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Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.

Subaru will cap sales, introduce US-only SUV and PHEV

With Subaru's meteoric growth over the past few years, it seems like the company would double down on the success and expand. However, the Japanese brand has announced that it will take the opposite approach. Rather than continually increasing global deliveries, the automaker will instead cap annual volume to between 1.03 million and 1.1 million units, according to Automotive News. While the strategy will keep Subaru's niche status, the brand's lineup certainly won't stagnate. After abundant rumors, a US-only, seven-seat crossover will eventually be assembled in Indiana, and Impreza production will reportedly move there in 2016. In addition, the company will launch a plug-in hybrid around 2018, but it'll only be sold where necessary to meet zero-emissions requirements. While the Japanese brand is widely known for crossovers and wagons, Subaru isn't forgetting its performance fans, either. Fuji Heavy Industries President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga confirmed yet again that a second-gen BRZ is under development. "We have already agreed with Toyota we will do a full model change. We have not decided when it will be introduced," he said to Automotive News. Subaru has been considering whether to grow for years, but the planning eventually favored maximizing the current factories. For example, Subaru decided not to build a plant in China but has chosen to boost capacity at the line in Lafayette, IN. Yoshinaga sees the strategy as a way to maintain the brand's soul. "Many companies try to be bigger or sell more vehicles. If Subaru does the same thing, we will lose our characteristics," he said to Automotive News. Related Video:

US Army tests Subaru-powered hybrid truck

The military has been studying the implementation of alternative drivetrains for years, a tiny sampling of which includes the diesel-electric hybrid technical hauler and L-ATV from Oshkosh Defense and the Aggressor from Quantum Technologies. There was also ADA Technologies' work with ultracapitors, General Motors' focus on fuel cells and the roll out of electric motorcycles for Special Forces. In the Ultra Light Vehicle (ULV) prototype vehicle pictured above, we have the latest developments in the Department of Defense's hybrid interest combined with a need to develop a lightweight replacement for the AM General Humvee.
In 2010 the Office of the Secretary of Defense put the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in charge of developing a personnel carrier that could "balance payload, performance and protection," and do so without exorbitant cost. Armored Humvees can weigh more than seven tons, and while the ULV is just under 14,000 pounds, the new vehicle can do a lot more with its weight.
The Subaru turbodiesel under the hood puts out 175 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's not much for pulling 13,916 pounds, so it's assisted by two Remy 410HVH HT electric motors each capable of adding 268 continuous hp and 369 peak hp, along with 844 lb-ft of continuous torque or 1,221 ft-lbs at peak. They're only limited by the 14.2 kWh lithium-ion battery rated at 65 kW of continuous power and 180 kW of peak power, but still, TARDEC says the ULV can do 21 miles on electric power and on the flats has a combined range of 337 miles at 35 mph.