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Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
A Subaru so big it could swallow another Subaru
Does the Ascent feel that big when you drive it? In life, everything is relative. If you're not familiar with it, introduced in 2018, this is Subaru's largest SUV. It is six-and-a-half feet longer than Subaru's first mass produced car, the two-door 360 city car. The Ascent is two feet wider, one-and-a-half feet taller and is five times heavier than the 360. If the Subaru 360 was just a few inches smaller, it could fit inside the Ascent. The Ascent is relatively big by Subaru standards … but not by North American standards. (The Chevrolet Suburban is two-and-a-half feet longer than the Ascent.) This three-row, seven-passenger, mid-size SUV is surprisingly manoeuvreable and perky on the road. Its continually variable transmission (CVT) and 260-horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder boxer engine combine to make this 4,500-pound sport-ute a pleasure to drive. Power is sent to all four wheels via Subaru's legendary symmetrical full-time all-wheel drive. Just how good is its all-wheel drive? Full disclosure, I have owned four Subarus: a 2006 WRX STI, a 2011 WRX STI, a 2016 WRX STI and my current car, a 2023 Subaru WRX. Why so many Subarus? Well, for one, the all-wheel drive. Winter, Spring and Fall are three of the best seasons to own a Subaru. Whether you're driving their most performance-focused WRX, or one of their five SUVs, Subaru's all-wheel drive provides sure footedness that is amongst the best on the road today. You can have your Ascent in one of six different trims: Convenience ($48,874), Touring ($50, 874), Onyx ($52,374), Limited ($55,874), Sport ($56,874) and Premier ($58,874). Convenience and Limited have an eight-passenger configuration with a middle-row bench seat. The Touring, Onyx, Sport and Premier are seven passenger SUVs with second row captain's chairs. The Ascent Sport is new for 2025. It comes with everything the Limited has plus numerous upgrades and add-ons, including brown accent stitching, interior and exterior bronze accents; heated and power, folding door mirrors; gloss-black, front-grille accents; gloss-black, interior, trim surfaces; all-weather, soft-touch, seating surfaces; gloss-black, roofline spoiler, with integrated brake light and 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The great outdoors is part of Subaru's DNA, and that's seen in the Ascent. An example of this is the quantity of carrier options available; you can get a two- or four-bicycle, hitch-mounted bike rack; a rooftop bike carrier; a canoe carrier; a kayak carrier; a kayak stacker; a crossbar roof-rack; a roof basket; a ski and snowboard carrier, which can hold up to six pairs of skis or four snowboards, and a paddleboard or surfboard carrier. The optional medium, large or extra-large, rooftop-mounted, cargo box can add 509 litres of cargo capacity. Once you, your passengers, bikes and kayak arrive at your destination, you can open up a roof-mounted awning to shelter you from sun and rain. You can even pitch a tent on your roof, which can sleep a couple of adults. All of these options range in price from around $300 to $3,300, for the rooftop tent. Subarus have a bit of a rep for being a little old-school. Case in point is the optional single-disk CD player ($1,100), which can be added to the centre console. What's not old-school is the very useful wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which work seamlessly for those who wish to stream their music, rather than listen to CDs. Wireless charging is optional. Part of the charm of this go-anywhere-do-anything SUV is that it has all the premium attributes you'd want, without all of the attitude that comes with some of the other premium SUVs. Do its competitors have full-time Symmetrical all-wheel drive? No, they don't. Our roads are wet or snowy more than half the year, so having the sure-footedness of Subaru's all-wheel drive is a big plus. A feather in its cap is that the Ascent has been awarded the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick every year from 2018 to 2024. If you're in the market for a three-row SUV, you would do well to check out the Ascent. Type: Seven passenger, all-wheel drive, mid-size Sport Utility Vehicle Engine: Turbocharged, 2.4-litre, horizontally-opposed (boxer), 4-cylinder engine, 260 horsepower and 277 pounds-feet of torque (motive force) Transmission: Continuously Variable (CVT) Fuel: 12.3 litres/100 km in the city, 9.4l/100 km on the highway, 11.0l/100 km combined Cargo: 2,061 litres, or 72.7 cubic feet, with second and third row seats folded; 1,193l, or 42.1 cu. ft., with third row seats folded; 458l, or 16.1 cu. ft., with all seats up Price: $56,874, excl. freight, other fees, taxes
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Cult favourite car brand teases return of legendary performance model – four years after it was discontinued
While no details have been confirmed, a brief design sketch shown to a Japanese audience has sparked speculation RETURN OF THE KING Cult favourite car brand teases return of legendary performance model – four years after it was discontinued Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUBARU has hinted at the return of a hugely popular model - some four years after it was discontinued. While the Japanese carmaker is best known today for its practical SUVs and estates like the Crosstrek, Forester and Outback, it still holds legendary status among petrolheads. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Cult brand Subaru has hinted at the return of a hugely popular model - four years after it was discontinued Credit: Matt Richardson 3 A brief design sketch shown to a Japanese audience by their Chief Technology Officer has sparked speculation Credit: Subaru 3 Subaru captured the imaginations of a generation with its success in the World Rally Championship Credit: AP:Associated Press That's because Subaru once dominated the World Rally Championship in the 1990s and early 2000s. With the likes of Colin McRae and Richard Burns at the wheel, Subaru took six WRC titles in the Constructors' and Drivers' champions between 1995 and 2003, cementing the blue-and-gold Impreza WRX STI as an icon. It meant the brand's high-performance Impreza model - which was later renamed the WRX STI - became a big hit and remained in production in various forms until 2021, when Subaru officially discontinued it in Europe, the UK, and North America. The decision at the time was driven by tightening emissions regulations and Subaru's shift in focus towards hybrid and electric models. But that might not be the end of the road for the WRX STI. Earlier this month, Subaru's Chief Technology Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, announced that the brand would reveal a new model at the Japan Mobility Show in October. While he didn't confirm any details, a brief design sketch shown to the audience sparked speculation that the WRX STI - or perhaps some kind of spiritual successor - could be returning. According to Japan's Car Watch, Fujinuki said the new model would 'make good use of our current technological assets' and hinted at 'an even more cutting-edge car.' For now, though, there's no official confirmation of a global WRX STI comeback - and certainly nothing concrete for UK fans to get excited about just yet. Still, with a teaser hint like this, Subaru clearly hasn't forgotten its motorsport roots. A brief history of the Mazda MX-5 This comes as Skoda recently showed off a radical, retro-futurist look for the classic Favorit hatchback - a beloved motor that ran from 1987 to 1995. The Volkswagen-owned marque says they've 'drawn inspiration from the brand's rich history to create a modern interpretation' of the little motor, which was once a regular on UK roads.
The Irish Sun
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Cult favourite car brand teases return of legendary performance model – four years after it was discontinued
SUBARU has hinted at the return of a hugely popular model - some four years after it was discontinued. While the Japanese carmaker is best known today for its practical SUVs and estates like the Crosstrek, Forester and Outback, it still holds legendary status among petrolheads. 3 Cult brand Subaru has hinted at the return of a hugely popular model - four years after it was discontinued Credit: Matt Richardson 3 A brief design sketch shown to a Japanese audience by their Chief Technology Officer has sparked speculation Credit: Subaru 3 Subaru captured the imaginations of a generation with its success in the World Rally Championship Credit: AP:Associated Press That's because Subaru once dominated the World Rally Championship in the 1990s and early 2000s. With the likes of Colin McRae and Richard Burns at the wheel, Subaru took six WRC titles in the Constructors' and Drivers' champions between 1995 and 2003, cementing the blue-and-gold Impreza WRX STI as an icon. It meant the brand's high-performance Impreza model - which was later renamed the WRX STI - became a big hit and remained in production in various forms until 2021, when Subaru officially discontinued it in Europe, the UK, and North America. The decision at the time was driven by tightening emissions regulations and Subaru's shift in focus towards hybrid and electric models . Read more Motors News But that might not be the end of the road for the WRX STI. Earlier this month, Subaru's Chief Technology Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, announced that the brand would reveal a new model at the Japan Mobility Show in October. While he didn't confirm any details, a brief design sketch shown to the audience sparked speculation that the WRX STI - or perhaps some kind of spiritual successor - could be returning. According to Japan's Most read in Motors For now, though, there's no official confirmation of a global WRX STI comeback - and certainly nothing concrete for UK fans to get excited about just yet. Still, with a teaser hint like this, Subaru clearly hasn't forgotten its motorsport roots. A brief history of the Mazda MX-5 This comes as The Volkswagen-owned marque says they've 'drawn inspiration from the brand's rich history to create a modern interpretation' of the little motor, which was once a regular on UK roads.
The Sun
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Cult favourite car brand teases return of legendary performance model – four years after it was discontinued
SUBARU has hinted at the return of a hugely popular model - some four years after it was discontinued. While the Japanese carmaker is best known today for its practical SUVs and estates like the Crosstrek, Forester and Outback, it still holds legendary status among petrolheads. 3 3 3 That's because Subaru once dominated the World Rally Championship in the 1990s and early 2000s. With the likes of Colin McRae and Richard Burns at the wheel, Subaru took six WRC titles in the Constructors' and Drivers' champions between 1995 and 2003, cementing the blue-and-gold Impreza WRX STI as an icon. It meant the brand's high-performance Impreza model - which was later renamed the WRX STI - became a big hit and remained in production in various forms until 2021, when Subaru officially discontinued it in Europe, the UK, and North America. The decision at the time was driven by tightening emissions regulations and Subaru's shift in focus towards hybrid and electric models. But that might not be the end of the road for the WRX STI. Earlier this month, Subaru's Chief Technology Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, announced that the brand would reveal a new model at the Japan Mobility Show in October. While he didn't confirm any details, a brief design sketch shown to the audience sparked speculation that the WRX STI - or perhaps some kind of spiritual successor - could be returning. According to Japan's Car Watch, Fujinuki said the new model would 'make good use of our current technological assets' and hinted at 'an even more cutting-edge car.' For now, though, there's no official confirmation of a global WRX STI comeback - and certainly nothing concrete for UK fans to get excited about just yet. Still, with a teaser hint like this, Subaru clearly hasn't forgotten its motorsport roots. This comes as - a beloved motor that ran from 1987 to 1995. The Volkswagen-owned marque says they've 'drawn inspiration from the brand's rich history to create a modern interpretation' of the little motor, which was once a regular on UK roads.
Miami Herald
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Subaru Just Dropped a Teaser for a Sporty New Model – Could it Be the STI Successor?
Subaru's iconic rally-derived sport sedan, the WRX STI, has been absent from the market since 2021. Although its slightly less potent sibling, the WRX, is still available for purchase from your local Subaru dealer, Subaru loyalists have long been awaiting any sort of news about an upcoming replacement for the hotter, Subaru Technica International-developed model. That lengthy wait may almost be over, according to Motor1, which reports that, "During a media session surrounding the Super Taikyu series at Fuji Speedway, Subaru Executive Managing Director and Chief Technical Officer, Tetsuro Fujinuki, confirmed a new performance model for this year's Japan Mobility Show." Although no official details have been announced yet, we can expect to learn more come October when the 2025 Japan Mobility Show begins. For the time being, however, we're left wondering what exactly Subaru might have up its sleeve. When looking at Subaru's teaser image, it seems pretty clear that whatever Subaru is planning on unveiling in November, it'll be heavily based on the current VB-generation WRX, as made evident by its distinct forward fascia, C-shaped LED headlights, and, of course, its signature hood scoop. Notable differences that set this teaser apart from the standard WRX are its aggressive front bumper splitter, its widened wheel arches, and perhaps most curiously, the blurred rear end. What's most intriguing about the rear of the car's roof is the obvious tailgate hinges, which might suggest that a hatchback variant of the Subaru WRX STI might return after a long hiatus–something that many Subaru and hot hatch fans alike will be extremely excited about. Despite the hatchback hints, the image also seems to suggest a large spoiler could be present on the rear. Keep in mind that this is pure speculation, but it seems like the details on the rear of the vehicle in the image might suggest that both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback variants of the WRX STI could be made available. Only time will tell, but we remain extremely hopeful that the beloved WRX STI Hatchback makes a glorious return. Using generative text-to-image artificial intelligence and Adobe Photoshop, we imagine what a tarted-up, STI-branded variant of the VB-generation Subaru WRX could look like. Although the render pictured above depicts a two-door coupe body reminiscent of the iconic Subaru Impreza 22B STI, an actual WRX STI would likely retain all four of its doors, or perhaps gain a fifth door in hatchback guise. Despite its coupe appearance, the above render gives us a glimpse at possible styling alterations for the STI model, such as facelifted headlights for a more aggressive look, larger grilles for increased cooling airflow, wider wheel arches with contrast painted overfenders, and, of course, an extra aggressive rear spoiler for enhanced aerodynamics. Although not many details have been officially confirmed yet, we're eagerly awaiting more information to be revealed in October of this year. We'd love to see a hatchback return to Subaru's iconic WRX lineup, so hopefully the tailgate hinges on the teaser image turning out to be a clue and not just meaningless speculation. Regardless, we're glad to see Subaru working on something sporty and exciting rather than yet another crossover. Now, if only Mitsubishi would get the hint... Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
