I didn't notice them, thought they were just more HyKiToyMitHonWhatevercars....

[nobody >]

I don't know exactly what year models these were, but probably nothing
earlier than 2008.

Yesterday
Parked next to something moderately small and supposedly "sporty". When
I came back out of the drugstore, I looked it a little more from the
front. It had a muted hoodscoop, but nothing that stood out as "unique".
As my eyes dropped down towards the grill, ... MYGAWD... There's a
"Pleiades's star cluster" emblem on it! WTF? So I walk around it, and
it's a WRX? ????

Today
Driving in the wurkvan, a so-called (now) fullsize sedan's running in
the lane to my left. Rather ho-hum as well... Traffic slows, and I get
behind it about a half-carlength, enough to see logos and badges.
Another MYGAWD, it's a Legacy.

Subie's styling engineers are losing contact with "the mystique" of
Subaru styling. Soobs have ALWAYS been "quirky looking" without being
ugly for their time (or even after they become "senior vehicles" years
later). Even the old 360 wasn't bad.

What can I say? They look downright bland and indistinguishable from
most everything else now.

Soobies used to be among the marques that stood out from the rest, like
Studebaker, Citroen, American Motors and such.

They are probably going to lose me on any new purchase, just on the
"styling". I'll probably just drive my oughty-ought Outback until I die.
(but that will give me the cash to buy that new Triumph 900 Thruxton
that keeps calling my name....)

 

[S]

Hey there!

I don't know exactly what year models these were, but probably nothing
earlier than 2008.

Yesterday
Parked next to something moderately small and supposedly "sporty". When
I came back out of the drugstore, I looked it a little more from the
front. It had a muted hoodscoop, but nothing that stood out as "unique".
As my eyes dropped down towards the grill, ... MYGAWD... There's a
"Pleiades's star cluster" emblem on it! WTF? So I walk around it, and
it's a WRX? ????

Today
Driving in the wurkvan, a so-called (now) fullsize sedan's running in
the lane to my left. Rather ho-hum as well... Traffic slows, and I get
behind it about a half-carlength, enough to see logos and badges.
Another MYGAWD, it's a Legacy.

Subie's styling engineers are losing contact with "the mystique" of
Subaru styling. Soobs have ALWAYS been "quirky looking" without being
ugly for their time (or even after they become "senior vehicles" years
later). Even the old 360 wasn't bad.

What can I say? They look downright bland and indistinguishable from
most everything else now.

Soobies used to be among the marques that stood out from the rest, like
Studebaker, Citroen, American Motors and such.

They are probably going to lose me on any new purchase, just on the
"styling". I'll probably just drive my oughty-ought Outback until I die.
(but that will give me the cash to buy that new Triumph 900 Thruxton
that keeps calling my name....)

Yea, I'm a long time Soobie fan, but I'd have to agree with you. They
have never been beautiful cars, and some models have been down right
ugly, but they have at least been distinctive.
First thought when I saw the '08 Impreza wagon was that it was a Honda
.. . . And things haven't improved; the new Forries look like . . . a
Jeep or something, but not much like a Forester
Makes me sad,
ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

 

[weelliott]

Hey there!









Yea, I'm a long time Soobie fan, but I'd have to agree with you. They
have never been beautiful cars, and some models have been down right
ugly, but they have at least been distinctive.
First thought when I saw the '08 Impreza wagon was that it was a Honda
. . . And things haven't improved; the new Forries look like . . . a
Jeep or something, but not much like a Forester
Makes me sad,
ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'd also have to agree. My opiniions on the legacy have always flip
flopped. When the first generation came out I thought it looked nice.
When the second came out I thought it looked really nice, and the
first looked dated. I still hold that opinion. The third looks ugly to
me because of those headlights. The fourth I think is beautiful. The
fifth Fugly.

The tribeca was distinct for the first few years, then they made it
look more normal. The forester was ugly, but had a great compromise
that allowed it to be small, but hold lots of stuff. The new one might
be prettier, but it's huge. Much bigger in every way. I thought it was
a new ford Escape when I first saw one.

I think the WRX peaked in prettiness in 06/07. The hatchback I think
still looks like a subie, but the sedan has some screwed up styling in
the rear taillight section that says suzuki or old kia to me.

I will say that I was passed by a new STi this morning and thought it
looked quite nice. I didn't like the front fender bluge/air scoops on
the first car I saw, which was a dark color, but on a white version,
it works.

I always wonder how much subie direction is decreed by subaru and how
much by GM.

 

[Bill Radio]

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." I liked Subarus in SPITE of their
looks, and. like the old Volkswagen Beetle, you did feel like you were in a
unique class of drivers. I was put into a 2010 Outback loaner the last time
my '04 Outback went in for service (yes, head gaskets). I said, "I don't
like this. It's too big and too much like an "SUV", instead of a wagon.

6 months later I was in the market for a new car, and guess what? The 2010
Outback rose to the top of the list, once again, in SPITE of its looks.
However, while trying to find the right model, I found that new Outbacks are
selling like hotcakes with the new style. Therefore, Subaru probably
considers the change a rousing success. It's all about sales...not the
looks.

2 things will happen. Older Subies will become more valuable: 1st, because
more buyers will take them seriously. 2nd, because those who like the old
styles will pay more for them. This already happened to me. It was overall
cheaper to buy a new Outback than a 2009 or 2008. But then this is
Colorado.

Bill Radio

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I'd also have to agree. My opiniions on the legacy have always flip
flopped. When the first generation came out I thought it looked nice.
When the second came out I thought it looked really nice, and the
first looked dated. I still hold that opinion. The third looks ugly to
me because of those headlights. The fourth I think is beautiful. The
fifth Fugly.

The tribeca was distinct for the first few years, then they made it
look more normal. The forester was ugly, but had a great compromise
that allowed it to be small, but hold lots of stuff. The new one might
be prettier, but it's huge. Much bigger in every way. I thought it was
a new ford Escape when I first saw one.

I think the WRX peaked in prettiness in 06/07. The hatchback I think
still looks like a subie, but the sedan has some screwed up styling in
the rear taillight section that says suzuki or old kia to me.

I will say that I was passed by a new STi this morning and thought it
looked quite nice. I didn't like the front fender bluge/air scoops on
the first car I saw, which was a dark color, but on a white version,
it works.

I always wonder how much subie direction is decreed by subaru and how
much by GM.

I think the GM share wen tto Toyota a few years ago.

I love my 06 WRX Sportwagon, but I could probably learn to love the
hatchback - but I don't plan to trade anytime soon.

 

[DK]

Subie's styling engineers are losing contact with "the mystique" of
Subaru styling. Soobs have ALWAYS been "quirky looking" without being
ugly for their time (or even after they become "senior vehicles" years
later). Even the old 360 wasn't bad.

What can I say? They look downright bland and indistinguishable from
most everything else now.

Soobies used to be among the marques that stood out from the rest, like
Studebaker, Citroen, American Motors and such.

They are probably going to lose me on any new purchase, just on the
"styling". I'll probably just drive my oughty-ought Outback until I die.
(but that will give me the cash to buy that new Triumph 900 Thruxton
that keeps calling my name....)

They certainly lost me. When I was shopping few weeks ago, I figured
that if I were to bu a totally bland car, I might as well go and buy more
car for less money. Ended up with new Hyundai Sonata GLS for 16.5K.

I love quirkiness of the original Forester. When a time to replace my
wife's Forester comes, we'll probably not get Forester again - the current
one has little of the practical little car we bought in 2002.

DK

 

[StephenH]

I don't know exactly what year models these were, but probably nothing
earlier than 2008.

Yesterday
Parked next to something moderately small and supposedly "sporty". When
I came back out of the drugstore, I looked it a little more from the
front. It had a muted hoodscoop, but nothing that stood out as "unique".
As my eyes dropped down towards the grill, ... MYGAWD... There's a
"Pleiades's star cluster" emblem on it! WTF? So I walk around it, and
it's a WRX?  ????

Today
Driving in the wurkvan, a so-called (now) fullsize sedan's running in
the lane to my left. Rather ho-hum as well... Traffic slows, and I get
behind it about a half-carlength, enough to see logos and badges.
Another MYGAWD, it's a Legacy.

Subie's styling engineers are losing contact with "the mystique" of
Subaru styling. Soobs have ALWAYS been "quirky looking" without being
ugly for their time (or even after they become "senior vehicles" years
later). Even the old 360 wasn't bad.

What can I say? They look downright bland and indistinguishable from
most everything else now.

Soobies  used to be among the marques that stood out from the rest, like
Studebaker, Citroen, American Motors and such.

They are probably going to lose me on any new purchase, just on the
"styling". I'll probably just drive my oughty-ought Outback until I die.
(but that will give me the cash to buy that new Triumph 900 Thruxton
that keeps calling my name....)

I like some of the engineering changes done, others, well time will
tell. Not a big fan of the newer body styles, they all look too much
alike IMO. That being said:
In our shop a dark gray 2010 Outback came in, the owner put black rims
on it with some LT tires on it. All of us could not believe how good
it looked. Such a little change created great look.