2015 Subaru Legacy, Outback crash their way to IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ratings [w/video]

The Subaru Legacy and Outback are the latest vehicles to be awarded the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's most prestigious safety title, Top Safety Pick+.

As we've explained many times before, this only applies vehicles that can score an "Acceptable" or "Good" rating on the five IIHS crash tests and earn at least a "Basic" rating for crash prevention systems.

In the Legacy's case, it totally aced IIHS's testing, earning "Good" scores on the small overlap, front moderate overlap, side impact, roof crush and rear impact tests, while also bringing home the top "Superior" rating for its optional EyeSight system.

According to IIHS, Subaru holds more Top Safety Pick titles than any other manufacturer, with seven vehicles earning the safety award. Of those, four of them are TSP+ vehicles.

Scroll down for video of the Legacy's small-overlap test.

Source: autoblog.com

Subaru mulls motorsports return, nixes small CUV plans

The Subaru WRX STI breaking the automotive lap record at the Isle of Man might be just the beginning of the headlines trumpeting a Subaru racecar. According to the latest rumors, the Japanese brand is looking at taking motorsports more seriously in the future. That could possibly even mean endurance racing at Le Mans.

According to Auto Express, the brand is mulling a greater participation in motorsport, but the big question is where. The World Rally Championship isn't a certainty because it now favors smaller cars like theVolkswagen Polo. Subaru still competes in series like Rally America and Global Rallycross, but there are bigger stages to play on.

What's interesting, is that this commitment to motorsports comes right as the automaker is denying plans to build a small CUV for its passenger car lineup. According to Auto Express, the company has no intention of developing a crossover smaller than the current XV Crosstrek. Even if the sales are there, it would just cost too much to develop. In the US, at least, the XV is doing great with sales up 42 percent in July.

Autoblog reached out to the company for more hints about its future racing endeavors and we're awaiting their reply.

Source: autoblog.com