February 24, 2017
The Legendary Subaru Over the Years
Japanese automaker famous for it’s horizontally opposed engines which are commonly known as the boxer engines or flat engines. These engines are the most balanced power units across the globe. Subaru manufactures practical and best to drive cars which have all wheel drive powertrains and the best engines. Almost every boxer engine has the facility of turbochargers to facilitate the powerful hauling and become an ultimate family vehicle.
A short history of Subaru
In early 1950s, a number of Japanese companies merged into a big industry called Fuji heavy Industries Ltd and they engaged into number of heavy engineering works from the start including shipping many other heavy jobs. The automotive division of the heavy industries was named as Subaru, the meaning of Subaru in Japanese is ‘Unite’. Its logo also indicates the unity with number of small stars led by a big star.
The first ever Subaru car was rolled of the assembly line in 1954 and it was powered by a four cylinder Subaru engine, named as the P1 but it was previously changed to the Subaru 1500. It was powered by a front wheel drive system with independent suspension and monocoque body for the first time on any car ever produced in Japan.
In the early years of its life Subaru has faced many challenges and number of times these challenges push them to stop sales. The first ever model has also faced these kind pf issues but Subaru has soon resolved these issues and in 1958 they introduced the second Subaru in the market. It was a 360 model dubbed and designed like a ladybird and it has earned fame and remained popular for many years, you can say more than a decade.
Subaru Today
Now a days, Subaru has become an international brand just like other Japanese automakers such as Honda, Toyota or Nissan. Subaru manufactures almost everything from trucks to small family cars and wagons as well. It is famous for its performance cars in the UK where its WRX STI has managed to make a lap record in Isle of Man. The WRX STI one of the top choices of racing enthusiasts and these performance cars offer thrilling performance and a driving pleasure at the same time.
We have picked up top five best Subaru vehicles which are very famous in the UK either for performance or fuel economy or for their design or even for their boxer engines.
Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester is a compact crossover SUV and has received midlife refinements in 2017 to boost its popularity and this refreshing course includes a revised front and rear bumpers and other features, interior has also received a slight retouching.
An active safety package has been installed on the Forester crossover that involves a series of safety equipment. It has rivals like Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, but being a Subaru, it has managed to beat the rivals with torque vectoring technology which a unique feature for the Forester SUV. None of the rivals offer this feature on their SUVs.
The Forster has a
2.5 litre flat-four boxer engine that remains the standard engine for all Forester model trims and revisions to the engine line up however, the transmission compartment uses a CVT which is mated to the engine in most models to get the improved fuel economy ratings of 26 and 32 mpg in the city and motorway.
It shows a bump of 2 mpg in the city but the highway mileage stays the same. Unlike its competitors, the Forester 2.5i and 2.5i Premium models offer a six-speed manual transmission.
Other alterations comprise further soundproofing, thicker door glass, and up-to-date door seals welcome prospect for the reason that the high level of road and wind noise in earlier Foresters. A heated steering wheel and keyless entry join the 2.5i touring and a 2.0XT touring unites with normal-gear lists, whilst features a power lift gate and automatic climate control are extra widely to be had.
Those few drivers who enterprise off-roading in Foresters will appreciate that
Subaru’s X-Mode traction system and hill-descent system are actually general on CVT-organized top class, limited, and traveling models. Pricing for the 2017 Subaru Forester lineup isn’t released yet but, but it shouldn’t exchange so much from the outgoing prices of Subaru Forester, which ranged from $23,245 for a base 2.5i manual to $34,645 for a 2.0XT touring.
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza is a base model and it comes in almost all body types from saloon to hatchback, WRX and STI treatments are also given to this model. Conventional all-wheel power makes the Impreza a trusty all-season companion but it certainly does slight to stimulate enthusiast drivers.
Each hatchback and saloon models get a 152-hp
2.0 litre four-cylinder Subaru Impreza boxer engine with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. A 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment process with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also offered on all models as a standard, while luxury and Sport models get an 8.0 inch screen.
Subaru’s
EyeSight safety tech is optional and entails adaptive cruise control system and automatic emergency braking. The all new Impreza has an upgraded design on both inside and out, handling is just awesome, it is spacious and quiet, and comfortable.
It is a front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door saloon which is the best choice for families. It has an estimated price of $19,715 for base models come with 2.0 litre boxer engine. The 2.0i Premium models start from $22,015, while the Sport models with 2.0i Sport starts from $22,815, however the limited version has a 2.0i limited tag and price from $24,915
The flat four boxer engine comes with 16 valves and aluminum block and cylinder heads along with direct injection technology. It generates 152 hp @ 6000 rpm and a torque of 145 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm.
The weak point of this model family is that it still comes with five speed manual transmissions however you can opt for a CVT transmission. Zero to 60 mph sprint takes 8.5-8.9 seconds depends upon the engine power and track conditions however it has a top speed of 120 mph. the EPA combined fuel economy stats are as follows, city/average/motorway, 30/27/36 miles per gallon.
Subaru WRX
All sprung up with a covering revelation, flared fenders, and a scorching-rod flat boxer engine leading from the front, the WRX is basically an Impreza with a full dose of steroids to make it a muscle. To be had handiest as a saloon, a 268-hp turbo
2.0 litre Subaru Impreza engine with four and a six-speed manual transmissions offered as standard but the best point is that they are mated to an all-wheel power delivery system.
A CVT is not standard, but of course the manual transmission is extra enjoyable to drive regardless of its wide ratios. With brittle steerage and a quick turn-in, the WRX carves up corners just like the rally-stimulated beast its cornering experience is unforgiving over all but the smoothest roads. Subaru’s tried and genuine rally specials, the WRX and the WRX STI, flow into the 2017 model year with minor changes in the equipment offered on the new WRX.
The base six speed manual transmission in the
2017 Subaru Impreza WRX expenses a $125 extra than it did in 2016, for which consumers now get an auto-on sensor for the headlights, auto up/down control for the front passenger window, and an upgraded cloth headliner that looks extra like one designed for family car than a U-Haul commercial truck.
For $27,515, you get the best of the best boxer of 2.0-litre flat-4 with turbocharged power delivery and that routes 268 horsepower to all four wheels. A 6.2-inch infotainment system touchscreen to operate the six speaker-audio with HD radio, SiriusXM, Bluetooth, USB, and apart from these features there are quite a lot of tune apps offered as standard.
Subaru WRX STI
Don’t let the massive trunk wing make you fool anymore because it is not the STI that will offer airborne facility through its rear trunk wing. It is however very powerful performance car with 305 hp from its 2.5 litre turbo engine with 4-cylinder, now it’s simply not the performance risk that it used to be.
A six-speed manual transmission, restricted-slip differentials, and torque vectoring technology help maintain the STI glued to the track surface. Its steering is laser-speedy and its brakes grip like loopy. The outcomes makes it pleasing to pressure the track and sprint like a rocket, but it comes on the cost of a punishing journey and a punishing price tag too.
Subaru's 2.0-litre turbocharged, horizontally adversarial 4-cylinder boxer engine continues to
energy the 2016 WRX model in all three trim levels. Its again has a 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque are concentrating on the all-wheel-power system via a standard six-speed manual transmission.
An elective continuously variable transmission CVT with paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel that allow the tranny make fun of either a six speed or an eight speed automatic, depending on the driving mode, is to be had for the WRX STI flagship models and restricted trim levels.
The WRX STI premium and limited trims additionally get inverted front struts for increased performance and handling. A manual-equipped WRX posted a quick 5.4 seconds to reach the benchmark speed of 62 miles per hour.
Subaru says the WRX STI with a CVT needs a bit more time to get the same speed of 62 miles per hour and we have tested it at 5.9 seconds to cover the same distance. When it comes to the fuel economy figures, EPA-estimated fuel economy system came into action and claims that the WRX STI with a manual transmission returns only 23 miles per gallon however the combine fuel economy is 20 miles per gallon in the city traffic and 27 miles per gallon when on the motorway, at the same time CVT-geared up items are unchanged at 21 miles per gallon mixed 18 miles per gallon in the city traffic and 24 miles per gallon on the motorway.
The STI also steps up the game with a 2.5 litre turbocharged 4-cylinder boxer engine rated at 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. A beefed-up six-speed manual transmission is the only one transmission offered for the STI models with 2.5 litre 305bhp engines.
In our test, the
STI 2.5 litre engine accelerated to 60 miles per hour in just 5.0 seconds. EPA estimated fuel economy figures are 19 miles per gallon combined, 17 miles per gallon when facing the city traffic and 23 miles per gallon when cruising on the motorway.
Subaru Legacy
With normal all-wheel drive system as a standard on all Subaru models and a suite of available safety tech at a price that undercuts less-organized and less promised rivals, the Legacy is definitely a clever car and a wise buy.
It’s additionally a superb performer, with a
2.5 litre Subaru boxer engine which is capable of delivering one hundred seventy five horsepower from its flat four configuration or an optional 3.6-litre engine is also available which is capable of delivering 256-hp from its flat-six, each paired with a continually variable transmission.
The interior of the Legacy is one of the coolest interiors offered on the Subaru models and it is equally comfy however, an updated Legacy will make its debut in summer 2017.
The model lineup stays the identical with the 2.5i packs a 175-hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine, whilst the 3.6R has a 256-hp 3.6-litre flat-six engine. An automatic transmission with a manual mode and paddle shifters to toggle through simulated gears stays the only choice, and the engine’s central processing unit has been returned to furnish quicker and smoother throttle response.
Of course, all-wheel drive with torque vectoring is standard on all Subaru models thus on each Legacy. The 2.5i is to be had in base, luxury, sport, and confined trims, even as the 3.6R comes as the top-spec restrained models. The new refined and tweaked front has wider grille and air intakes. The 2018 model also sees a restyled rear bumper with integrated tailpipes, will make its debut soon this year.
