2021 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Premium on 2040-cars

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Subaru brings back the Barkley dogs in new TV spots

Who let the dogs out? Subaru did. And they're bringing them back. The company announced it's bringing back the Barkley family of Labradors and Golden Retrievers for a new series of TV spots called "Dog Tested. Dog Approved." Subaru aired the four 30-second ads during the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, which it has sponsored for 14 years. They'll repeat on network and cable broadcasts and feature in targeted digital and social media promotions. Subaru used the Barkleys most recently to unveil its new Ascent three-row SUV during its "Welcome to SubaruVille" event at the L.A. Auto Show late last year. The stunt was widely deemed adorable. The family of dogs have appeared in the automaker's ads as far back as 2009. "With more than half of Subaru drivers having pets, we believe it is important to celebrate the love of pets shared by our owners," Alan Bethke, senior vice president of marketing at Subaru of America, said in a statement. "Pets are considered members of our Subaru family and utilizing the Barkleys in our campaigns allows us to connect with our customers in an authentic, fun and entertaining way." The new ads are "Car Wash," embedded atop this post; "Drop Off," about the first day of obedience school; "Driving Lesson," in which a parallel parking lesson is complicated by passing geese; and "Drive Away," about a teenage dog being picked up by his father at the Dog Bowl. Subaru said it will also sponsor this year's "Puppy Bowl XIV," which airs February 4 on Animal Planet on the same day as the Super Bowl, and it plans to partner with BuzzFeed and Funny or Die on custom content branded with the hash tag #MakeADogsDay later on in the campaign. Subaru partners with animal welfare organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as part of its Subaru Loves Pets campaign.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Subaru Auto News Marketing/Advertising Subaru Crossover SUV dogs subaru ascent

Junkyard Gem: 1982 Subaru GL 4WD Wagon

As a junkyard aficionado living in Denver, I get regular opportunities to study the history of the Pleiades-badged brand every time I hit the IMPORTS section at one of my local yards. You won't find any Subaru 360s in U-Wrench yards these days (I haven't seen a discarded 360 since the early 1980s), but I still find plenty of Malaise-Era Subarus from the period during which they were mocked for their small size in novelty songs. Here's a seriously loaded (by early-1980s standards) 1982 Subaru Leone four-wheel-drive wagon, found last fall in a yard just south of Denver. Back in those days, Subaru USA just called this car "the Subaru" and used the trim levels as confusing model names. There was the base model with no name, the mid-grade DL, and the high-end GL.  Four-wheel-drive was optional on Subarus at this point, though nearly all Colorado buyers paid for this feature. Unlike later all-wheel-drive systems with center differentials, this setup was true four-wheel-drive, which would tear up your tires (or worse) if you drove for too long on dry pavement with 4WD engaged. This proved very confusing for many owners of these cars (as well as those with four-wheel-drive-equipped Toyota Tercels and Honda Civics, a bit later in the decade). Check out the controls for the extremely rare dealer-installed air conditioning! This car has everything. By far the coolest optional feature on this car is the rare "third eye" center-mounted driving light, which lives behind this flip-up panel in the center of the grille and was actuated via a dash-mounted switch. You're more likely to find one of these lights in a BRAT, which was the truck version of the Leone, and I've found a few third-eye-equipped BRATs over the years. Did I buy the entire grille and third-eye assembly, for installation as a ceiling-mounted work light in my garage? You bet I did! With just over 180,000 miles on the clock, this car appears to have been very well cared-for during its life. There's a bit of rust in the usual spots, but nothing too severe by the standards of a near-40-year-old Japanese car. Plaid seat fabric became fashionable on cars like this during the early 1980s, as you'll see on many a Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon. The 1.8-liter boxer-four in this car generated 82 horsepower when new, and it got the job done (if you were patient). This underhood sticker shows that this Subaru's original sale almost certainly took place in Colorado (or maybe Wyoming).

2021 Subaru Ascent Review | One for the faithful

The 2021 Subaru Ascent doesn't really stand above and beyond the crowded field of three-row family crossovers. There are those that make a bolder statement outside, that are more luxurious inside and that are better to drive. Some are even more spacious or versatile. Frankly, it's hard not to point you towards a Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade or Toyota Highlander instead. However, the Ascent really isn't for the general three-row crossover-buying population. It's for Subaru's fiercely loyal customers, and specifically the great many who outgrow their Foresters and Outbacks. Previously, if they needed more space and/or seats, they were forced to abandon the brand that A) they were used to, and B) catered to their specific requirements that often involve outdoorsy adventures. With the Ascent, they get that extra space but it comes with the same 8.7 inches of ground clearance and beefy roof rails, an awfully familiar driving experience, and the cabin puts the same emphasis on no-nonsense, user-friendly controls. The Ascent even looks like an Outback, albeit a gigantic one. So although the Ascent isn't for everyone, it should be just right for those already onboard the good ship Subaru. What's new for 2021? There are more standard features this year, all of which enhance safety. The standard headlights on every trim level are now steering-responsive LED units, while the standard EyeSight suite of driver assistance tech gains lane-keeping assistance and lane-centering for the adaptive cruise control system. There are also now seatbelt reminders for second- and third-row occupants. Buckle up kids! What's the Ascent interior and in-car technology like? From the driver's seat, the Ascent's packaging displays Subaru's pragmatic philosophy to car design. All the gauges are easy to see and read at a glance, knobs and buttons are easy to locate — both those of the software-based touchscreen infotainment system and the physical ones on the steering wheel and center stack. There aren't as many clever cubbies as in a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander, but there are a grand total of 19 cupholders spread throughout the cabin. Anticipate frequent bathrooms stops. The base infotainment system is a 6.5-inch touchscreen, but moving up to the Premium trim bumps that up to an 8.0-inch unit. The image quality is crisp, the colors bright, and simple tasks like selecting a radio preset are made easy with big virtual buttons.