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Subaru Forester gets facelift for Japan

Subaru will introduce the updated version of the Forester for the Japanese domestic market at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The model benefits from a number of upgrades to the styling, interior, and equipment. It remains to be seen which, if any of these improvements will be applied to the version we get here. Most noticeable is the revised front fascia, which has been restyled to give it a "sturdier, more SUV-like appearance" thanks to a new grille, bumper, and headlights. Those lamps incorporate the company's latest EyeSight system with LED high- and low-beams that adapt to provide the optimal level of illumination according to traffic conditions. The suite of safety systems also includes lane-assist, pre-collision brake assist, blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control, and more. Around back the taillights have been redone as well, along with new 17- and 18-inch wheels and new body color options. Other features of the revised Forester include a new instrument panel with silver and piano-black accents, a color LCD display, and more. While mechanical changes remain limited, Subaru says it has optimized the suspension, steering, and transmission for better response. Turbocharged models also get active torque vectoring, and improved insulation promises lower NVH levels across the board. Subaru Upgrades Forester in Japan — New Safety Features include EyeSight (Ver. 3) and New Headlight Advancements — Tokyo, October 6, 2015 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced an upgraded edition of the Subaru Forester in Japan. The model will be exhibited on October 28 at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015 Press Day. The Forester has always been noted for the high degree of performance balance as an SUV. The latest upgrade advances this performance especially in the areas of design, driving enjoyment, and the utility and comfort expected of an SUV. Furthermore, the Forester's safety performance, already among the world's highest, has been bolstered by adopting the new EyeSight*1, an Advanced Safety Package*2 incorporating newly developed Adaptive Driving Beam headlights, and Subaru's first LED high & low beam lights and Steering Responsive Headlights. This comprehensive upgrade in vehicle performance has raised the Forester to a new level, as a product that will brighten the lives of more customers than ever.

2017 Subaru Impreza makes a stand in the compact segment

If the 2016 Honda Civic was a revelation for the brand as a rebuke of the past couple of generations of their brand-and-butter compact, the 2017 Subaru Impreza appears to be on a parallel trajectory for the lauded all-weather performance brand. Unveiled Tuesday at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the 2017 Impreza brings in an all-new platform that is stiffer, sportier, and a much-needed improvement to stay competitive as the segment tightens up. The car features styling cues that are potentially the most attractive we've seen on a non-WRX model since the turn of the century. The car looks downright European in either sedan or hatchback form, stealing much of the thunder that the Mazda 3 and Civic had brought just a short time ago. Its lines are clean all around, the front and rear are largely without aerodynamic clutter, and much of that style is carried over to the interior that gets a much needed refresh. Gone are the overly utilitarian surfaces and buttons; a clear shift has been made to make the car seem on-par with class leaders like the Civic and Mazda 3, albeit with its own distinctive Subaru style. The dashboard seems just as straightforward as before, but packs the necessary technology to remain competitive in the segment. It seems that Subaru has listened to critiques of the outgoing Impreza, and sought out a way to continue the tradition of making AWD alternatives to the mainstream compacts, but this time without compromises on content. Up and down the four-trim model chain (2.0i, Premium, Sport, Limited), standard equipment is greatly improved. Even the standard 2.0i model will come with the necessary power features that anyone would expect, along with a much-needed 6.5" touchscreen interface that dual-boots with Android Auto and Apple Car Play - something that even the base trim Honda Civic LX does not have, and perhaps, that should put Honda on notice. In the very competitive compact segment, content is king. With standard equipment being on par with or exceeding the headlining Civic and Corolla, the added convenience of AWD is the cherry on top in places with cooler climates. Without major changes to the powertrain (slight power gains for the standard 2.0 H4 and an updated CVT), fuel economy perhaps remains to be the only caveat to the Impreza being a class-leading choice. With the current model rated at 28/37 compared to the Civic's 31/42, a slight improvement wouldn't be much in the grand scheme of things.

Catch the rally bug in one easy step at Wales Rally GB

You should go watch a rally. Yes, you. And by "a rally," I mean pretty much anything that could be considered a rally. Is there a grassroots rallycross event near you featuring some $500 beater Subarus mucking about in a field? Go to that. Or a full-blown WRC event. Set your coffeemaker to kick out some extra-potent brew, because you'll probably have to wake up early and drive for a bit to see something. But trust me, it'll be worth it. In Europe, with hundreds of events concentrated in a relatively small geographical area, in all sorts of environments (snow, forest, dirt, you name it), this is a lot easier. North America is huge. Your TV is closer, your couch is comfortable. That's the challenge for hooking new rally fans in America. So, why get off your tail? I travelled to Wales, the tiny windswept country on the western edge of Great Britain, to find out. First, we stopped by David Higgins' rally school, parked at the top of a sheep-studded ridge in the middle of nowhere. This was a two-part trip. The first bit was a visit to David Higgins' rally school, parked at the top of a sheep-studded ridge in the middle of nowhere. The second part was the main event: watching the headline rally event in the UK – WRC Wales Rally GB – in what amounted to a tropical storm at winter temperatures. Despite the challenges, it was one of those trips that left me smiling the whole time. At the Higgins Rally School, we had a very abbreviated experience, essentially the highlights of a multi-day course condensed into a few short hours. The first was learning how to do J-turns on mud, in an old UK-market Ford Escort ... with right-hand drive, and so, a left-hand manual shift, which made it much harder to nail the technique with the "wrong" hand. Then, it was off for a lap with an instructor in the passenger seat in a rear-drive-converted Subaru Impreza WRX – flying through gravel, mud, within spitting distance of piles of logs. That was exhilarating. Or at least, it was, until the ride-alongs with the pros. Jimmy McRae, a storied driver and father to the late and even more storied Colin McRae, was behind the wheel. The car was an early 1990s Prodrive-built Legacy, a real works car, and it made demonic noises as McRae flew through the woods, mostly sideways.