Year-End Deal Reality Check: Subaru

Many major retailers are parading their best deals to boost year-end sales, and automakers are no exception. This means the year’s end can be one of the best times to buy a new car, and if it’s a Subaru, donate to charity as well.

Subaru’s offer includes a good deal for buyers and a chance to do a little good for others. Its "Share the Love" event means qualified buyers can get zero-percent financing, pay no money down on most 2012 Subaru vehicles and the automaker will make a charitable donation in the buyer’s name.

After making your new-car purchase, Subaru will donate $250 to your choice of four charities. The organizations include American Forests, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the Special Olympics. So far, Subaru has given almost $15 million to the charities during the last three years.

The zero-percent offer is good on all Subaru vehicles except the redesigned Impreza, though WRX models qualify for zero-percent financing. Instead, qualified Impreza shoppers can take advantage of a 1.9% financing deal. The 2012 Impreza starts at $17,495, excluding a $750 destination charge. Share the Love cannot be combined with any other offers and ends Jan. 3, 2012.

Subaru Will Launch Four New Vehicles by 2015

Subaru’s plan for the next four years, like most automakers, is to quickly launch new vehicles that are more fuel efficient, according to Ward’s Automotive.

The company plans to release four completely new vehicles over the next four years, said Toshio Masuda, the automaker’s senior general manager of product planning. Those models exclude the 2012 Subaru Impreza, which goes on sale in the coming months. A high-powered WRX and STI are also coming to the Impreza, Masuda said. The goal is for the top-of-the-line Impreza to get a boxer engine rated at 300 horsepower.

Overall, Subaru wants to raise fuel economy by 30% for each of its subsequent models. The Impreza will be the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive car when it hits dealerships, achieving 27/36 mpg city/highway. Subaru will reach the new fuel economy targets with two new engines — a 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder — that have already  shown up on the 2012 Impreza and 2012 Forester, respectively, and by using a new continuously variable automatic transmission. That’s debuting on the 2012 Impreza, too.

2011 Subaru Forester Video

The Subaru Forester may look at bit dowdy compared with newer crossover competitors, but don’t let its appearance fool you. This utility vehicle is fun to drive and it’s practical, according to Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays. Combine that with its stellar reliability scores, and it’s no wonder why this Subaru remains a perennial favorite among the Cars.com editorial staff.

Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Subaru Forester

The third-generation Subaru Forester has been on sale for three years now, and the crossover is still fun to drive and comfortable, according to Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays. The 2011 Forester offers a well-balanced ride and competent handling. Find out if it still holds up well against the competition.

2011 Subaru Forester Review

2011 Kia Optima Earns Five-Star NHTSA Rating

The 2011 Kia Optima received an overall rating of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new crash-test rating system, the agency announced today.

Read Cars.com's Full Review of the 2011 Kia Optima

The Optima’s overall composite score is composed of a five-star frontal, five-star rollover and a five-star rating for the combined side pole and barrier tests. The side barrier test is an area where other vehicles have shown weakness with the safety agency’s new testing format. The side pole test simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

Reader Review of the Week: 2011 Subaru Forester

Bill from Wagram, N.C., had no troubles with his previous-generation Subaru Forester and he hoped the latest generation would prove to be just as reliable, but that hasn’t been the case. The interior quality isn’t the best, and there are some engine problems that Bill has dealt with. To find out more, check out full review below. Once you’re done, write a review of your own car here.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

Ford finished prepping the 2011 Ford Explorer for dealerships by spending $400 million and adding 1,200 jobs to the Chicago plant where the vehicle will be built; it goes on sale next week. During our first look, we found the new Explorer to be a potentially strong competitor against the similarly priced Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander. Check our summary of the Explorer and the other popular reviews of the week.

1.   2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 
2.   2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 
3.   2011 Ford Explorer 
4.   2011 Subaru Outback 
5.   2011 Hyundai Sonata 
6.   2011 Kia Sorento 
7.   2010 Subaru Forester 
8.   2011 Mini Cooper Countryman 
9.   2011 Chevrolet Cruze 
10. 2011 BMW M3

Subaru Continues Charity-Based Incentives for Third Year

Subaru will again participate in a charity-based sales event for 2010, called the “Share the Love Event,” the automaker announced today.

From Nov. 20 to Jan. 3, 2011, every Subaru purchased will come with a $250 donation to one of five charities the automaker has partnered with, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels Association of America and the Ocean Conservancy.

Over the past two years, Subaru has donated more than $10 million to charities through this particular sales initiative.

That extra bonus comes on top of regular incentives such as 1.9% financing and low lease deals, which we detail below.

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2011 Subaru Forester

For 2011, the Subaru Forester gets a slight exterior refresh, updated interior and an all-new four-cylinder powertrain.

All Foresters get a new grille design as well as an updated instrument panel with soft touch materials.

The big news here, of course, is the new 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine (otherwise known as a Boxer engine) that produces 174 pounds-feet of torque. The torque figures are improved from last year’s base engine, and both power figures are achieved at a lower rpm.

The third-generation Boxer engine is a completely new powertrain for Subaru, featuring lightweight materials, a compact design and superior vibration-reduction methods. The new engine features a dual-overhead-cam design compared with the single-overhead design that the previous Subaru had. Driving performance is smoother throughout the whole acceleration range, Subaru says.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

This week, the three-month reign of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the top of our most-read reviews list is over. It’s been usurped by the 2011 Honda Odyssey, which goes on sale later this month. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta review joins our chart at No. 3, displacing the 2010 Subaru Forester (No. 4). This week’s new entries kicked off the 2011 Honda CR-Z and 2010 Honda CR-V from the Top 10.

1.   2011 Honda Odyssey 
2.   2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 
3.   2011 Volkswagen Jetta 
4.   2010 Subaru Forester 
5.   2011 Chevrolet Cruze 
6.   2011 Hyundai Sonata 
7.   2010 Subaru Outback 
8.   2011 Subaru WRX STi 
9.   2011 Ford Mustang 
10. 2011 Kia Sorento