2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek 2.0i Limited on 2040-cars

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Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.

Subaru Cross Sport Design Concept is a BRZ with a backpack

Sports cars are a notoriously tough sell over the long-term. Like convertibles, sales of even the best sports cars tend to be front-loaded in the first couple of years, at which point they drop off like a stone. That may serve to explain this mysterious two-door wagonback concept from Subaru, dubbed Cross Sport Design Concept.
While details aren't exactly thick on the ground, at first blush, this appears to be a higher-riding BRZ with a more utilitarian backpack. Reports suggest the rear-wheel-drive sports coupe's chassis is riding underneath, despite the fact that the Cross Sport is 2.6 inches longer overall. Assuming the chassis itself is basically unmodified and the 2.0-liter, flat, four-cylinder engine is untouched, this could be a very effective way for Subaru to increase its return on investment in the BRZ's underpinnings while generating a very cool (if niche) shooting brake model.
With the exception of a few bits of concept car frosting (wood-lined cargo bay floor, overly-detailed steroscopic camera mounts, slivered side mirrors, etc.), this thing looks production ready, and that's just ducky with us.

2016 Subaru WRX: Is this successor worthy of the crown?

I was leasing a 2012 Subaru WRX, a car I had wanted since forever. When the lease was up, I decided to trade it in and get another WRX, a 2016 model. Now that I've put over 7,500 miles on the new one, I can offer a fair comparison of the previous-generation model and newest model. While the basic DNA is the same – turbocharged boxer engine + symmetrical all-wheel drive – these cars look and feel rather different. Exterior The prior model WRX ran from 2008 to 2014. In 2011, though, Subaru upped the ante by giving its rally-inspired baby a widebody look similar to the STI variant. The WRX was offered as either a sedan or a hatchback. I opted for the hatchback version because of the extra cargo space, and I felt it looked better than the sedan. I loved the look of this car, especially in the classic World Rally Blue paint. The flared fenders, hood scoop, and quad exhaust tips made for one aggressive-looking machine. It definitely stood out from the crowd. The new model, on the other hand, introduced in 2015, is only offered as a sedan. It blends into the crowd for the most part, but I think the front end looks great and the side profile looks sleek. At the rear, Subaru did a nice job with the stainless steel exhaust tips versus the old model's unfinished tips, but the taillight design is nothing special. The low-profile trunk spoiler is a nice touch. The 18" wheels on the Premium and Limited models look sharp, though they're a bit on the heavy side. Interior The previous generation WRX was criticized for its spartan interior, but I didn't mind it. I liked the simplicity. Everything was easy to use, whereas newer cars have a bit of a learning curve with infotainment systems and whatnot. The red stitching and WRX-embroidered seats added some uniqueness to the car. The fit & finish weren't great, though. There was a rattling sound coming from the driver's side A-pillar that I had to fix. Subaru did a good job with the new model's interior. It feels more elegant than aggressive. The climate control knobs have a nice feel and weight to them, and the steering wheel is superb. There's a digital display on the gauges, a small screen on top of the dash, and Subaru's Starlink system for radio and phone. A back-up camera is standard and displays on the Starlink's 6.2" screen for 2016, which has been a surprisingly nice perk to have.