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2017 Subaru BRZ First Drive

When the Subaru BRZ debuted in 2012, it was heralded as a return to the traditional Japanese sport coupe formula – a compact, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive runabout that hearkened back to greats like the original Toyota Celica, Mazda's RX-3, and the Nissan 240SX. Japan is covered in mountains, and that's where its enthusiasts honed their hooning. Cars that emphasize handling, not horsepower, make the most sense there. Now, five years on, Subaru is using the model's first facelift to further differentiate it from its Toyota cousin. The BRZ is Subaru's ultimate vision of a sophisticated driver's car, more string-backed gloves than flat-brimmed hat. To prove the point, Subaru invited us to drive the refreshed 2017 specimen, along with 2016 models for comparison, at Japan's legendary Fuji Speedway. The BRZ's revised styling makes the distinction painfully clear right off the bat. It now sports a squarer jawline, with a chin described by senior designer Yuki Kumono as aircraft-inspired. LED DRLs are embedded in the new headlamps, moved up from the space they once shared with fog lights. A side note for Subaru fans: The C-shaped DRLs are called "hawkeyes" internally, which is sure to cause confusion among Subarists who have already given that name to the 2006–07 Impreza WRX and STI. Freshened taillights and a reshaped spoiler update the badonk, and the Subie has new fender inserts. Styling is of course a subjective matter, but anyone who says the sea-creature maw of the post-Scion 2017 Toyota 86 is better looking is clearly wrong. Ultimately, though, the question on everybody's minds is, "Does the BRZ have any more danged power?" The answer to that is yes, technically, but only on certain cars. The 2.0-liter boxer four makes five more horsepower and five more pound-feet of torque only on manual-transmission cars. That brings the totals to 205 hp and 156 lb-ft. Cries for a turbocharger have gone stubbornly unanswered. In typical Japanese fashion, it's not the numbers that matter. Subaru has focused instead on the overall driving feel, that elusive metric that can't be expressed on a spec sheet or through the frothing internet comments of armchair racers. Subaru's engineers, some of whom are trained as the company's expert test drivers, have toiled away at a host of improvements for the base Premium trim, the upper Limited grade, and a new Performance Package that's available on top of the latter.

2015 Subaru Legacy to start at $21,695*

Subaru unveiled the 2015 Legacy at this year's Chicago Auto Show, and while the company was happy to tell us all about its new platform and features, it kept pricing a secret until now. The new all-wheel drive sedan arrives at dealers this summer with a starting price of $22,490, which includes its $795 destination charge, a $400 increase over last year's model with the CVT.
The Legacy takes advantage of a slightly larger, new platform, which Subaru claims is quieter. The 2.5-liter boxer-four-cylinder and 3.6-liter flat-six engines are carried over from the previous generation, but they see slight boosts in fuel economy. All models also now come standard with a CVT, and, of course, Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.
The range starts with the basic 2.5i trim at $22,490 that comes standard with more airbags than before and a 6.2-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth and iPod integration. The $24,290 2.5i Premium trim really improves things with standard dual-zone climate control, power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 7-inch infotainment system and more. For $27,290, the 2.5i Limited adds a leather interior, 18-inch wheels, a Harmon/Kardon stereo, heated rear seats, fog lights, wood grain trim and more. A top-spec Legacy 3.6R Limited goes for $30,390 and comes with standard HID low beams.

Next-generation Subaru Forester spotted with minimal camouflage

Though the Subaru Forester received a slight refresh last year, the crossover is due for a full redesign, since its bones date back to the 2014 model year. That redesign is coming soon though, as revealed by these spy shots. The crossover looks relatively similar to the current one, but it's completely new underneath. As for the outside, it's definitely an evolutionary design. The boxy shape and signature grille clearly derive from the current model. But there are changes. The prow doesn't slope back as much as the current one. Instead, it's nearly upright, and the corners are pushed forward, too. It gives the Forester a more truck-like appearance. The headlights also look as though they sit higher and wrap around more. The lower vents that were integrated in bumper creases on the current one appear to have disappeared, as well, perhaps for a more conventional front bumper. Moving to the side and the back, we can just make out some slightly more complicated surfaces on the flanks. They look a bit like the subtle creases found on the Impreza and the Crosstrek. The taillights also appear to be inspired by the new Impreza and Crosstrek. Rather than the small units in the body of the current Forester, the new lights extend into the rear hatch. Not only does this bring the crossover's styling in line with Subaru's other offerings, this may improve the size of the hatch opening, as Subaru says the Impreza's new lights did. Underneath the modest redesign should be Subaru's global architecture, which currently underpins the Impreza and Crosstrek. Our experience with both of those cars showed that the platform has yielded agile handling and solid ride quality. And if the Forester continues to offer a turbocharged engine, it should rectify the power (or rather, lack thereof) in the Impreza pair. The platform will also underpin the upcoming three-row Ascent SUV, which is expected to be released next year. With that in mind, and the near production-ready body, we'd say we'll see the new Forester revealed either at the end of this year, or early next year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Subaru Forester View 9 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Subaru Crossover