Subaru (7)
The first image that pops into most people’s minds when hearing the word Subaru likely involves wagons or rally cars. But Subaru has recently rejoined the rest of the automotive world by offering its own brand new three-row SUV: The Subaru Ascent.
Subaru exited the three-row SUV category a half-decade ago when the Tribeca was retired, but the Ascent is a much better offering than their previous go-around.
I recently spent some time in the 2019 Ascent, which has the daunting task of battling a bevy of longtime competitors in the segment — including the Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Dodge Durango, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and more.
Read on for a full assessment on how the Ascent succeeds in its attempt to climb that hill.
Avoiding anonymity is a fight all sedans that aren’t the top sellers in the category must take on. The way to do it is distinguish yourself in a way that the bigger names don’t, and hopefully that will lead to a maintained or growing market share.
Subaru is one of the smaller brands fighting this battle, and I recently tested out a 2018 Subaru Legacy, their midsize sedan offering. While the vehicle has its hits and misses, the good news is that its standard all-wheel drive very strong tech and safety features are standout in the segment, so it does make a name for itself.
Sales numbers are important in the auto industry, but so are trends. And if you’re searching for a brand with an impressive track record over the past few decades, look no further than Subaru. The smaller brand has, with minor blips, been trending consistently upward -- especially in the past five years, and that’s due to a series of impressively redesigned vehicles and a reputation for safety.
Case in point: The 2017 Subaru Impreza, the brand’s redesigned compact car which comes in both sedan and hatchback models. I recently got to test the hatch, and one thing jumped out at me from the start -- standard All-wheel drive, something you just don’t see in the segment. Add to that the fact that this Impreza is being built in America (in Lafayette, Indiana) for the first time, and people’s ears are already perking up.
But when you are battling the likes of the Civic, Focus, Cruze, Corolla, Forte and more, you need a full package. So how does the Impreza measure up?
What do people want in a car? That’s the question every automaker asks as they try to build an audience.
One word that will keep coming up if that question is posed to a group of people: Safety -- people want to know their families are in good hands when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
For Subaru, this is not news, as they have long been advocates in the area of safety and remained ahead of the curve. I recently tested out a 2015 Subaru Legacy, their entry in the mid-sized sedan category, and found that not only did it live up to Subie’s safety reputation, it had a bit of pep under the hood as well.
Subaru is not your average automaker, doing its own thing and not following industry trends for some time now, and blazing trails in the area of safety along the way. Subaru fans are not a huge group in the U.S. (the automaker’s market share is in the low single digits), but they are fiercely loyal -- and always come back for more; which is why that market share number has been growing in recent years.
Among the new vehicles they have out that aim to increase the reach of Subaru even further is the 2015 Subaru Outback, which I recently got to spend some time driving.
The Outback is a wagon -- a rarity in today’s automotive world dominated by sedans and SUVs/crossovers. I’m back with a full report on the Outback and what Subaru has brought to the table with this redesign for 2015.
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