Subaru Impreza Wrx Sti Hatchback on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Subaru WRX makes IIHS TSP+ fun

We write about boring, utilitarian compacts being named to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick+ list pretty regularly. Today, we've got yet another fun car to add to the tally – the Subaru WRX. Thanks to the inclusion of the company's impressive EyeSight active safety system, the WRX was able to score a "Superior" rating on IIHS' frontal crash prevention test, which is the highest score possible. Vehicles are required to score at least an "Advanced" rating to earn the TSP+ mark. In addition to the active safety system, TSP+ vehicles must also record "Good" ratings across the four basic crash tests – front, side, rear, and rollover – and a "Good" or "Acceptable" rating the small-overlap crash test. Of course, Subaru is no stranger to IIHS' biggest honor – the Legacy and Outback were named Top Safety Pick + vehicles in April 2014. We're still scouring the Internet for the actual crash test video from IIHS. Once we uncover it, we'll update this post. Until then, scroll down for the official press release from Subaru. 2016 Subaru WRX Awarded IIHS' Highest Standard of Safety "2015 TOP SAFETY PICK (TSP) +" ? "EyeSight" achieved the highest possible rating of "Superior" for front crash prevention. ? Seven models have earned 2015 safety awards from IIHS. Tokyo, September 14, 2015 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS; a nonprofit organization supported by auto insurers in the US) has awarded the highest standard of safety, 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) along with the highest possible rating of "Superior" for front crash prevention to the 2016 Subaru WRX (US specs.), equipped with Subaru's EyeSight* driver assist technology. By adopting the EyeSight for 2016 model, WRX earned 6 of 6 points for front crash prevention. Including 2016 Subaru WRX, Subaru has seven models that have earned 2015 safety awards from IIHS - six with TOP SAFETY PICK+ and one with TOP SAFETY PICK. The EyeSight was the first system ever to use only stereo camera technology to detect the objects such as vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Since its Japanese debut in May 2008, features available on this system have been highly praised; they included pre-collision braking control and all-speed range adaptive cruise control tracking function.

2013 Subaru WRX Special Edition

Two months ago, I was carving pumpkins in a canyon - last week, I was carving canyons in a pumpkin. I genuinely prefer the latter.
It's hard to miss the 2013 Subaru WRX Special Edition. The twins (the automaker is offering the package on both the WRX and its higher-performing STI sibling - just 300 copies in total) arrive in Tangerine Orange paint with Jet Black wheels, black exterior mirrors and black front fender badges. The purely cosmetic upgrades are carried inside the cabin with black cloth upholstery contrasted with orange stitching on the seats, doors, shift boot and piping on the floor mats.
After a day, I completely forgot about the controversial orange paint (you either love or hate its burnt pumpkin color) and focused on the simple joy of driving the rally-inspired Subaru WRX.

Subaru recalling over 8,000 cars for Takata airbag inflators

We have one more automaker to chalk up recalling Takata airbag inflators. Subaru is now throwing its hat in the ring by repairing 8,557 vehicles nationwide for faulty front passenger inflators. According to the Defect Notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem affects 3,151 examples of the Legacy, Outback and Baja from the 2003 and 2004 model years and 5,406 units of the Impreza, including the WRX and STI (pictured above), from the 2004 model year.
As we all know by now, it's possible for the inflators to explode during airbag deployment possibly affecting not only the bag's inflation but also potentially spraying metal shrapnel at occupants. All of the affected vehicles will receive new passenger side inflators at no charge to the owner.
Seven automakers in the US announced recalls for the problem in late June affecting an estimated 2.1 million vehicles. Unlike some of the companies, Subaru is repairing all of the affected models in the US, rather just in certain warm-weather states. According to company spokesperson Michael McHale to Autoblog the reason is that "it was simpler to get everybody in there and make sure it was done." The replacement inflators should be in by the end of July, he said. Scroll down to read the recall report from NHTSA or download the full defect notice as a PDF, here.