2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i. 62,000 Miles. Leather. Power. Very Clean. Awd! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Man posts dashcam video of epic crash over cliff

YouTube user TurboFoz uploaded dashboard camera footage Monday of a terrifying crash that occurred last year as he was driving the popular Angeles Crest Highway in California. Last January, TurboFoz was zipping through the San Gabriel Mountains in his 2004 Subaru Forester XT. The engine sound was so alluring, TurboFoz opened up his Forester in the tunnels that dot the scenic highway for the full effect. "As an auto enthusiast, when you have a nice relatively fast car with a loud exhaust you tend to like tunnels," he wrote. "They make your exhaust sound that much better, sort of like singing in the shower." What he didn't know was that the road curved sharply just outside of one of these tunnels. A bystander tried to wave him down, but TurboFoz wasn't sure why the man was signaling to him. It was only when he saw the angle of the road up ahead that he realized the man was trying to tell him to slow down. He applied the brakes, but it was too late. The Subaru slid across the road and tumbled off the cliff. He rolled several times before coming to rest on a large drainage pipe jutting from the steep mountainside. If it wasn't for that small ledge on the sheer cliff the accident could have been much worse. "It was the only horizontally level piece on an extremely steep sloped hill," he wrote. "Had I spun off a few feet before or after, I'd be dead. TurboFoz says driving too fast on an unfamiliar road cost him his beloved Subaru and almost his life. Luckily TurboFoz was unhurt, but unluckily his beloved Forester was a total loss. TurboFoz hopes he can save other enthusiasts from the same, or worse, fate. "This is a reminder to be safe, pay attention and KNOW THE ROAD before you try to have "fun" on it," he said. "I failed on all 3 of those accounts and it nearly cost me my life. I've more than learned my lesson and would hope some others do by my example." News Source: YouTube Subaru Driving Ownership Safety Autoblog Minute Videos

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid finally adds gas-electric option to the brand [w/video]

For a company that does a pretty great job of tying its vehicles to the environment - or, better said, to people who like to actually get out into the environment - Subaru hasn't exactly been a leader in green vehicle production. In fact, it's 2013 and the company is finally releasing its first-ever production hybrid, the XV Crosstrek Hybrid. Tom Doll, Subaru's executive vice president, admitted as much at the unveiling today at the New York Auto Show: "We at Subaru were not the first to market with a hybrid, but we sure made sure we did it right."
That may be, but for now the automaker doesn't want to tell us all the details of how right it is. We do know that the powertrain takes Subaru's 2.0-liter boxer engine and adds in a 13.4-horsepower electric motor and continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive will be, of course, standard, and Subaru promises the XV Crosstrek Hybrid will offer the "same utility and versatility as the gasoline model," including 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The hybrid does weigh 300 pounds more, though, which required a re-engineered chassis.
The motor can move the lifted Impreza in all-electric mode up to 25 miles an hour (distance not specified). Subaru isn't talking precise fuel economy numbers, either, just that it will be the "most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive crossover in America" and will unsurprisingly have start-stop functionality. We do hear, though, that the hybrid will get around 10-percent better fuel economy than the standard gas-only XV Crosstrek. The most efficient version of that car, the one with the CVT, gets 25 miles per gallon in the city, 33 highway and 28 combined. Whatever this hybrid XV Crosstrek gets, we expect Subaru'll sell a million in Portlandia. For more, scroll down to watch an official video and read the press release.

Are we about to see a real SUV revival?

Now that the marketplace has been oversaturated with cute-utes, crossovers, and CUV coupes, are we about to see a resurgence of real, honest-to-God SUVs? Ummm... maybe. The stars seem to be aligning in that direction, at least that's the sense I'm getting. We know an all-new Jeep Wrangler is only a few auto shows away; and that Jeep is about to introduce a new Grand Cherokee Trailhawk for 2017, in the same rugged spirit of the successful Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawks. Ford has hinted at a neo-Bronco, after showing the concept above in 2014 to wet the mouths of all those Duck Dynasty-types out there. And, and... wait for it... I recently learned that Subaru sent a questionnaire out to some Forester owners asking if they might be interested in an off-road package if it were offered. The items listed were pretty hardcore, serious stuff, such as: integrated tow/recovery hooks, additional ground clearance, more rugged wheels, skid plates, altimeter, front-view off-road camera, improved approach and departure angles, advanced differentials, Inclinometer, full-size spare tire, upgraded off-road suspension components, more aggressive tires, off-road driving mode (engine, transmission, throttle, and steering settings), more rugged styling, low-range gearing, and a more advanced traction management system. Folks that's not my wish list (well, actually it is), but those are words from Subaru, asking if that's what customers would like to see. Need proof? Go to the SubaruForester.org website. It's in a discussion there. So... no promises or guarantees here, and feel free to call me a rumormonger if you like; but the next few years could prove very interesting for those who actually do go off road. If this pans out, remember, you read it here first. Related Video: Image Credit: Ford Ford Jeep Subaru Crossover SUV Off-Road Vehicles open road