or best friend, sparks fly and the original relationship doesn't stand a chance.

And so it was when we drove the 2013 Subaru XV through the roads and highways of Tuscany. On Day One, we drove the version the U.S. will get in the third quarter of next year. The first thing to hit us: déjà vu. This is the 2012 Impreza hatchback, albeit with cladding above the wheel wells and a a seriously jacked up stance. It will have the same, brand-new 2.0-liter flat-four as the Impreza hatch we tested a few months ago that is just hitting dealer lots. So what's the verdict? The XV can cook an acceptable pot of tomato sauce and cleans up nicely for Sunday mass. She's a nice girl and good company.

We should have left it there. We should have called it a test after Day One. We should have simply driven off with the girl we came to meet. Why? Because on day two of our drive, we met the cousin with the better personality, the longer legs, the Sophia Loren cheekbones and the killer personality: the 2.0 liter turbo-diesel with the manual transmission. We drove her through the winding back roads north of Florence amidst the Chianti vineyards, villages and Fiat fix-it shops, but she refuses to come to the States. You see, she will only date Europeans.

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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru to call Impreza crossover XV Crosstrek

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru

While we already knew that the 2012 Subaru Impreza would spawn the XV crossover overseas, now we may know what it's official name will be when it hits North America: XV Crosstrek.

Motor Authority is reporting that the compact crossover will be called XV elsewhere, but for the NA market, Subaru will be appending the Crosstrek badge. Apparently Subaru thinks this will help to further differentiate the new variant from the Impreza. Nominally an all-new model, the XV follows the same basic recipe as the long-running Impreza Outback Sport, a lifted-suspension version of the Impreza hatchback. According to the report, the Japanese automaker will also be dropping the Impreza name from the new WRX, when it arrives in 2013.

So why the new naming scheme? Here are two speculative reasons. The first is that Subaru has already seen good sales results from similar moves in the past, like splitting the Outback and Legacy into two separate lines. The second is that Impreza is well-known as an inexpensive compact car. By divorcing its variants from their humble roots, it will likely allow Subaru to charge more for them.

As to the name itself, Crosstrek? Well, it may be a bit generic, but at least it's no B9 Tribeca.

Subaru to call Impreza crossover XV Crosstrek originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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