MOTOR RIVALS

Subaru of America, Inc. introduced the all-new Outback, the fifth generation of the World’s First Sport Utility Wagon ® , at the New York International Auto Show in the Jacob K. Javits Center. The Outback offers the roomiest interior, most capable chassis and highest fuel-efficiency in the model’s 20-year history. Its bold new design delivers an even more compelling blend of on-road agility, off-pavement control, ride comfort, interior refinement and safety technology. 

The new 2015 Subaru Outback’s design features crisper, more sculpted lines that convey both its all-road capability and its added refinement. The 175-horsepower 4-cylinder Outback 2.5i is available in Standard, Premium and Limited trim lines, accompanied by the top-of-line 6-cylinder 3.6R Limited with 256 horsepower. All trim lines add more standard amenities, conveniences and new infotainment systems.

All Outback models come standard with the Lineartronic ® CVT (continuously variable transmission), which features paddle-shift control switches and helps boost fuel economy significantly. The Outback 2.5i achieves manufacturer-estimated ratings of 25 mpg city / 33 mpg highway / 28 mpg combined, up from 24/30/26 in the 2014 model. A new Active Grille Shutter system on the Outback 2.5i and Electric Power-Assisted Steering and improved 2015 Subaru Outback / 2 aerodynamics on all models also contribute to the increased efficiency.

Active Torque Vectoring, an enhancement of the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability and traction control system, enhances agility. Newly standard X-Mode, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist augment standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive to assist the driver in navigating rough roads, slippery surfaces or steep inclines. The Outback continues with 8.7-in. ground clearance, which is higher than for some SUVs, yet with low step-in height for comfort.

The Outback adds new front seat-cushion airbags that help to keep occupants in place in a frontal collision, and all trim lines come standard with a rear-view camera. The new Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection System, which is standard on Limited trims and available for the 2.5i Premium, includes Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The Outback offers the latest version of the EyeSight ® driver-assist system, the highest-rated front crash prevention system by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). EyeSight uses Subaru-developed stereo camera technology and integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning systems.

Subaru significantly upgraded infotainment capability in the Outback, with all available systems featuring Subaru STARLINK smartphone integration and apps. An upgrade system adds a 7-inch touch screen display with swipe and scrolling gesture 2015 Subaru Outback / 3 control, voice-activated controls, SiriusXM ® satellite radio and iTunes ® tagging capability.

A new high-end audio system that’s standard for Limited trims combines an AM/FM/HD Radio system with a harman/kardon ® 576-Watt-equivalent amplifier and 12 harman/kardon speakers. The available navigation system’s interactive voice command system accepts natural language and phrases, and this functionality can also operate the dual-zone automatic climate control system.

The all-new Golf SportWagen  is based on the new MQB (modular transverse matrix) architecture.  The new SportWagen will continue the trend introduced by the seventh-generation Golf whereby it is lighter, bigger, roomier, more fuel efficient and more powerful than the outgoing model.

Thanks to the extensive use of high- and ultra-high strength steels, the new SportWagen bodyshell is lighter than the current Jetta SportWagen and offers an enhanced crash structure. Throughout the car, incredible attention to detail has optimized components—such as the seats, air conditioning unit, and even the electrical architecture —to help save weight.

The new SportWagen will be offered in front-wheel drive form, with two powertrains to choose from. The first is a 170 horsepower, 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® engine, mated to five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions. Manufacturer highway fuel economy is estimated to have improved by as much as 17 percent compared to the 2.5-liter Jetta SportWagen.

The TDI Clean Diesel model will be powered by the new EA288 2.0-liter common-rail, turbocharged and direct-injection diesel engine that makes150 horsepower, an improvement of 10 hp over the current SportWagen model, and 236 pound-feet pf torque. The TDI model will have a choice of six-speed manual or DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

Features

Along the lines of the new Golf 7, the SportWagen will bring a number of available new features to market including a panoramic power tilt and slide sunroof, 12-way power driver’s seat, Climatronic® automatic climate control, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs and the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), Park Distance Control, and available 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

In addition, the new SportWagen features a new standard driver assistance system called the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System (APCBS). This builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single, instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact—the most significant of which can cause additional collisions. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking system addresses this by applying the brakes when a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus helping reduce residual kinetic energy and, in turn, the chance of additional damage.