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2018 Subaru Outback to show fresh new face in New York

The refreshed and facelifted 2018 Subaru Outback was revealed today, just ahead of its debut next week at the 2017 New York Auto Show. While not all new, the Outback gets a more aggressive appearance, improved ride and handling, and some new standard and optional equipment. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the 2018 Outback will go on sale sometime later this year. While there haven't been many changes to the overall body, the Outback's front and rear fascias have been updated to fall in line with the rest of Subaru's lineup. The C-shaped headlights and wide grille recall the new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. According to Subaru, the shape is supposed to remind you of the boxer engine design, with the lights moving outward from the grille. The LED headlights are available with a feature that points them in the direction of the steering wheel. Limited and Touring models come with automatic high beams courtesy of Subaru's EyeSight safety suite. New cladding on the front is intended to better protect the body from dirt and rocks when soft-roading. There will be new wheel designs across the entire Outback range. 2.5i base and Premium models come with 17-inch wheels, while Limited and Touring models come with 18-inch wheels. All models except the range-topping Touring come with roof rails with retractable crossbars. The Touring comes with low-profile rails and detachable crossbars. Subaru claims improvements to the Outback's chassis and suspension provide a smoother, quieter ride than the current model. The brakes and the electronic power steering have also been retuned for a more linear response. Improvements to the CVT, the door mirrors, side glass, and wheel wells should help quell some road noise. There have been upgrades to the interior, including a redesigned center console. Backseat passengers now have access to two USB ports. New materials and colors will be available for both the seating surfaces and trim pieces. Subaru also says an improved air conditioning system will cool the cabin more quickly than before. The 2018 Outback gets the latest version of Subaru's Starlink infotainment system. That means Bluetooth phone and audio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a TomTom navigation system with three years of map updates in the top level models. The standard touchscreen is 6.5 inches, while an 8-inch system is an available option. Premium, Limited, and Touring models get over-the-air WiFi updates.

Consumer Reports says infotainment systems 'growing first-year reliability plague'

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year's list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year's list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.
Acura isn't the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker's reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about "in-car electronics" were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

2014 Subaru Forester XT

Hitting The Mainstream Sweet Spot
The Forester does quite a bit of heavy lifting for Subaru. What was once a plucky little all-wheel-drive utility box has matured into a competitive crossover that accounts for a quarter of the company's total sales in the US. With those numbers continuing to swell even in the third generation's twilight hours, engineers and designers found themselves in the unenviable position of being asked to fix what ain't broke. Rather than reinvent the company's workhorse from the ground up, as we say in our first look at the CUV, Subaru honed the Forester to offer better fuel efficiency, more usable space and a more refined drive.
In doing so, the automaker hopes to toe that delicate line between luring in new devotees to the cult of Pleiades and keeping the brand's longtime fans smiling. While the fourth-generation Forester may have lost some of its trademark pluckiness in the pursuit of a more mainstream existence, there's no denying this is a more sorted vehicle than its predecessors. Make no mistake, the 2014 Forester is keen to carve out a larger chunk of the ever-plumping CUV market for itself, and for the first time in its history, it has the muscle to do so.