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Subaru beefs up new Exiga Crossover 7 in Japan

While we wait for Subaru to roll out a replacement for the troubled Tribeca crossover here in North America, in other markets the Japanese automaker continues to introduce other wagons of varying heights and capacities. Like the Levorg wagon offered in Japan and soon to be introduced in Europe, or the new Exiga Crossover 7 announced for the company's domestic market. We first caught a glimpse of the Exiga in concept form way back at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, and the seven-seat wagon entered production the following year. What sets this version apart is its higher stance, transforming it into a pseudo-crossover in similar fashion to how the Outback transformed the Legacy or the XV Crosstrek builds upon the Impreza. It's based on the same platform as well, and retains the existing Exiga's seven-seat cabin, with three rows of seating that fold down to make the interior volume adaptable to whatever needs might arise. The crossover version also rides higher on 17-inch wheels, with reinforced lower bodywork, a larger front grille and roof rails to give it a more rugged look. Power comes in the form of a 2.5-liter boxer four, mated to a continuously variable transmission and driving 171 horsepower to all four wheels in typical Subaru style. Fuji Heavy figures it will sell around 600 of these every month in Japan, but it looks unlikely to export it to other markets - least of all our own. Jacked up and ruggedized though it may be, our sources at Subaru tell us this vehicle is too small to have anything to do with the Tribeca replacement we've been waiting for and which promises to be a fair bit larger to suit American tastes. (Google-translated) Subaru new "CROSSOVER 7 (crossover Seven)" released April 16, 2015 Fuji Heavy Industries, the crossover model "CROSSOVER 7" of the new genre of "urban SUV x multiplayer car" (official name: "EXIGA CROSSOVER 7") the will be released today. CROSSOVER 7, the interior and exterior that incorporates elements of fashion and authentic SUV, all-weather AWD performance of Subaru unique, combines the 7-seater of packaging full of airy, is the new crossover model. You can also use in a variety of applications, and new proposal as "7-seater SUV" to achieve an active lifestyle.

Next-gen Subaru WRX STI spotted at the N"urburgring

Subaru has been busy testing the next-generation WRX STI. Well, it may be the STI. The big wing out back lends some credence to that theory, but it could be that the basic WRX is getting new action in the back section. Time will tell.
In either case, spy photographers nabbed a few shots of the heavily camouflaged sedan running around the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, it looks as if Subaru has taken some of the sexy out of the WRX Concept we saw at the New York Auto Show, leaving this car looking more derivative of the current model than a revolution in design. The bold power bulge has disappeared from the vehicle's hood and the lower fascia looks far more demure than the the wild concept. Likewise, the muscular rear fenders have been toned down substantially.
The result is a car that looks more like a mildly warmed over version of the current model than a production version of the WRX Concept. Still, engineers and designers may have a long way to go before the finished product hits the market, so we'll reserve final judgement for now. After all, the early BRZ mules were nothing short of a travesty to look at, and we know how that turned out. Hope springs eternal.

IIHS says these are the safest cars of 2013

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed its annual list of Top Safety Picks, an award that highlights automobiles it says offer "superior crash protection." A new and still more significant award, the Top Safety Pick+ honor, is given to those vehicles that earn good ratings for occupant protection in four out of five areas of measure. And while some 117 vehicles were given the TSP seal of approval for 2013, just 13 passed muster for TSP+.
To be fair, IIHS only evaluated 29 vehicles with its new testing procedures for TSP+ (we'd expect that the number of qualified cars will rise substantially for 2014). Luxury and Near Luxury midsize cars were the first groups evaluated, followed by midsizers in the Moderately Priced Cars category - unsurprisingly, it's only midsize cars that you'll find among the class this year.
Only two luxury sedans made the list of 13 for 2013: the Acura TL and Volvo S60. The other 11 cars on the list included entries from domestic, Japanese and German car makers: Dodge Avenger, Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord (sedan and coupe), Kia Optima (but not its close kin, the Hyundai Sonata, strangely), Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Outback, Suzuki Kizashi and the Volkswagen Passat all made the grade.