Yay! Finally a Subaru hybrid!

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Oooo.. I thought it would do better as a hybrid..oh well. From earlier today:


"The hybrid version pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a small electric motor to make the same amount of horsepower and pound-feet of torque as the gas-only model: 148 and 145, respectively.
The hybrid model is expected to get 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. This isn’t a huge jump from the gas model’s 25/33 mpg rating; the hybrid’s 300-pound weight gain probably doesn’t help.
The electric motor is powered by a 13.5 kilowatt nickel-metal hydride battery that sits under the rear cargo area. Subaru says the compact battery means hybrid buyers give up only 1.7 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk.

The hybrid culls additional efficiency from regenerative brakes and an engine start/stop function.

The hybrid shares its all-wheel-drive system and continuously variable transmission with the gas model, as well. Features such as a backup camera, heated front seats and mirrors, and a color, multi-function display screen are all standard on the Crosstrek Hybrid. Subaru said the hybrid retains the gas model’s 8.7 inches of ground clearance"

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/...ek-hybrid-at-the-2013-new-york-auto-show.html
 
Although I like the idea of a hybrid, the mpg increases are minimal at best...will be interesting to see the cost difference between the hybrid/non nybrid model.
 
I love Subarus and I have even put one of their engines in my VW Vanagon!

There is a guy that imports the Subaru diesel engines and they have been going into a bunch of Vanagons lately.
 
I have a Subaru engine on my leaf blower... does that count? :p

Volvo is still a cult! My wife drives a 2.5L T5 R-design now... runs like a ***** date.
 
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What do you drive??

We have a '99 Jeep Cherokee sport 4x4 for when things get serious.

We also have an '89 Accord LXi that we bought from the original owner with 64k miles on it! That was 5 years ago, now the car has 106k. I expect this car to go for a looooong time. I believe this was Hondas first fuel injected car! And yeah, it has the pop up lights!!

And an '08 Kubota L4240 HST to maintain the 1.0 mi driveway, gather firewood and help with various farming endeavors. I guess this one doesn't count but it is the most fun!

Hopefully we'll have a Subaru in the mix in the next couple of years. Pretty ideal car here in the Blue Ridge mountains with all the hills and twists and turns.

Noah
 
I have a Subaru engine on my leaf blower... does that count? :p

Volvo is still a cult! My wife drives a 2.5T R-design now... runs like a ***** date.
lol...the leaf blower will count I guess. ariens started putting small Subaru engines on their equipment...

I don't find the reliability of their vehicles is what it used to be. My dad had a 240, then a 740, then 850, then S70, then XC70 (what a miserable car this was...over $8000 in repairs off warranty in 7 years) and now he has an s60 t5. But do not forget those vehicles start at 35000$ in Canada. Considering the average salary is 44000 around here, not many people drive them. They are a nice car though but you don't see them in the world rally championships. Lol
 
There was an interesting article in the April Car and Driver about the MPG testing rules and why a lot of hybrids show much bigger difference (lower) in real world testing than the gas only counterparts.

Makes me feel a bit less guilty for not running out to buy hybrid ;)
 
We have a '99 Jeep Cherokee sport 4x4 for when things get serious.

We also have an '89 Accord LXi that we bought from the original owner with 64k miles on it! That was 5 years ago, now the car has 106k. I expect this car to go for a looooong time. I believe this was Hondas first fuel injected car! And yeah, it has the pop up lights!!

And an '08 Kubota L4240 HST to maintain the 1.0 mi driveway, gather firewood and help with various farming endeavors. I guess this one doesn't count but it is the most fun!

Hopefully we'll have a Subaru in the mix in the next couple of years. Pretty ideal car here in the Blue Ridge mountains with all the hills and twists and turns.

Noah
You seem to have the best vehicle : the tractor! Lol. Those Hondas do last indeed. I remember them! I am in a bind right now about my vehicle situation. I want an outback. My forester has 12000 left owing but I could sell it for about 22000. My plan was to pay off the forester, sell my 2005 impreza and buy a new outback....but I am some tempted to sell the forester, keep the impreza another 5 years (I only use it to drive to and from work) and get an outback.....ack, if only money was no issue!,!,
 
There was an interesting article in the April Car and Driver about the MPG testing rules and why a lot of hybrids show much bigger difference (lower) in real world testing than the gas only counterparts.

Makes me feel a bit less guilty for not running out to buy hybrid ;)
What did the article say?
 
We also have an '89 Accord LXi that we bought from the original owner with 64k miles on it! That was 5 years ago, now the car has 106k. I expect this car to go for a looooong time. I believe this was Hondas first fuel injected car! And yeah, it has the pop up lights!!

I had an '87 Accord LXi hatch. Loved that car, and it also had the popup lights. The PGM-FI was new in '86. Thats amazingly low miles on a Honda.... mine had over 200k on it when I was driving it in the late 90s. It died of a systemic electrical failure after I sold it off. The 110hp and easy starting of FI where huge upgrades over my '82 Accord (72hp).
 
What did the article say?

I was looking for a link to it on their site, no luck. Basically there are 3 or 4 different methods that the OEMs can use and surprisingly only one of them requires the actual test! Basically if they have an all gas car and make a hybrid variant, they are allowed to apply a mathematical adjustment to "predict" the hybrid gas mileage. And of course the adjustment is theoretical and wildly optimistic.

There where examples where the published figures might be 20-30% better than the gas model but in a real world test the gain might be only 5%.
 
I was looking for a link to it on their site, no luck. Basically there are 3 or 4 different methods that the OEMs can use and surprisingly only one of them requires the actual test! Basically if they have an all gas car and make a hybrid variant, they are allowed to apply a mathematical adjustment to "predict" the hybrid gas mileage. And of course the adjustment is theoretical and wildly optimistic.

There where examples where the published figures might be 20-30% better than the gas model but in a real world test the gain might be only 5%.
makes sense when looking at the above information I pasted regarding the cross trek hybrid.... Ah. What a scam those tests are! Sigh.
 
My wife had an Audi A3 2.0T with manual transmission. The on-board computer always read 29-30 mpg, when she was driving it. Occasionally, I'd get the chance to drive it myself, and usually returned it to her with the on-board computer reading roughly 19 mpg. We sold it to one of my co-workers, and he reports it never showing lower than 32 mpg, with him driving.

So... what's "real world"? ;lol

... and you are correct, Volvo durability is not what it used to be, but their driving performance has gone way up! I don't think we'll be buying another, but that is more about the local dealer, than the car itself.
 
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I have read the same. I am not sure why but there are 3 types of AWD systems out there:

2.5i, Premium, with Manual 6 speed transmission
Continuous All Wheel Drive system with VDC and Hill Holder symmetrical viscous coupling 50/50 front/back power split.

2.5i, Premium, Limited with Automatic CVT transmission
Active All Wheel Drive system with VDC and Hill Holder. Electronically controlled, constantly varying front/back power split 80/20 front/back power split.

3.6R, automatic 5 speed transmission
VTD (Variable Torque Distribution) All Wheel Drive system with VDC and Hill Holder VTD traction control system has 45/55 performance oriented, front/rear power split with Limited Slip rear axle.

All I know is that my 2005 impreza can handle like the best rally car out there. I feel very safe in the snow and I love going fast (on closed roads) and can drift nicely around corners....no VDC, anti-slip, none of that.

Andrew


They say the new 2013 Imprezza is a very fun car to drive. I need to try one out.

BTW, I see the new CrossTrek hybrid is only going to get 1 mpg better hwy mileage than the non-hybrid. And the reason for wanting the extra weight and cost is what Mr. Subaru?
 
Next door neighbor's 2006 Civic looks like new and they say it runs great. 240K and going strong. I drove a new Civic Hybrid last week and I have to say I really liked it.
 
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240K on a 2006 car?! Sweet chicken that is a lot of driving. And when looking at the prince point, the Civic is the most sold car in Canada.

Where I live, I want AWD. Driving in 15 snowstorms a year can be frustrating with a 2WD vehicle. AWD gives me the comfort I want knowing I won't get stuck, which is one of the reasons I only drive SUbarus.
 
I loved taking our Legacy out into the snow. Problem is we see this about every 3d year. Last year I bought my first snow shovel since moving out here 39 yrs ago.
 
I remember when I bought my RSX my buddy got a WRX. After a few years of driving each we both agreed the worlds best cheap fast car would have

Subaru awd
Honda steering
Honda 6MT gearbox
Subaru boxer low center of gravity
Subaru turbo torque
Honda VTEC rev happiness and top end HP


Sadly nobody makes such a car. I bet the BRZ is a lot of fun though.
 
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I had a Baja the first year they came out- you remember them- the latest Brat/El Camino. I beat the crap out of that thing, and still got 170 k miles before I traded it in. It was still fine, but needed some suspension work after all the years of me using it to pull down leaning trees, hauling rounds out of the woods, and treating it like the truck it wasn't.
 
I love my Subaru... Changed the oil today, WHAT A NIGHTMARE! I had less trouble me replacing the rear wheel bearings!
 
This week at least for 3 days, I was able to drive the Pontiac Vibe (35mpg). Today I needed the RAV4, we are supposed to get around 3 inches of heavy wet sloppy snow. The Vibe gets excellent mpg, but add some snow or ice and watch out, even with new tires it is hard to drive on slippery roads. Me and my wife spent an hour trying to get it out of a snow drift that the RAV didn't even notice. When the RAV kicks the bucket (1998 with 148K), a subaru will be replacing it, hoepfully something that gets 30+ mpg.
 
I guess we now know why they haven't come out with a hybrid before. Sad mpgs :(
Too bad. I'd be interested if it was mid 40's mpg.
 
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