2021 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Limited on 2040-cars

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Drive looks at a pair of STI-ified Subaru Impreza RS Coupes

Among tuners, the legions of Subaru fans are hard to top, displaying all the fanaticism of English soccer fans and a dedication to their vehicles that borders on obsessive. These are compliments, by the way. In the latest video from Drive, Matt Farah takes a look at a pair of very special Imprezas - early Impreza 2.5RS Coupes that have had some serious heart transplants.
The first, a traditional blue model, sports the 2.5-liter, turbocharged flat-four from the 2004 WRX STI, which is good for around 300 horsepower. The other Impreza is a bit more hardcore - the engine is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder from the JDM WRX STI, which we suppose makes it more of an Impreza 2.0RS Coupe. Besides the different engines, both cars represent the unique ideas and style of their owners.
The 10-minute video explores this, digging into why people tune, and how it's a reflection of their own personal driving style and character. Take a look below for another fun vid from the team at Drive.

Poor sales prompt Subaru to kill the Crosstrek Hybrid

The Subaru XV Crosstrek is a major hit. It's high off the ground, offers enough seating for five, and has Subaru's iconic all-wheel-drive system, which is exactly what modern consumers want. As we pointed out last year, Subaru posted impressive sales figures thanks to its crossover lineup, which includes the Forester, Outback, and XV Crosstrek. It turns out, though, that Subaru owners aren't interested in the hybrid variant of the crossover, as Subaru plans to axe the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, reports Cars Direct. The discontinuation of the XV Crosstrek Hybrid is due to the crossover's poor sales figures, claims Cars Direct. Subaru introduced its first-ever production hybrid, the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, in 2013 and after just three years the vehicle is being killed. As we pointed out in our review of the vehicle, the hybrid's larger price tag and marginally better fuel economy made it a tough choice over the non-hybrid models. The XV Crosstrek Hybrid starts – sorry, started – at $27,245, while the base 2.0i model has - had - a price tag of $22,445. That's $4,800 more for a vehicle that gets seven mpg better in the city and only three mpg more on the highway at 30 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. We reached out to Subaru for a comment, but haven't heard back yet. We'll update the story when we hear back from the automaker. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid: First Drive View 53 Photos News Source: Cars DirectImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Jonathon Ramsey Green Plants/Manufacturing Subaru Crossover Hatchback subaru xv crosstrek subaru hybrid discontinued subaru xv crosstrek hybrid

2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback recalled over potential steering loss

Subaru today announced a recall that affects 5,379 Legacy sedan and Outback wagon models in the United States. All of the affected 2013 model-year vehicles were built between February 15 and June 15 of 2012.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "the inner and outer shafts of the steering column assembly may become disengaged from one another" in these vehicles. If that happens, the driver can lose the ability to steer the vehicle, which could obviously lead to all sorts of harmful things.
Subaru will notify owners of the problem, and affected models will have their steering columns replaced at dealerships, free of charge. Scroll down for the official NHSTA report.