Translation: Japanese cars were thought of as cheap tin boxes that would never make it through a Minnesota winter. That was the mentality of the American consumer until the last couple of decades. It does help that several Japanese automakers set up shop building vehicles on our soil to change our collective minds.
It may appear to be one, if you apply the classic definition of one onto the Subaru Outback. Breaking it down, the Outback is co-developed with the Legacy sedan – a wagon version, if you must be technical about it. Yet, Subaru adds more to the mix to make it more crossover-ish towards being a lower height SUV.
Prior to April of 2011, I tried my hand on automotive vehicle reviewing by talking about the cars I rented. They helped me understand what these vehicles were all about. I paid attention to their positive and negative attributes very closely. The result was informed opinions with the approach of living with each of these vehicles day in and day out.
It affirms Subaru's reputation of creating vehicles based on a standard horizontally-opposed engine and an all-wheel-drive platform for most (except for the BRZ) of their vehicles to be driven on. It also affirms how Subaru has leveraged the massive popularity of the Outback wagon (OK, crossover) as a cornerstone of everything they do – sort of.
Why was everyone mad at a groundhog? Did we not get the spring we wanted? And, what a spring. Lots of good things happening on the V&R front. Except for the fact that I was working on items for everyone else. Not that it’s a bad thing…
Tweet All Photos by Randy Stern It’s tough when you give a publication "first rights" to a vehicle subject. It's even tougher when those vehicles are headline grabbers…and are superb! This is the story of this batch "As Published Elsewhere" Quickies reviews. Vehicles that are found elsewhere with my byline, reviewed fully on those pages. …
TweetA very long time ago, but Japan used to make terrible cars. When Toyota and Nissan set up their respective USA shops in the late 1950s, they were met with laughs. They little sedans were seen as clown cars to the average post-World War II American. Even Renault and Volkswagen owners would join in the …
Tweet The Geneva International Motor Show never disappoints. It is not just the intriguing products that will never come to North America. This show also includes those that will come here, but with a certain flair designed to engage and excite. Of the debuts that popped up at PALEXPO, there has been plenty of both …
Tweet 2017 Subaru Impreza Sport Sedan – All Photos by Randy Stern Unless you are a dye-in-the-wool Subie fan or enthusiast, no one would ever suspect that the Impreza would be a strong contender among compact cars. This is a statement that needs further explanation. You see, compact customers run in two packs. One, there …
TweetA Victory & Reseda review of the 2017 Subaru Outback Let's talk about stereotypes for the moment. When you see the vehicle featured in this article, what does it come to mind? According to those who have seen photos…or have seen it in person…think of one specific stereotype: It is a vehicle for Lesbians. I …