SUBARU NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM 2010 

Subaru News, Magazine Reviews, Links from 2010 . Includes Tribeca, Outback, Legacy, Forester, Impreza, WRX, STI,  Baja, Hybrid, Diesel, Concept Cars.

Latest News is on the  Homepage and is moved here as needed
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General Subaru and Fuji news, comments and links in 2010
Model specific news, reports, reviews, articles etc are below. Comments and links have been edited.
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1/11/10  The top 25 Subaru salespeople for 2009. Updated with where they work
#1 salesperson in the US is Desiree Farey with 500 cars, she's at Irvine Subaru, Lake Forest, Ca;
#2 is right behind her. Ferris Reid sold 462 cars at Georgetown Subaru, Norwalk, CT;
#3 Charles Gianakis 332 cars, Cherry Hill Subaru, Cherry Hill, NJ (I should hope so- Cherry Hill  is SoA's hometown, since 1986) ;
#4 Jeff Miletta 323 cars, Liberty Subaru, Oradell, NJ;
#5 Karl Lindemuth 311 cars, Van Bortel Subaru, Victor, NY;
#6 Vincent Rizzo 302 cars, Metric Subaru, Huntington, NY; #7  Theresa All 287 cars, Van Bortel Subaru, Victor, NY; #8 Brian Johnson 260 cars, Brunswick Subaru, Brunswick Oh; #9 Guillermo Wong 257 cars, Bird Road Subaru, Miami, FL; #10  Joe Dandrea 256 cars, Grand Subaru, Bensenville, IL; #11 Stephen Appelbe 253 cars, Manchester Subaru, Manchester New Hampshire;   #12 Jack Berkowitz 247 cars, Manchester Subaru, Manchester New Hampshire; #13 Joseph Dicks 241 cars, Gary Lang Subaru, McHenry, IL; #14 (tie) Dave Denu,  Flatirons Subaru, Boulder Co, and Mir Masood at Stevens Creek Subaru, Stevens Creek Ca with 240 cars each; #16 Julie Schulte 233 cars, Subaru of Souix Falls, SD; #17 Mark Lidano 221 cars, Cityside Subaru, Belmont, MA; #18 Donald Jowdy 219 cars, Colonial Subaru, Kingston NY; #19 (tie) Ronald Hall, Shortline Subaru Aurora Co, and Alesky Petrushin, Ramsey Subaru Ramsey, NJ, with 216 cars each; #21 (tie) Anton Pankrushin, Star Subaru Bayside NY, and Andre Tocci, Rafferty Subaru, Newtown Square, PA with 215 cars each;  #23 Glen Dalton 212 cars, Cityside Subaru Belmont, MA; #24 Colin Johnston 211 cars, Liberty Subaru, Oradell, NJ; #25 Joseph Corbett 209 cars, Minooka Subaru, Moosic, PA
 

2/3 winner of the 1st Subaru/ASE award  Master Tech Toby Costa of Maita Subaru in Sac. Ca is the winner of the new Subaru ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year award given by Subaru and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
The rest of the top ten are Shawn Mitchell, Subaru of Richmond, Va; George Weller, Ambassador Subaru, Id; Shane Maas, Cascade Subaru Wenatchee, Wa;  Chris Debban, Team Subaru of Nampa, Id; Jeffrey Sparrow, Mastro Subaru Tampa, Fl; George Thabet, Maita Subaru (again!);  Jared Kalina, Power Subaru of Scottsdale, Az; Anthony DiSalvo, Ganley Subaru Aurora, Co; John Ochsner, Subaru of Sioux Falls, SD

2/1 Skiiers take note The Subaru Master the Mountain team is back at ski resorts with music and giveaways
Demo the latest Nordica skis, attend free mini ski and snowboard sessions (must have prior skiing and boarding experience), get tips, behind the scenes tours and watch rescue demonstrations.  Check out footage from the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour, The Northface Masters of Snowboarding tour stops, and the latest film from MSP Films, In Deep: The Skiing
Below are locations of 15th Subaru Master the Mountain
> California:  February 27–28, Kirkwood; March 6–7, Kirkwood; March 6–7, Mountain High.
> Colorado:  February 6–7, Telluride; Feb 27–28; Durango; Feb 20–21 Crested Butte; March 27–28, Loveland.
> New Mexico:  February 20–21, 2010, Taos
> Pennsylvania: February 27–28, 2010, Hidden Valley; March 5–6, 2010, Jack Frost Big Boulder.
> Utah: January 23–24, 2010, Snowbird; March 20–21, 2010, Snowbird
> Washington State: February 13–14, 2010, Crystal Mountain
> West Virginia: February 20–21, 2010, Snowshoe.
1/22 Subaru to be sold in S Korea
'Fuji has reported that it will enter into car sales business in South Korea. The sales of Subaru-brand vehicles will reportedly start from April 2010 in South Korea working through the company's local distributor, Subaru Korea. Subaru Korea will operate sales, distribution and after-sales servicing businesses of Subaru cars. The Legacy, Outback and Forester models will be available in the South Korean market from April 2010.  Subaru Korea has set an initial sales target of 600 units in the first year and aims to increase that number to 3,000 units by 2015. Subaru Korea is in the process of developing its own dealer network and plans to open Subaru outlet in Seoul and Pusan at first then expands to the other metropolitan areas in South Korea.' the article
1/18 Hollywood star Jessia Biel drives a Subaru. She's from Colorado....
'You can learn all sorts of interesting things about a person on a road trip together. For example: Jessica Biel is a very good driver. She is behind the wheel of a Subaru heading north from Vancouver toward Whistler, one of the ski resorts hosting the Olympics this month. Because of record-breaking snow, Biel has decided to ditch the more traditional plans she'd made for our interview and hit the slopes instead. So here we are, side by side, snacking on trail mix and listening to the sound track to Where the Wild Things Are. In the car in front of us is Biel's assistant and best friend, Lindsay Ratowsky, who is being driven with all of our bags and equipment. Our mini caravan left Vancouver in the late afternoon in a downpour, and now we are driving in the dark in a snowstorm. Wearing jeans and hiking boots, Biel, who grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and has been snowboarding since she was a kid, is utterly in her element. "This is very much a me moment: in the snow, in the Subaru, listening to music," she says. "I feel really at peace in this environment."
It's a far cry from where we were two hours ago, when Biel had 40 pounds of ammo strapped around her waist and an M4 semiautomatic assault rifle hoisted above her right shoulder. We were on the outskirts of Vancouver in an empty warehouse the size of a Walmart, part of the soundstage where she has been filming The A-Team...'   Vogue magazine February issue

1/16 Dealer list updated. Here are a few new Subaru dealers opening January 2010 - Gateway Subaru in Delmar Md; Subaru of Dayton in Dayton Oh, Huffines Subaru inDenton, TX; Don Miller West in Madison WI, Peoria Subaru in Peoria Az, Subaru of Orange Park in Jacksonville, Fl. Check them out...

1/8/10 survey of how we view car manufacturers
'It is only the end of the first week of January, but for Subaru, 2010 is already shaping up to be a very happy new year.
Just the other day, Subaru of America reported it had its best year in 2009, selling 216,652 vehicles. It was a 15 percent increase from 2008 and well above the automaker’s previous annual record of 200,703 in 2006.
Now, Subaru has scored big in Consumer Reports’ recently released 2010 Car Brand Perception Survey, a nationwide survey performed in early December. Subaru was one of three automakers that saw at least a 30-point improvement in how people view their vehicles. The other two were Chevrolet and Ford.
The survey covered 1,752 adults in households that had at least one car, and the scores reflect how consumers perceive each brand in seven categories: safety, quality, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation and environmental friendliness.
Subaru had a 39-point increase, the largest of any brand, doubling its score from last year and taking it from 18th place to ninth place in this year’s survey.
The top-10 scoring brands based on the perception of the car owners surveyed were: Toyota (196), Ford (141), Honda (135), Chevrolet (124), Volvo (92), Mercedes-Benz (92), BMW (90), Cadillac (87), Subaru (81) and Lexus (80).
Subaru’s improvement is significant on multiple fronts. It was one of the top 10 scoring brands based on the perception of car owners, and in third place in terms of perceptions of being a safety leader. Moreover, Subaru is seen as more environmentally friendly than in last year’s survey.
“In the last 12 months, they’ve made some dramatic improvements to their product line, sales have been relatively strong and the products deserve them,” said Jeff Bartlett, Consumer Reports’ deputy online editor, who was an author of the survey.
“The cars are good,” he said. “They’ve improved the fuel economy while making the cars bigger, and they’re not more expensive. They’re really hitting on a lot of the magic hot buttons.”
The survey found that safety, quality and value were the most important factors for new-car buyers. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed said safety was most important, 58 percent cited quality and 52 percent said value.' from the NYT

1/7/10  2009, the car year in review
2009 total vehicle sales 10.43 million, -21% from 2008 and the lowest total since 1982.  Most ever sold, 17.4 million in 2000.
Cash for clunkers was a great program and boosted sales across the board.
Losers for 09: Hummer -67%, Suzuki -54%, Smart (owned by MB) -47%, Mitsubishi -44%, Chrysler -36%, GM -30%, Mazda -21%, BMW -21%, Toyota -20%, Honda -19.5%, Nissan -19%. MB Daimler -17.8%,  Ford -15%, Volvo -14.6%, Land Rover /Jaguar (Tata)  -14%, Audi -5.7%,
Winners for 09:  Hyundai + 8%, Kia (owned by Hyundai) +10%; Subaru +15% to 2.1% of the US market from 1.4% in 2008.
Top sellers: 1. Ford F-150; 2. Toyota Camry; 3. Chevrolet Silverado;  4. Toyota Corolla/Matrix;  5. Honda Accord; 6. Nissan Altima;  7. Ford Escape;  8. Honda CR-V;  9. Ford Fusion;  10. Honda Civic

1/6 Top 20 new Subaru dealers in the US. The dealers are loosely clustered as expected in the Northeast, Northwest, West coast and Rocky Mtn areas. NY and Colorado have 3 of the top 20, then WA, OR, PA, CA, CT have 2.  #1 toip volume new Subaru dealer in the US for 2009 once again is Heuberger (Colorado) with 2537 cars for the 2009 calendar year. That's a lot of cars. The rest of the top 20 in order- Van Bortel (NY) 1300 cars in 2009, Manchester (NH) 1245 cars, Carter Subaru Shoreline (WA) - where I work- 1121 cars, Colonial (CT) 1116 cars, Bill Kolb (NY) 1101 cars, Chaplins (WA) 1089 cars, Continental (AK) 1034 cars, Patrick's (MA) 1030 cars, Carr (OR) 1029 cars, Becker (PA) 1019 cars, Go Arapahoe (CO) 994 cars, Wentworth (OR) 985 cars, Northtown (NY) 974 cars, Irvine (CA) 945 cars, Goldstein (NY) 903 cars, Shortline (CO) 899 cars, Georgetown (CT) 888 cars, Lithia Reno (NV) 885 cars, Stevens Creek (CA) 884 cars.
In the top 100, the #100 spot is shared by Day Apollo (PA) and Lee Galles (NM)  with 511 cars each for the year.
 

top Subaru Tribeca news and reviews edited for length, content

2010 calendar year

top Subaru Outback news and reviews edited for length, content

2010 calendar year  (archives 2009)   1/30 Outback and Legacy article from Denver 'How do you know you've officially stopped being a true mountain person, and turned into one of those loathsome Front Rangers? Simple: You're the guy stuck on Loveland Pass (a ski area in Colorado) New Year's weekend for three hours, “just trying to beat the traffic,” when you could have been chilling at the Goat or passed out on a friend's couch. And as I sat there, grating my teeth and cursing my Denver-area mailing address, the only thing that kept me from breaking down in tears was the warm, safe and now quite substantial shelter provided by the all-new 2010 Subaru Outback. The high country's most ubiquitous ride (and its sedan sister, the Legacy) both got a total makeover this season and the results are quite impressive — though they may prove a little unnerving to Subaru purists. In an age when many carmakers have opted to downsize their wares, Subaru has been working to bring its fleet up to 2000s-era American standards, the result being an Outback which is now 2 inches wider, 4 inches taller and has a 3-inch-longer wheelbase, but is actually shorter overall than the car it replaces... While Subaru still owns just 2.5 percent of the American car market, the mountains are obviously a huge exception to that rule and so the company is heavily stressing that adventure lifestyle in all of its national ad campaigns — as well as prominently plastering its vehicles with “AWD” badges. Not sure if this strategy will fly in the sun belt (I saw a grand total of zero Subarus during my week in south Florida at Christmas), but up here, it just takes a well-known entity and makes it better. I got to tackle the pass (quite literally) in an Outback sporting a 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, a larger mill borrowed from the Tribeca, and I was suitably impressed by both the 256 horsepower and the 23.5 mpg I got in mixed highway and city use... Even with company-supplied all-seasons, the symmetrical AWD system kept me absolutely glued to even the worst of roads. At 3,658 pounds, it's no longer a lightweight vehicle, but the substance and the size felt good; Outback's growth also results in easier entries and exits and a more commanding view of the road. With the exception of those new, ungainly body mouldings — Subaru apparently did not see the lack of aesthetic success GM had with them on its old Avalanche truck — the larger, taller-yet-shorter, much-more-angular look is very nice. A fresh dash and instruments, plus a streamlined center stack, also brighten things; the futuristic-looking shift knob, slightly bioluminescent gauges and the requisite mix of perforated leather and wood paneling makes it all rather pleasant. The apparently nuclear-powered heated seats are even hotter than ever. A couple of new touches include a new, fully electronic and oddly loud-to-engage parking brake (also found on the Legacy); a new continuously variable “six-speed” transmission is an option. I also spent time a few weeks later in the reconfigured Legacy (you know, the Subaru sedan that nobody in the mountains buys), and while it's pleasant-looking and also sporting the whole taller-wider-longer-but-actually-shorter thing, I must admit that I absolutely loathed its base, non-turbo 2.5-liter boxer engine. Subaru old-schoolers may feel some extra affinity to the gurgling clatter of the boxer (you knew it and you loved it in your Brat), but I found myself frequently parking the Legacy and driving the Suzuki SX4 I had at the same time just to avoid the Legacy's rototiller engine noise. The Legacy's six-speed manual, also new, was overly sticky.'   the article 1/26 Manifest Destiny? Outback and Legacy go south.  'This could be the beginning of Subaru Manifest Destiny, as the maker of hardy all-wheel-drive cars tries to move beyond its heartland in the great, icy north to places where frost is seen mainly in the freezer.  That would be a huge change, because Subarus have had some geographic limitations. With four drive wheels and a practical nature, they have been a logical choice in snowy, mountainous regions. In such places, where drivers put a premium on bad-weather propulsion, the cars’ negatives — scant rear legroom and middling fuel economy — were more easily tolerated than in much of the rest of the country. But the redesigned 2010 Legacy sedan and Outback wagon — all Legacys are now sedans and all Outbacks are wagons — have significantly more rear legroom, much better fuel economy and upgrades in safety and civility. They are not just for Yankee blizzards anymore. The Legacy and Outback share mechanical underpinnings but are aimed at different customers. The Legacy’s competitors include the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion.  The Outback’s probable rivals include the Chevy Equinox, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape... Attractive and similar, the interiors show that Subaru has moved upscale. There is a practical simplicity in the controls and enough storage to bring order to the daily mess of motoring. For extra gear, the back seats flop down. The important safety features, from side impact air bags to electronic stability control, are standard.  The 2010 Legacy and Outback are rated “top safety picks” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, based on front, rear and side impact crash tests and the roof’s ability to withstand a rollover... The Legacy works well at speed on the most demanding roads. It’s not a hard-edged sport sedan, but good... With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Outback rides almost three inches higher than the Legacy, giving it an advantage in light off-road use or deep snow... ..Greater use of high-strength steel has resulted in solid, shake-free bodies. In addition, the glass in the doors is fully framed; the frameless glass of older models made the doors feel flimsy and produced more wind noise. A 2.5-liter 4-cylinder rated at 170 horsepower gives adequate acceleration, with the strongest response above 3,000 r.p.m. While Subaru deserves credit for offering a 6-speed manual transmission, its linkage is a bit balky. The $1,000 Lineartronic automatic is an intriguing alternative. Because it is not limited to six gears, the engine always responds quickly and allows particularly low engine speeds for cruising.  ...The enhanced appeal of all these Subarus could bring more good news for the company, which in 2009 managed to distill lemonade out of a lemon of a year for the auto industry. Overall light vehicle sales were down 21 percent in the United States, but Subaru managed a 15 percent gain, to 216,652 vehicles. “We sold more cars in one year than we have ever done before,” Thomas Doll, chief operating officer of Subaru of America, said at the Detroit auto show. Things could be even better in 2010. Subaru predicts that the new cars will be much more appealing to a far wider group of owners. One might ask why it took so long to go mainstream, but in any case the Legacy and Outback have evolved from Northern necessities - at least for some people - to compelling alternatives to the usual candidates.' read the whole article from the NYT 1/11 Outback loses out to Ford van at Detroit Auto Show (open for the press 1/11, public 1/16-1/23).  Ford took the 2010 North American 16th annual Car of the Year and also Truck of the Year awards at the 2010 Detroit auto show. The Fusion Hybrid sedan is Car of the Year and the Transit Connect van Truck of the Year. Winners are selected by 49 auto journalists and given annually since 1994. Finalists for the truck award included the Chevy Equinox, Ford Transit Connect  (winner), and Subaru Outback. Also at the the auto show, the Kia Soul was named Small Car of the Year by Fama, a Hispanic women's magazine. The new Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe with a 1.5-liter hybrid electric system due this summer makes its U.S. production debut 1/3/10 Inventory is down on many models, especially Outback and Legacy, at least here in the NW

top Subaru Legacy news and reviews edited for length, content

2010 calendar year  (archives 2009) 2/2 New interest rates announced. Both Legacy and now Forester 1.9%x36 mos. Other models continue with 2.9%. more 1/30 Outback and Legacy article from Denver 'How do you know you've officially stopped being a true mountain person, and turned into one of those loathsome Front Rangers? Simple: You're the guy stuck on Loveland Pass (a ski area in Colorado) New Year's weekend for three hours, “just trying to beat the traffic,” when you could have been chilling at the Goat or passed out on a friend's couch. And as I sat there, grating my teeth and cursing my Denver-area mailing address, the only thing that kept me from breaking down in tears was the warm, safe and now quite substantial shelter provided by the all-new 2010 Subaru Outback. The high country's most ubiquitous ride (and its sedan sister, the Legacy) both got a total makeover this season and the results are quite impressive — though they may prove a little unnerving to Subaru purists. In an age when many carmakers have opted to downsize their wares, Subaru has been working to bring its fleet up to 2000s-era American standards, the result being an Outback which is now 2 inches wider, 4 inches taller and has a 3-inch-longer wheelbase, but is actually shorter overall than the car it replaces... While Subaru still owns just 2.5 percent of the American car market, the mountains are obviously a huge exception to that rule and so the company is heavily stressing that adventure lifestyle in all of its national ad campaigns — as well as prominently plastering its vehicles with “AWD” badges. Not sure if this strategy will fly in the sun belt (I saw a grand total of zero Subarus during my week in south Florida at Christmas), but up here, it just takes a well-known entity and makes it better. I got to tackle the pass (quite literally) in an Outback sporting a 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, a larger mill borrowed from the Tribeca, and I was suitably impressed by both the 256 horsepower and the 23.5 mpg I got in mixed highway and city use... Even with company-supplied all-seasons, the symmetrical AWD system kept me absolutely glued to even the worst of roads. At 3,658 pounds, it's no longer a lightweight vehicle, but the substance and the size felt good; Outback's growth also results in easier entries and exits and a more commanding view of the road. With the exception of those new, ungainly body mouldings — Subaru apparently did not see the lack of aesthetic success GM had with them on its old Avalanche truck — the larger, taller-yet-shorter, much-more-angular look is very nice. A fresh dash and instruments, plus a streamlined center stack, also brighten things; the futuristic-looking shift knob, slightly bioluminescent gauges and the requisite mix of perforated leather and wood paneling makes it all rather pleasant. The apparently nuclear-powered heated seats are even hotter than ever. A couple of new touches include a new, fully electronic and oddly loud-to-engage parking brake (also found on the Legacy); a new continuously variable “six-speed” transmission is an option. I also spent time a few weeks later in the reconfigured Legacy (you know, the Subaru sedan that nobody in the mountains buys), and while it's pleasant-looking and also sporting the whole taller-wider-longer-but-actually-shorter thing, I must admit that I absolutely loathed its base, non-turbo 2.5-liter boxer engine. Subaru old-schoolers may feel some extra affinity to the gurgling clatter of the boxer (you knew it and you loved it in your Brat), but I found myself frequently parking the Legacy and driving the Suzuki SX4 I had at the same time just to avoid the Legacy's rototiller engine noise. The Legacy's six-speed manual, also new, was overly sticky.'   the article 1/26 Manifest Destiny? Outback and Legacy go south.  'This could be the beginning of Subaru Manifest Destiny, as the maker of hardy all-wheel-drive cars tries to move beyond its heartland in the great, icy north to places where frost is seen mainly in the freezer.  That would be a huge change, because Subarus have had some geographic limitations. With four drive wheels and a practical nature, they have been a logical choice in snowy, mountainous regions. In such places, where drivers put a premium on bad-weather propulsion, the cars’ negatives — scant rear legroom and middling fuel economy — were more easily tolerated than in much of the rest of the country. But the redesigned 2010 Legacy sedan and Outback wagon — all Legacys are now sedans and all Outbacks are wagons — have significantly more rear legroom, much better fuel economy and upgrades in safety and civility. They are not just for Yankee blizzards anymore. The Legacy and Outback share mechanical underpinnings but are aimed at different customers. The Legacy’s competitors include the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion.  The Outback’s probable rivals include the Chevy Equinox, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape... Attractive and similar, the interiors show that Subaru has moved upscale. There is a practical simplicity in the controls and enough storage to bring order to the daily mess of motoring. For extra gear, the back seats flop down. The important safety features, from side impact air bags to electronic stability control, are standard.  The 2010 Legacy and Outback are rated “top safety picks” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, based on front, rear and side impact crash tests and the roof’s ability to withstand a rollover... The Legacy works well at speed on the most demanding roads. It’s not a hard-edged sport sedan, but good... With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Outback rides almost three inches higher than the Legacy, giving it an advantage in light off-road use or deep snow... ..Greater use of high-strength steel has resulted in solid, shake-free bodies. In addition, the glass in the doors is fully framed; the frameless glass of older models made the doors feel flimsy and produced more wind noise. A 2.5-liter 4-cylinder rated at 170 horsepower gives adequate acceleration, with the strongest response above 3,000 r.p.m. While Subaru deserves credit for offering a 6-speed manual transmission, its linkage is a bit balky. The $1,000 Lineartronic automatic is an intriguing alternative. Because it is not limited to six gears, the engine always responds quickly and allows particularly low engine speeds for cruising.  ...The enhanced appeal of all these Subarus could bring more good news for the company, which in 2009 managed to distill lemonade out of a lemon of a year for the auto industry. Overall light vehicle sales were down 21 percent in the United States, but Subaru managed a 15 percent gain, to 216,652 vehicles. “We sold more cars in one year than we have ever done before,” Thomas Doll, chief operating officer of Subaru of America, said at the Detroit auto show. Things could be even better in 2010. Subaru predicts that the new cars will be much more appealing to a far wider group of owners. One might ask why it took so long to go mainstream, but in any case the Legacy and Outback have evolved from Northern necessities - at least for some people - to compelling alternatives to the usual candidates.' read the whole article from the NYT 1/3/10 Inventory is down on many models, especially Outback and Legacy, at least here in the NW

top Subaru Forester news and reviews edited for length, content

2010 calendar year (archives 2009) 2/5  Why I didn't buy a new Forester and fixed the old one instead.   'Story: I was driving home from Salida (Colorado) about 10 days ago when my speedometer and tachometer needles suddenly jumped a bit and then froze in place. The speedometer was at 62 mph, and the tach was at 4,200. And a state trooper running radar was on the horizon. I let off the gas, and nothing happened. Now, the Subaru dealer who sold me my Forester a little over three years ago is in my cell phone address book, so I called and spoke to the service department. And, I might mention, I pulled off the side of the road. There is no speedometer cable; without looking at the car, the service rep's best guess was a cluster gone bad. Hmmm, I thought. Cluster indeed. This was Thursday, and I made an appointment to take the car in the following Monday... Somewhat unsettled by the lack of gauges, I drove home, and the only other trip I made was to church on Sunday before taking the car to the dealer. The service rep very kindly provided me with a rental, and I came home, expecting to pick my car up on Thursday... In the meantime, the cost of repairs, a new set of tires (which I needed) and a new timing belt crept upward and surpassed $2,000. And then the thought occurred to me: Why not trade in my old Suby with 108,000 miles for a brand-spanking new one? Great idea! And off I went, with my neighbor, Linda, on the appointed day. The service rep knew my plans for the trade, and I arranged to meet with a salesman. Kelley Blue Book figures in hand, I was ready to talk turkey. Which we did for about 90 minutes. But when the salesman checked on my car appraisal, I was hit with the news that because the cluster had been replaced, the odometer read zero. And the car's value went from a reasonable amount to a pitiful amount. Out in the parking lot, waiting for me to pay for all the repairs and new tires and new timing belt, sat my old, suddenly devalued car. There was just no way to mask the disappointment I was feeling. To put it mildly and in car terms, I was honked off in a big way. Linda was standing off to one side as I paid the cashier, and I said, "Let's go spend money." So we did, finding flameless candles for her house and, for my house, a comforter on the clearance rack...For 24 hours I fumed and fretted and fired off a righteously indignant e-mail, but eventually my anger was replaced by contrition and even some embarrassment. What had me so upset was a thing? A thing like a new car, when my old car is mechanically sound, steady and reliable? Then the most crucial question came to me. Where, that Still Small Voice asked me, is your treasure? In a new car? Because if it is, then your heart is there as well. Well, it's mighty humbling to have the slack yanked out of me at this age, but I am so thankful for the end of this story. It's II Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Thanks be to God I am that creature. Amen. And of course, hallelujah..."  read the article 2/2 New interest rates announced. Both Legacy and now Forester 1.9%x36 mos. Other models continue with 2.9%. more 1/31 Forester XT comparison- how the Forester XT stacks up to CRV, RAV4, Tiguan, Mariner, Outlander, Grand Vitara, Terrain.  Forester XT- 4th place. 'Overall, this is a gratifying blend of agility, practicality, and performance. It’s interesting to note that before we calculated observed fuel economy, the Forester was in third place. Turbos can be thirsty. Airy cockpit, superb sightlines, light, agile, quick. Lows: Not the world’s most rigid platform, needs a fifth gear. The Verdict: A Subaru that’s finally gone mainstream.'  1st place- Rav4, 2nd VW Tiguan, 3rd CRV, 4th Forester XT, 5th Mitsubishi Outlander, 6th GMC Terrain, 7th Suzuki Grand Vitara, 8th Mercury Mariner. Read the article from from carandriver.com, February 2010 issue 1/29 Prices announced on new mid year models.  WRX Limited ($1000 more than Premium) and STI SE ($2000 less than STI) prices officially announced. details here. STI SE and WRX Limited due in March, 2010. Forester X SE ($400) and Limited with Navigation and new Convenience Package ($2300) due in February 2010 details here 1/23 new Forester brochures out- updated with new X 'SE' and Limited 'Navigation and Convenience Package' model information 1/15/10 Forester comes in last when Motor Trend compares the 2010 Forester to the GMC Terrain, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson. The 2009 Forester was all new and top of the heap in power and fuel economy and was Motor Trend's 2009 Sport Utility of the Year. That was then. In this new comparison, the 2010 Forester continued to do well and was even slightly faster than the 09 and had better braking for example, but since then the other models have had a few upgrades and the Forester just didn't shine like it did 2 years ago when it was brand new.. > 1st place CRV- 'In a class by itself in quality feel, classy interior materials, and carefully wrought details -- looks and feels like a premium piece," says St. Antoine. Harwood summarizes the Honda as follows: "This isn't just the smart decision when looking at crossovers, it appeals to the emotions too. Both sides of the brain would be very happy with the CR-V. True enough..  Composed chassis, premium materials, and a jewel of an engine equal winner.' > 2nd place  Tuscon-  'Hyundai's first crossover to be designed and engineered in Europe, and it shows... Tucson emanates a personality that could only come from across the Atlantic. And we like it. "Easily the best-looking vehicle of the bunch, inside and out. Stiff ride and spotty steering handicap an otherwise quick, agile, and choice CUV'. > 3rd place Terrain- '..we did find the Terrain an impressive rig when on the move. St. Antoine remarks, "Supple chassis, with good control and solid steering feel." Evans adds, "I'd call it the sports car of the group, as it handles the best on pavement." If it weren't for the hefty price, disappointing performance stats, and elephantine curb weight, the Terrain would have scored higher.. GM's boxy newcomer is fun to drive and feature laden, but too heavy and too costly.' > 4th place Forester- 'In May 2008's test, the Forester's 170 horsepower and 20/26-mpg fuel economy put it near the top of the class. In this 2010 shindig, however, those numbers place it dead last... Fast forward 22 months, our 2010 tester -- a 3311-pound 2.5X Premium -- proved considerably quicker (9.3 seconds), but was nonetheless slower than all three of its foes. Whereas before the Subaru's four-speed automatic was competitive, now it seems conspicuously uncompetitive...  With archaic four-speed and basement power, the former champ shows its age.'  read it all on Motor Trend 1/12/10 Detroit Auto Show- New Forester Option Packages announced (and I was hoping for news about a diesel- sigh). New Option Packages available on Foresters arriving starting March February, 2010. X gets a new Special Edition (SE) Option Package (code #21, List $400) with 16" alloy wheels and roof rails. X Limited gets a new Navigation and Convenience Package (code #22, List $2300, $500 more than std Navigation Pkg) which adds cargo cover, HID headlights, telescoping steering wheel. The Hybrid Tourer Concept was there and and Thomas Doll said Subaru hopes to have something like the Tourer out in 2012. STI SE and WRX Limited  should be available starting March

top Subaru Impreza news and reviews edited for length, content

2010 calendar year (archives 2009) 1/29 Prices announced on new mid year models.  WRX Limited ($1000 more than Premium) and STI SE ($2000 less than STI) prices officially announced. details here. STI SE and WRX Limited due in March, 2010. Forester X SE ($400) and Limited with Navigation and new Convenience Package ($2300) due in February 2010 details here 1/23 WRX 5door with Navigation and Mitsubishi Ralliart compared by Popular Mechanics - Ralliart preferred 'While numbers don’t accurately portray the Mitsubishi’s talents, the WRX’s figures speak volumes. The 265-hp flat four-cylinder engine is burdened with only 3235 pounds to pull around the racetrack. And unlike the traction-challenged Mazdaspeed3, the WRX has all-wheel drive—so every pony is channeled to the ground. The WRX is a scrappy, point-and-shoot specialist. The blown motor suffers little turbo lag and dispatches straights with startling brevity. Directional changes take an aggressive hand. You pitch this car, rather than delicately thread an arc, and count on the all-wheel drive to handle corner exits. While the WRX has an excellent, everyday, plush ride, it leans dramatically into the corners. And the body heaves and bobs, which makes the driver wonder just which way the car wants to go. The brakes are another confidence killer because they fade quickly and the pedal gets spongy. Finally, there’s the overly stiff clutch, which really saps the fun of rowing the manual gearbox. The leather-wrapped steering wheel falls perfectly to hand, and the seats are all-day comfortable. Better quality interior plastic, however, would be more fitting in this $30,000 car. Though the WRX includes heated seats, automatic climate control, Bluetooth and touchscreen navigation, we’d skip all of it for a tauter suspension to match the Subaru’s straight-line speed.  WINNER- The Ralliart is a perfect example of why hard test numbers often fail to tell the whole story. The car is not as powerful or outrageously quick as some. But the Mitsubishi's engaging personality extends far beyond the spec sheet. The Ralliart's all-wheel drive and dual-clutch transmission make the Mitsu heavy, but they meld into a car that’s a tactile delight. Ours included a set of fantastically supportive front seats. The steering wheel has just the right thickness. And a pair of gorgeous magnesium paddles that wouldn’t be out of place in a Ferrari flank the wheel and operate the gearbox. Ergonomically, the Mitsubishi is close to perfection. And while the ultimate grip is low, you always know exactly what the tires are doing. This car doesn’t pound the pavement; it conforms to it, deftly accommodating any surface. It’s sublimely balanced. That capability imparts confidence. We comfortably explored up to and beyond this car’s limits on the racetrack. The Ralliart makes you look and feel like a better driver.' in Popular Mechanics January 2010 issue  1/12 Detroit Auto Show.. new mid year STI SE and WRX Limited models should be available starting March

top Baja, SVX, Loyale, 360, Brat etc and all other models news and reviews Subaru halted production of the Baja sport-utility truck in mid-April 2006

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2010 calendar year  news about  Diesel, Hybrids, Concept car news Fuel economy issues Safety crash tests, safety ratings, recalls Subaru and Toyota  Advertising news Sales news

top DIESEL, HYBRID, ALTERNATE FUEL and CONCEPT CAR news in 2010 edited for length, content 1/12 Detroit Auto Show The Hybrid Tourer Concept was there and and Thomas Doll said Subaru hopes to have something like the Tourer out in 2012. STI SE and WRX Limited  should be available starting March   top FUEL  Economy in 2010: ratings, issues, news, EPA and CAFE' news etc edited for length, content top   SAFETY CRASH TESTS  safety news, including recalls etc in 2010 edited for length, content top Subaru and Toyota news in 2010 edited for length, content 1/26 Toyota goes all the way -  recall the cars,  stop sales, shut factories This is the right time to compare Legacy-Camry, Forester - Rav4, Impreza - Corolla/Matrix, Outback, Tribeca to Highlander. 1/30 updates- a fix for the sticking gas pedal will be shipped in the coming week. Honda Motor Co. meantime is recalling 140,000 2007-2008 Fit hatchbacks because of a bad window switch, after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year. 1/29 updates-  the recall now includes Europe, China etc. 'Consumer Reports has temporarily suspended its "recommended" status for eight Toyota vehicle models and one Pontiac model that may have accelerator pedals that can stick and cause unintended acceleration. We are also advising used-car buyers to avoid purchasing any of the affected vehicles until this issue is resolved.' CR website Toyota, known for building some of the best cars around, is taking the drastic step of not only recalling 2,300,000 cars but also halting new sales of 8 very popular cars and trucks and actually shutting down the factories that make them for a week because the gas pedal can stick causing unintended acceleration. The US government requested this action. The sticking throttle only involves cars with accelerator pedal from component supplier CTS of Elkhart, Ind, Toyota says, and is separate from the Toyota/Lexus recall to stop floor mats from sliding up over the pedal. According to Toyota, the accelerator pedal can become stuck when mechanisms get worn. It's uncommon and develops gradually over time, Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said. The pedal may become harder to press and become slower to return when released. In the worst cases, it may become stuck in a partially depressed position. The cars in the recall/stop sale are the 2007-2010 Camry (the #1 selling car in the US), 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2009-2010 Rav4, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2008-2010 Sequoia, and 2010 Highlander. The 09-10 Pontiac Vibe is included because its based on the Corolla and built at the now closed GM/Toyota plant in Fremont, Ca. The stop sale does not include the Camry hybrid, Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser or  Lexus or Scion. Toyota will also stop production for a week starting February 1st  at 5 Toyota plants including the Camry line at Subaru's SIA plant in Indiana. Also temporarily shutdown will be plants in Canada, Texas, Kentucky and engine plants in Alabama and West Virginia.   The official Toyota press release, for help call Toyota Customer Service  800-331-4331. top Subaru ADVERTISING and SPONSORSHIP  news in 2010 edited for length, content 2/5 Advertising- Subaru Puts Dogs in the Driver Seat for New Campaign 'This weekend, the automaker will roll out a series of spots, created with Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis, featuring all-canine drivers of the Subaru Forester under the tagline "Dog tested. Dog approved." Dogs are shown "driving" and even parallel parking their vehicles to tout Subaru's pup-friendly brand message. The spots will premiere during Animal Planet's "Dogs 101" marathon Saturday, with airings planned for Animal Planet's Sunday telecast of its sixth-annual "Puppy Bowl,"  National Geographic's "Dog Whisperer" marathon Feb. 15 and USA's coverage of "The Westminster Dog Show" Feb. 15 and 16. Subaru will also air different versions of the spots on its YouTube channel and on several key websites.  Kevin Mayer, the car maker's director-marketing communications, said about half of Subaru's customers own a pet, and it indexes higher than most car makers with dog owners... Beginning in 2008, the marketer started running print ads touting its ASPCA partnership that read, "Without dogs, how would you get rid of that new-car smell?"  The doggie outreach is the latest iteration of the "reverse upfront" integrated-marketing strategy Subaru started two years ago. The company meets with key media partners months before the marketplace formally moves to get first crack at key integrations and sponsorships. Deals with Animal Planet ("Groomer Has It," the "Dogs 101" marathon), Syfy (a co-starring role for the WRX in "Eureka") and History's "Expedition" were inked during that period. Although many of the partnerships feature specific Subaru vehicles, Mr. Mayer likes to keep a more holistic focus on Subaru's marketing. "Most of what we do is really at the brand level. Forester happens to be the lead vehicle in these [dog] spots, but it's really about the brand and connecting with the consumer to let me know we care about their passion points... Subaru, Hershey and Mars are all preparing big ad buys for Super Bowl weekend -- but you won't find them on CBS. The marketers are the leading sponsors of this year's sixth annual "Puppy Bowl," airing Sunday at 3 p.m. EST on Animal Planet." ... read more on adage.com 1/27 Advertising - Subaru Free Love Event chocolate heart embossed with the Subaru logo now arriving at dealers that ordered them, just in time and nicely packaged for a Subaru Valentine's Day. Makes you smile. Pictures here 1/25 Advertising- Subaru 'True Love Event'.  1/25-2/14-ish, another  'how do I love thee'  ad campaign, starts late January through mid February (Valentine's Day-ish).  Includes dealer signs and banners etc but best of all, dealers can purchase and give away little boxes of chocolates with a flip-open lid where salespeople can put a business card.  No other car company has a box of chocolates for you for Valentine's Day. Don't you just love Subaru, don't you want to buy one? 1/24 Subaru videos- fun old Subaru videos from youtube 1/13 Forget the Super Bowl, watch the Puppy Bowl VI Feb 7th, 3-5pm... 8 million people watched Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl IV in 2008 and Subaru people do love their animals, so this is a good match. Not to miss any cat lovers watching, there will be a Kitty Half Time Show. 'Subaru of America hasn't advertised in the Super Bowl since 1993 and won't again in 2010. Instead, the automaker is the car sponsor of the Puppy Bowl, which airs on cable TV's Animal Planet opposite the Super Bowl on February 7.  Subaru will have at least seven new “low cost” TV commercials arriving during the Puppy Bowl, Tim Mahoney, the automaker's chief marketing officer, told Automotive News today at the Detroit auto show. The work, from Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, features dogs as drivers and passengers in funny, humanlike situations. The ads are part of a new blitz themed “Dog Tested” and reflect Subaru's nearly year-old sponsorship of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.'  read the article 1/9/10 Subaru continues to sponsor Antique Roadshow on PBS. The 2010 season will visit and appraise antiques and other goodies in San Diego June 12, Billings MT June 26, Miami Beach July 10,  Biloxi MS July 24, Des Moines IA  August 7, and Wa DC August 21. Want to attend?  Applicants selected at random, online application ends Monday, April 19. Apply for tickets,  roadshow website 1/4/2010 advertising- what's love got to do with it? 'It is just one of a spate of campaigns focused on love, a sentiment enthralling Madison Avenue in spite of - or perhaps as an antidote to - a downturn and two wars. Love is selling cars (“Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru), LensCrafters eyeglasses (“See what you love, love what you see.”) and Payless shoes (“I [heart] shoes.”), not to mention long-running campaigns for McDonald’s (“I’m lovin’ it.”) and Olay (“Love the skin you’re in.”). How the word for the most profound of human emotions came to be so popular for peddling consumer goods has less to do with linguistics than psychology. “There are left-brain and right-brain approaches to advertising,” said Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive of the Kaplan Thaler Group, part of the Publicis Groupe. “For a long time, there was a left-brain approach” that highlighted “rational reasons and good selling points, but in the last several years studies have shown that emotional attachments really are a crucial factor in purchasing decisions.”... '... In an ad for Subaru — by Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, part of the Interpublic Group — a man drives his Forrester for two days to “Subaru Heaven,” a junkyard where Subarus are left for parts. “You don’t just let some wrecker haul off your 300,000-mile Forrester to who knows where,” says the driver. “You give that car a chance to live on — one part at a time.” The commercial is based on a letter sent by a customer, said Kevin Mayer, director of marketing communication at Subaru, which introduced the “It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru” campaign in 2007. “We think of our customers as experience seekers, and the response they fed back to us over and over is the love they had for the brand and how the product enables their lifestyles,” Mr. Mayer said, adding that many Subaru owners are skiers or kayakers traveling unpredictable roads, and they choose four-wheel-drive vehicles...' the full article Subaru SALES in 2010 top, edited for length, content 2/2 January sales 15,611 total, another record +28% more than Jan 09. The Outback and Legacy continue to gain ground, Forester and Impreza drop slightly, Tribeca dwindles leaving one to wonder what (hopefully major) changes are in store for the 5th anniversary Tribeca due this year? Last year the redesigned 2009 Forester was outselling the 2009 Outback, now its reversed with Outback on top. For January 2010: Outback 5,467; Legacy 2,448;  Forester  4,943 ; Impreza 2497; Tribeca 256; Canadian sales for January 2010 1,729, up 45.8% over last January. The previous record was 1202 cars in 2008 1/5/10 Sales-  2010 Ends with a bang. Subaru US sales +15% for the year with a record breaking 216,652 and 2.1% of the US market. The next best year was 2006 with 200,703, and 09 beat it by 15,949 cars (+8%). 2009 year totals: Outback 55,356 +25%, Legacy 30,974 +37%, Forester 77,781 +28%, Impreza 46,611 -11%, Tribeca 5,930 -46%, December 09 total- 23,074  +33% over 17,287 Dec 08. Legacy catches on and Outback is on fire, both up almost 100% over 12/08. Totals: Legacy 3620 +98%, Outback  8376 +105%, Forester 7223 +11%, Tribeca 208 -70%, Impreza 3647 -13% Subaru Canada finishes a strong 2009 with a new record total of 23,034 cars for the year.

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