Subaru Reviews

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the2015 Subaru BRZ, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Brett Radford is looking at a 2008 Subaru Forester sports wagon for his 17-year-old son. The asking price is $11,800, but with no trade he says he could get it for $10,000. It has had a small hit at the rear, but it has been repaired and inspected by the RTA. He wants to know if it is a good buy, and also if it has a

Competent off-road wagons are getting scarce. These two are among the best at taking on life's rough - and smooth - paths.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the Subaru WRX STI, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Subaru Impreza is a small-medium car imported from Japan and one that has a well-deserved reputation for long life and high resale ratings. Subarus in general give the feeling they are designed by people who are more interested in engineering and driving than in marketing and over-the-top styling. Ride and handling

The Subaru XV has created quite a stir in the market since being introduced, it’s aggressively striking -- but is the beauty only skin deep? Some would argue this is an ugly car, but during our test drive more people expressed a love for the design and colour than loathed it – although apparently there is no middle ground.The tangerine orange is bright and garish, like most Lamborghinis, but that’s where the similarities end. It’s a hatchback on steroids, almost like a mini X6, but more bulldog WRX and a little less BMW.The interior is dark and functional. Being the L model, it has the black cloth interior with no heated seats, but it does have the full multi-function display unit and a comprehensive easy to use in-dash satellite and audio system, while the dual zone air-conditioning works very well.Boot space is a challenge if you have young kids and a pram/stroller of any “normal” size - definitely try before you buy.  Having said that, the boot height is perfect for loading, compared with most SUVs which require an extra lift and push to get the pram in.  If you are planning on taking the mountain bikes touring, best get a tow bar or roof rack. There is plenty of headroom in the rear for kids but I would be a little concerned for anyone taller than 6’ in the front seats – with a 5’ 9” frame, my head was almost touching the roof.Thankfully, none of the safety features were tested first hand, but just in case, it comes fully equipped with airbags in every conceivable corner and gets the full 5-star ANCAP crash rating. The rear reverse camera is clear, useful and unobtrusive.The Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) system works beautifully. Our driveway is awfully steep and twisty, challenging and overwhelming the finest of 4WDs, yet even with two opposing wheels in clear air, the XV simply selected the right mode and floated up the drive - impressive. The ABS proved to be a bit overzealous, kicking in when gently braking from tarmac to gravel and juddering the brakes unnecessarily.For the eco-friendly, the XV certainly packs plenty of features.  The multi-function LCD unit displays every conceivable measure; economy, VDC status, trip measurement, temperature, clock and many others.  The XV excels with fuel economy, I struggled to exceed 10 L/100km even with excessive spirited driving and frequent manual override. The in-dash satnav and audio system is wonderfully effective and high quality, providing a welcome relief and audio shield from the hideous engine and transmission noise. The only really annoying feature of this car is the engine Automatic Stop Start.  Every time you stop at a red light -which is every second block in Sydney- the engine shuts down.The real issue is when it starts up again, the whole car shakes for a split second and that irritating noise returns. Without doubt, I would permanently disable this feature.  I had a little trepidation about the 110kW engine output. The XV drove easily through city traffic, the automatic CVT transmission being smooth and slick between shifts -- almost unnoticeable. But as soon as it was on open road, that all changed. The CVT gearbox disappointed, struggling to cope with fluid driving conditions with open roads and tight bends proving too challenging, regularly switching gears at inappropriate moments and taking too long to respond. The moment -- and with it the corner -- had gone.After many days trying several different driving modes and styles, I settled on the best way to get the most out of the CVT.  Leave it in “Drive” mode and simply use the flappy paddle to “downshift” a couple of times before the bend, the CVT switches to manual mode (for five seconds) and provides engine braking, then accelerate as normal out of the bend, after which CVT switches back to drive mode. Works perfectly!The chassis is impressively capable for a crossover firmly planted to the road, even when I turned off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system and deliberately unsettled it on wet, twisty and bumpy country lanes. The tyres are a low enough profile to provide excellent grip as well as comfort and low noise.But something was missing – the wail of a tuned engine!  At best the XV sounded like a muted diesel with extra transmission whines. It’s moments like these you remember how important the soundtrack is as background music to a car’s dynamics.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the 2014 Subaru WRX.

Murray Hubbard road tests and reviews the Subaru WRX STI, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

It took a nanosecond for us to realise we really liked the CVT Rex because it didn't behave like the usual slurring slushy CVT.

NEW The XV was new to the range when Subaru launched the all-new Impreza in 2011/12, but you won't find an Impreza badge on it anywhere. Yes, it was based on the Impreza, but the XV was so different to the small Suby that the company wanted to move it away into its own market space. Conceived as a sub-compact SUV the XV slotted in between the Impreza hatch and the compact Forester SUV. It was a sporty looking wagon, riding high in the style of an SUV, and came in a choice of three models.The range kicked off with the 2.0i, and climbed through the mid-range L to the burger-with-the-lot S at the peak. All were well equipped, with the 2.0i even having Bluetooth, rear-view camera and a sunroof. Take the step up to the L and you got sat-nav, while those who went all the way to the top got leather trim and heated rear seats. The safety story was also impressive, with all models in the range qualifying for a five-star tick from ANCAP thanks to seven airbags, including full-length curtain airbags and a driver's kneebag.Power came from a new long stroke version of the Subaru boxer four, this one of 2.0-litre capacity punching out 110 kW and 196 Nm. Bolted to the back of the new engine was either a six-speed manual gearbox, boasting a taller top gear for better economy, or a CVT type auto with six presets and paddle shifters. As with all Subarus the final drive is through all four wheels.Inside, the cabin is light and airy with good vision out thanks to a higher seating position and thinner pillars. The cargo space is a little cramped, and the spare is a space-saver mounted underneath the cargo floor in the rear.NOWThe XV is still quite new to the market, so there is little to report in terms of problems and issues, and given Subaru's overall reputation soundness of design there is good reason to think it will perform admirably over the longer time.Subaru's boxer four can use oil, so it's a good idea to keep a watchful eye on the oil level in the engine. Owner criticisms focus on the small boot space, and some knock its lack of mid-range overtaking performance. Some of those who have owned the previous 2.5-litre engine in the Impreza say the new, smaller engine lacks grunt.To date there has been one recall of the XV. It related to the routing of the engine wiring harness on the MY12 models, which could interfere with other engine components. At best it could cause the engine to idle roughly, at worst it could cause the engine to stall and not restart. Check that the recall has been carried out.Be sure to thoroughly test the CVT transmission during your test-drive. Take particular note of any shuddering at low speed or on take-off from a standstill. Also note any hesitations, surging or other driving issues. Make a careful check of the bodywork looking for any evidence of crash damage that has been poorly repaired.SMITHY SAYSAttractive little Suby is safe, economical and drives nicely.Subaru XV 2012-2013Price new: $28,490 to $36,990Engine: 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, 110 kW/196 NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, CVT, AWDEconomy: 6.9 to 7.3 L/100 kmBody: 5-door wagonVariants: 2.0i, L, SSafety: 5-star ANCAP