Auto News 5

Just over a year ago, Subaru was a niche automaker known for quirky vehicles that often lacked direct competitors. Led by the Forester for 2009 and then with the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon for 2010, Subaru's product offerings have recently fallen in line with mainstream markets. Sales are still small in comparison to Honda, Toyota, and Nissan, but the company's products have proven to have serious appeal. While the auto industry hemorrhaged sales in 2009, Subaru's volume and market share increased.inline_mediumwraptextright28401619/reviews/driven/1003_japanese_crossover_suv_comparison1003_01_z+2010_subaru_outback_mitsubishi_outlander_suzuki_grand_vitara+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Months in fleet: Five
Miles to date: 8993 milesinline_mediumwraptextright26874410/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1003_2010_subaru_outback_3_6r_limited_march_update1002_03_z+2010_subaru_outback_limited+side_view.jpgTrue

It's often said "There's nothing new under the sun," and sometimes that's reinforced in surprising ways. At the spavined Tokyo show last fall, Toyota unveiled its FT-86 concept, a curious closed sports car with a water-cooled, flat-four engine sitting ahead of the front axle but driving the rear wheels. The FT-86's Subaru engine is derived from the old German Borgward/Lloyd Arabella. It's an odd layout, but one seen before.inline_mediumwraptextright27884071/features/by_design/1003_toyota_ft86_design_analysis1003_01_z+toyota_fT-86+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

We’ve just read over Subaru’s plans for the 2010 Geneva motor show -- in addition to showcasing its Hybrid Tourer concept from the 2009 Toyko show, the Japanese automaker is debuting a new Impreza XV model -- a crossover model which will be offered exclusively in Europe.inline_mediumwraptextright32343768/features/news/1002_2010_subaru_impreza_xv1002_01_z+2010_subaru_outback_sport+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Months in fleet: Four
Miles to date: 7188 milesinline_mediumwraptextright26874407/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1002_2010_subaru_outback_36r_limited_february_update1002_02_z+2010_subaru_outback_limited+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

To build a rally track, you need only a forest and a naive belief that you can build a dirt road simply by removing a few trees. As luck would have it, I have access to some woods - thirty acres of them, up in Maine. When my parents moved there in 1979, the place was idyllic. Now, there's a giant gravel pit across the street.

You might live next door to the Nürburgring, but that doesn't mean you can take a lap whenever the fancy strikes. But what if you built your own track where you could drive as much as you want, whenever you want, in your own automotive Disney World? That's the dream, right there.inline_mediumwraptextright31781751/features/racing/1002_subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_earl_of_good_woods1002_01_z+subaru_impreza_wRX_sTI+private_rally_playground.jpgTrue