The Subaru brand has survived a tough year of scandals and recalls but has emerged on the other side determined to bring value to its customers. The all-new 2020 Subaru Outback shows where the brand is heading with new safety features, more fuel-efficient engines, improved ride quality, and more adventure for outdoor enthusiasts.
Subaru has acknowledged they have come through a rough 12 months as Torque News reported Subaru Corp had to shut down their plant in Gunma, Japan for 10 days at the end of the year for a power steering problem with Forester, Crosstrek, and Impreza. Reuters reports Subaru’s last 12 months have been “dismal” quoting Subaru’s Chief Financial Officer, Toshiaki Okada saying: “Quality and production issues slowed output, which led to the drop in sales.”
More bad news
We also reported Subaru of America issued a recall last fall and stop-sale for all U.S.-built 2018 Outback and Legacy models totaling 228,648 vehicles because of a software programming error that can cause the low-fuel warning light to fail to illuminate.
To make things worse, Subaru Corp issued a massive global recall where 2.3 million vehicles were recalled because of a brake light switch malfunction. A total of 1,303,530 vehicles in the U.S. were affected by this recall.
Before that, there was another global recall of 411,000 vehicles to fix faulty valve springs that can cause the 2.0-liter engines to stall in the Subaru BRZ, Crosstrek, and Impreza models. And that came on the heels of Subaru’s recalling a half-million vehicles in Japan to address a problem of cheating on final vehicle inspections.
Good news
To signal a new beginning, On April 17, Subaru unveiled the all-new sixth-generation 2020 Outback SUV/Crossover at the New York International Auto Show for customers. Subaru Corporation wants customers to look at where they are going with their next-generation vehicles and not where they have been the past year. It’s been a rough patch for the Japanese automaker who is determined to bring value and not more scandals and recalls in 2019.
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Photo credit: Subaru Corp
Comments
And yet somehow, their sales
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And yet somehow, their sales continue to increase. Just shows that good marketing can overcome bad automotive engineering! One day Subaru customers may figure it out...
L - O - V - E . It's what
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In reply to And yet somehow, their sales by Digitaldoc (not verified)
L - O - V - E . It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
Well, it is certainly not the
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In reply to L - O - V - E . It's what by CajunMoses (not verified)
Well, it is certainly not the inspired engines and horsepower that make them so great.
I recently purchased a 2019
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I recently purchased a 2019 Outback, and it is absolutely fabulous.
The key word is "recently
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In reply to I recently purchased a 2019 by Randolph Stroup (not verified)
The key word is "recently bought"waits few months and you will find your windshield cracking by itself- $800 PLUS a few hundred for the reprogryof the Eyesight, transmission problems and NOTE THAT THERE IS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, Subaru solution is changing the oil change from 7500 miles to 6500, that's not a solution to the problem just another added expense in synthic oil changes at $79 a pop. I have NO LOVE for Subaru anymore
Remember when Ford boasted
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Remember when Ford boasted about "Quality is Job 1"? Perhaps Subaru should boast about "Quality is Job 2"? Faulty valve springs? Are you kidding me? They might just as well say, "Our engines suck." Forget all the "love" ads...and build a car right.
I own a 2015 Subaru Outback,
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I own a 2015 Subaru Outback, I have 50k on the car and all highway miles. I had the right side front axle replaced, transmission replaced - with a remanufactured, rear hatch motor replaced along with struts 2 times, now I'm waiting for a new radio head unit- they ordered the incorrect radio, its been over 2 weeks , still no radio. I would newer buy another Subaru
My 2015 Outback is fabulous.
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In reply to I own a 2015 Subaru Outback, by Jim (not verified)
My 2015 Outback is fabulous. I am aiming to get 250,000 miles out of it. By the way, Consumer Report ranks Subaru the best automobile manufacturer in the world.
Consumer Reports also rated
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In reply to My 2015 Outback is fabulous. by Tom Reeves (not verified)
Consumer Reports also rated the Chevy Vega and Ford Pinto great cars. Plus the Vega was awarded car of the year by Motor Trend even after they found the engines blew up
Don’t trust this brand, I
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Don’t trust this brand, I have 2018 outback 3.6R, it’s very unreliable vehicle , it can break down / stall your vehicle any time anywhere .. I already has 3 safety recalls , radio ( infotainment ) replaced , radiator fan & coil burnt up at 65•F weather, at just 24K miles on it.. extremely worrying about what will happen after warranty over (> 36k miles ) , all cost I have to bear from my pocket.
And claiming warranty service is very poor, it took 2 months to send me radio unit replacement .
Think twice .. think wise .. if you have good budget choose other brands or in the same price you look for Mazda or Kia. I would not buy Subaru in my life if I able to sale it on a suitable price.
And your comment is the worst
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In reply to Don’t trust this brand, I by Rabi Pal (not verified)
And your comment is the worst comment I have ever seen because I will buy a new subaru ever again. And also you will be banned from every social media site for the rest of your life.
Waiting for the windshield
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Waiting for the windshield recall! 2018 Outback with 9000 miles windshield cracked down the middle for no apparent reason. Dealer told me this is a common problem however my warranty does not cover it. $800 to replace windshield and $300 to reprogram i-sight. Awful, just awful!
I wish that last line in the
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I wish that last line in the article read that the automaker is determined to bring safety instead of it saying value. That word makes me squeamish.
I own a 2011 Outback since
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I own a 2011 Outback since new. 101,000 miles and nothing more than routine tires, oil/filter, brakes, wiper blades. I'd buy another in a heartbeat if I were in the market. OTOH this car is still good looking and great driving so there's nothing in the horizon as a replacement, Subaru or otherwise.
Our 2018 3.6R outback display
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Our 2018 3.6R outback display panel, Radio, navigation is dead. Dealer had hard time figuring what went wrong. Should I stop making payments?