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Car Reviews

2021 Subaru Crosstrek Ltd.

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Crosstrek merges hatchback styling, crossover utility …

Mix a love of hatchbacks with a need for AWD and you have the recipe Subaru has nearly perfected in its 2021 Crosstrek.

I’ve loved hatches for years and really, if you think on it, isn’t that what all crossovers are? But crossovers aren’t very slick looking as a class, so thank goodness for Subaru and the tall hatchback design of its revamped Crosstrek, tested in its top-level Limited trim.

The first thing, beyond its sporty looks, that everyone should want to talk about for 2021 is its new engine that gives it 30 more horsepower. A little oomph is always welcome. The engine itself isn’t new, already powering Subaru’s Forester crossover, but it’s new to Crosstrek, now standard in its Sport and Limited trim levels. Continue reading 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Ltd. →

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Car Reviews

2020 Subaru WRX STI

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WRX STI is fast, furious and noisy as …

You know that sound of running a vacuum and it sucking up a load of dirt, gravel and maybe some road salt in winter. Now imagine that sound rattling around in each wheel well of your car.

That’s the first impression of Subaru’s new WRX STI, the raciest of Subies. The lasting impression is of its racer like speed and handling. Continue reading 2020 Subaru WRX STI →

SUV/Truck Reviews

2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT Premium

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Subaru adds some macho to its 2014 Forester 

Simply put, I have a new favorite small sport-utility vehicle, the 2014 Subaru Forester.

While the rest of the small ute world is going toward crossover status and swoopy designs, the Forester, one of the early crossover/utes with AWD, is going away from that. It’s going all macho angular and edgy.

A black pre-production Forester reflects its Darth Vader looks.
A black pre-production Forester, shown in this Motor Trend photo, reflects its Darth Vader looks.

I like it, particularly the sparkling black test ute’s Darth Vader look to its nose and accented with sexy black and chrome five-spoke wheels.But looks are only sheet metal deep and for love to blossom (and Subaru tells us their vehicles are all about love), there has to be a deeper connection. There was in the tested mid-level 2.0XT Premium model.

This isn’t your base Forester, the one with a mild 170-horse 2.5-liter Boxer 4-cylinder engine. Oh, that would be fine, but No, this XT baby comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection Boxer 4-cylinder. And get this, it bangs out 250 horsepower, that’s 26 more horses than in the comparable turbo model previously.

The funny thing is you don’t notice that power right off. You can drive this around town like it’s a regular Forester, just cruising from stoplight to stoplight and getting decent gas mileage, considering its an all-wheel-drive ute. But Subaru has created an absolutely delicious CVT (continuously variable transmission). Continue reading 2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT Premium →