Subaru dealers sell some of the best cars across all automotive class. For decades, the Japanese car brand has built a reputation around its top-performing boxer engines and All-Wheel Drive system.
Aside from these trademark features, what is good about Subaru cars? In this post, we will discuss some of the best features of Subaru cars that made them one of the best vehicles to drive around.
What’s Special About Subaru?
Subaru is known throughout the world because of their car’s impressive handling and overall reliability. The car company’s vehicles are also known for their great resale value.
For example, the Subaru XV received the Best Resale Value for 2019 from the vehicle valuation company Kelly Blue Book. According to KBB, the Subaru XV retains 49.3-percent of its original after five years.
Below are other reasons that make Subaru cars stand out from their competitors:
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Symmetrical AWD and Boxer Engine
All Subaru cars, except the BRZ, come with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. This AWD system continually shifts power from tyres with less traction to those which have firmer road grip. Distributing the engine’s power on all four wheels also allow the driver to avoid common driving problems like oversteering and understeering.
Additionally, Subaru also placed a boxer-type engine on their vehicles. The horizontally-opposed engine has its pistons facing away from one another in a 180-degree symmetrical design which balances out vibration around the crankshaft. The engine’s layout also lowers the vehicle’s centre of gravity, allowing a more stable and safer driving experience.
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X-Mode
Many of Subaru’s vehicles, especially their SUVs, are known for their ability to drive comfortably even in the most extreme conditions. Many of its large vehicles are equipped with X-Mode, which is a software program meant to assist the driver in getting the car up and down rugged terrains.
The X-Mode also generate extra power at the wheels which have a more stable grip by lowering the gear ratios. The driving assist program is also integrated with other features like traction control, transmission mapping, and hill descent control, just to name a few.
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Safety Features
Go to any Subaru dealers and the first thing they will tell you about the cars they are selling is how safe it is. In 2019, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named seven Subaru cars as the top safety picks in each of their classes. The list includes the Outback, Legacy, WRX, XV, Ascent and the Impreza– both wagon and sedan variant.
Latest models are also equipped with Eyesight safety feature, which is like an extra pair of eyes that provide safer driving. These set of technologies include things like lane departure assist, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and more.
Are Subarus Affordable to Fix?
One of the main issues about Subaru cars is that they are not cheap to repair. According to YourMechanic.com, maintenance cost for a Subaru car costs $8,200 for the next ten years after you drive it out of the showroom.
Subaru only has a few car models in its fleet, and they have a significantly lower market share in most car markets. Hence, there are only a few mechanics who are quite familiar in fixing Subarus cars, and most Subaru dealers have to pay these professionals a higher fee for their services.
But that is not to say that Subaru are one of the most expensive brands to repair. In fact, fixing a Subaru is even cheaper than repairing cars from its rival brands like Ford, Kia, and Chevrolet based on YourMechanic’s data.
Are 2020 Subarus Good Cars?
Subarus’s sales are keeping up with its competitors, especially these past few years. In the past three years, the Japanese car brand has sold over one million vehicles across the globe each year.
The 2020 Subaru lineup is expected to consist of the XV, Forester, WRX STI S209, Outback, Legacy, and the Ascent. Each car has something new to offer this year.
The 2020 Forester, for example, gets standard features like active lane control, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. The fifth generation of the Forester is also expected to use a 2.5-Liter flat-four engine instead of the turbocharged engine. Consequently, the new 182-horsepower engine will be paired with a CVT transmission.
How Many Miles Can a Subaru Last?
According to the 2017 data compiled by iSeeCars.com, three Subaru cars can reach 200,000 miles on their odometer– the Legacy, Forester and Outback.
However, several factors determine how much mileage a car can log in during its lifetime. Proper maintenance and regular checkups, for example, can significantly prolong the lifespan of a car. Some car owners even report that their Subarus broke the 300,000 mileage.
Are Subarus Good on Petrol?
Because of their unique box engine and all-wheel-drive system, Subaru cars are known for their fuel efficiency. According to FuelEconomyy.gov, here are the fuel consumption of some of the cars from the Japanese automaker:
- Subaru Impreza 2.0-Litre Automatic- 7.35 L/ 100 km
- Subaru BRZ 2.0-Litre Automatic- 8.71 L/ 100 Km
- Subaru XV 2.0-Litre AWD Automatic- 8.11 L/ 100 Km
- Subaru Forester 2.5-LItre AWD Automatic- 8.11 L/ 100 Km
- Subaru Legacy 2.5-Litre AWD- 8.11 L/ 100 Km
- Subaru Ascent 2.4-Litre Automatic- 10.23 L/ 100 Km
What is the best Subaru SUV to Buy for me?
Subaru has a complete lineup of SUVs that are meant for their customer’s specific needs and preferences, namely:
- Subaru Ascent– a midsize crossover SUV, which is the largest vehicle currently manufactured by Subaru. It’s the first full 7-passenger SUV with full three-rows from the renowned automaker. It offers 153.5 cubic feet of cabin space and can tow up to 5,000 lbs.
- Subaru Outback– a crossover SUV which is designed specifically for off-roading. It has high ground clearance of 8.7-inches and comes with the X-MODE. Under the hood, it has a 175-horsepower Boxer engine matched with CVT. Meanwhile, it also has up to 108.1 cubic feet of space for its passengers.
- Subaru Forester– the multi-awarded compact crossover SUV is renowned for its top-notch safety features. Subaru also has upgraded its passenger space, on-board technology and interior materials. Furthermore, it comes with the EyeSight Technology and STARLINK safety and security.
- Subaru XV– the latest compact crossover SUV in the fleet offers the best value retention in its class. It has a comfortable cabin thanks to its noise-reducing materials. Its passenger volume is rated at 100.0 cubic feet. Meanwhile, its fuel consumption is at 7.13 Liters per 100 kilometres.
Conclusion
Subaru offers a lot of value proposition, especially in the areas of handling, fuel efficiency, overall reliability and value retention. Subaru dealers are also known to offer some of the best deals in terms of amenity packages and tech upgrades.
