Why Subaru WRX S4, Outback, Legacy and Levorg keep getting top safety ratings

Subaru’s 2016 WRX S4, Outback, Legacy and Levorg received another top safety rating from JNCAP. Why does Subaru put a priority on safety?

It’s nothing new for Subaru to keep getting these top safety awards from Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP). It’s one of the Japanese automakers core values and the small auto brand excels at producing safe vehicles.

Subaru’s 2016 WRX S4, Outback, Legacy and Levorg are the latest vehicles in their stable to get the top rating of Advanced Safety Vehicle-Plus (ASV+) from JNCAP. It’s the top award given for preventive safety performance. Each achieved the ASV+ ratings with the highest possible score of 46 points

The 2016 Subaru WRX S4, Outback, Legacy, and Levorg, when equipped with Subaru’s latest generation EyeSight driver assist system perform at the highest level of safety performance in the Japan assessment conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport (MLIT) and the National Agency for Automotive Safety & Victims’ Aid (NASVA).

Why does Subaru put a priority on safety?

When Nobuhiko Murakami, Corporate Senior Vice President Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), unveiled the new European Levorg sports tourer in May, he made an interesting statement to the press. He said, “We aim to become the number-one brand for overall safety.” It’s not a new goal for the brand as they have been doing independent testing of their vehicles for decades.

Safety has always been a top priority for Subaru since the 1960s when they began conducting their own tests before there was any government testing being done. FHI has been perfecting their EyeSight system and since its release in 2012, Subaru has received international acclaim from the IIHS in the U.S. where it achieved a maximum 6 point rating in Front Crash Prevention (FCP) tests.

All of Subaru’s EyeSight-equipped models ever tested in the assessment so far have been awarded with the ASV+ designations. It’s a testament to the brands commitment to be the number one automaker for overall safety and EyeSight’s strong pre-crash safety performance is proof they are serious. The 2016 Subaru WRX S4, Outback, Legacy and Levorg are the latest vehicles to receive the top safety award.

Source: http://www.torquenews.com/

3 important chassis upgrades are coming to 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Subaru UK has announced a raft of modifications and upgrades to the chassis of the 2016 XV compact crossover. What 3 upgrades did XV get?

The Subaru XV already has the lowest center of gravity in the compact crossover class, the highest ground clearance and it’s stable off-road. Subaru says they have made upgrades to all-wheel-drive vehicle’s suspension that will result in a smoother, more compliant ride.

What Subaru engineers did to the XV chassis

For the 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek, Subaru says their main focus for upgrades to the chassis was to improve the car’s ride quality and reduce the intrusion of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) into the cabin.

Engineers at Fuji Heavy industries (FHI) retuned the front and rear suspension by lowering the pitch rate of the dampers and the coil springs get new settings. Subaru says this will improve ride quality by suppressing the transfer of vibrations into the cabin and the changes will further reduce roll for greater cornering stability.

The new spring rate settings should improve stability under cornering by ensuring greater tire contact with the road, while allowing for greater flexibility in ride over rough road surfaces.

Subaru also changed the steering ratio on XV and the 2016 model will be 10 percent quicker than before. This will improve the small crossovers steering response and provide more linear, direct and stable handling characteristics, requiring only 2.8 turns, lock-to-lock. The XV’s front cross-member has also been stiffened to improve steering stability.

NVH improvements

2016 XV also gets a quieter cabin from extra sound-absorbent material throughout the crossover and from the adoption of new under-bonnet insulators. This cuts vibrations from the engine and reduces wind and road noise in the cabin.

The XV’s under-body cover has also been reshaped to reduce wind noise around the rear of the car, while thicker glass for the front side windows and front quarter lights further reduces wind noise around the A-and B-pillars. Subaru says the new XV’s cabin is now 1dB quieter under acceleration or when traveling at high speed.

The upgraded 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek goes on sale in the UK this month. In spite of all the chassis upgrades, Subaru was able to keep its existing on-the-road price, with the range starting from 21,995 British Pounds. There were also upgrades made to the XV’s interior and infotainment.

Source: http://www.torquenews.com/