OBW crash test results

[boris]

Hello,

I have a question about IIHS crash test results for the Outback - there
aren't any published. However, there're results published for the Legacy.
The Legacy Frontal offset test results page doesn't say anything about the
Outback.
However, The Legacy Side impact test results page says: "The side impact
crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Legacy,
beginning with 2006 models. However, they do not apply to Outback models."
Why would the OBW side impact crash test results be different from the
Legacy results?
Why there aren't any results published for the OBW? Is it because Subaru
think that the Legacy results apply to the OBW?

Thanks,
Boris

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Hello,

I have a question about IIHS crash test results for the Outback - there
aren't any published. However, there're results published for the Legacy.
The Legacy Frontal offset test results page doesn't say anything about the
Outback.
However, The Legacy Side impact test results page says: "The side impact
crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Legacy,
beginning with 2006 models. However, they do not apply to Outback models."
Why would the OBW side impact crash test results be different from the
Legacy results?
Why there aren't any results published for the OBW? Is it because Subaru
think that the Legacy results apply to the OBW?

Thanks,
Boris

Probably just covering their rear ends ,legally, due to slight height
difference would be my guess.

Carl

 

[Yousuf Khan]

Why there aren't any results published for the OBW? Is it because Subaru
think that the Legacy results apply to the OBW?

I think a few years ago, Subaru got the Outback reclassified as a truck.
Therefore it might not be tested by the IIHS folks.

Yousuf Khan

 

[Todd H.]

I think a few years ago, Subaru got the Outback reclassified as a
truck. Therefore it might not be tested by the IIHS folks.

Huh? The Outback is not even considered an SUV, much less a truck.

I think the answer Boris is looking for is "Because the Outback is
simply a trim line of the Legacy platform."

Here, IIHS lumps legacy and outback together in this report:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?subaru


Best Regards,

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Huh? The Outback is not even considered an SUV, much less a truck.

I think the answer Boris is looking for is "Because the Outback is
simply a trim line of the Legacy platform."

Here, IIHS lumps legacy and outback together in this report:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?subaru


Best Regards,

Todd, I don't recall the details - but due to it's ground clearance, the
Outback does have a different designation now.


maybe someone recalls the specifics

Carl

 

[Todd H.]

Todd, I don't recall the details - but due to it's ground clearance,
the Outback does have a different designation now.


maybe someone recalls the specifics

No shit....

My apologies to Yousuf Khan for the misinformation then. The
customary 2 minutes of web searching tells me this happened in 05 and
I never got the memo.

It's a light truck since 05? I'll be damned. That they did it to
avoid fuel economy standards sure flies in the face of the "green" and
"eco friendly" BS they're touting in their marketing.

Pre 05 anyway, it was still considered a car, while the Forester got
the SUV designation, iirc.

Sorry again for the confusion, mea culpa.

Best Regards,

 

[bigjim]

My 04 outback is as much an SUV as most that are available. Goes
anywhere in foul weather and handles off road terrain as well as any
explorer, honda, or GM soft
SUV like the envoy or such. Sure its not a land rover, wrangler or
hard core 4 wheeler. Plus it can get 29-30 MPG on the highway.

 

[Todd H.]

[Todd stupidly wrote:]

Huh? The Outback is not even considered an SUV, much less a truck.

My 04 outback is as much an SUV as most that are available. Goes
anywhere in foul weather and handles off road terrain as well as any
explorer, honda, or GM soft SUV like the envoy or such. Sure its not
a land rover, wrangler or hard core 4 wheeler. Plus it can get
29-30 MPG on the highway.

Oh, I agree with the functionality, but the actual classification is
what always puzzled me. At least in my model year, the OBW is found
among passenger cards and the Forrester among SUV's.

It's already been politely shown to me that I was muy wrong about the
Outback's classification since 05 - when it began being classified a
light truck.

 

[bigjim]

Subaru probably wanted to reclassify to comply with EPA crap.

[Todd stupidly wrote:]

Huh? The Outback is not even considered an SUV, much less a truck.

My 04 outback is as much an SUV as most that are available. Goes
anywhere in foul weather and handles off road terrain as well as any
explorer, honda, or GM soft SUV like the envoy or such. Sure its not
a land rover, wrangler or hard core 4 wheeler. Plus it can get
29-30 MPG on the highway.

Oh, I agree with the functionality, but the actual classification is
what always puzzled me. At least in my model year, the OBW is found
among passenger cards and the Forrester among SUV's.

It's already been politely shown to me that I was muy wrong about the
Outback's classification since 05 - when it began being classified a
light truck.

 

[Todd H.]

Subaru probably wanted to reclassify to comply with EPA crap.

Swap "avoid" for "comply" and yeah, that appears to be what the press
was reporting as the reason.

Which, for the eco-friendly lot that Outback owners tend to be (myself
included), frankly pisses me off. Particularly with how Subaru
markets itself as so shiny and green.


Best Regards,

 

[bigjim]

I'm not real eco friendly. I'm disappointed Subaru lost its focus and
is now out of touch with its core customers.

 

[strchild]

I also heard about the reclassification. Maybe the rules of the game should
be tightened up a bit?

Eco friendly? I could be driving many other brands I don't wish to mention
if fuel economy was my stick... But I live on a gravel road, on a mountain,
and when it is icy and/or snowy out, I like the fact I am not stuck at home,
out of work, out of fresh bread, or whatever else I feel like driving to
town to get.

I don't believe Subaru "lost" focus. I think they chose to change their
focus.

I read an article about Subaru a few years back which kinda bottom lined
what Subaru had told a car magazine... explaining they decided to shift from
the, everybody's affordable, good quality car, to make only hard to afford
luxury class vehicles.

Why?

Dunno, and I personally think that in the luxury department they keep
missing.

My last five cars have been Subarus exclusively, but I haven't really been
impressed by anything Subaru has done since they chose to make their engines
of the interference type. I like that I can still work on my '93 myself, at
least in as much as I am not an ignoramus.

When I think of luxury, I'm sorry, but Subaru isn't what comes to mind.
Problem is, I think the cash flushed target audience they are aiming at
really has little interest in them either. Does anybody really think of
Subaru as a luxury car manufacturer? Isn't that why the SVX and XT's did
only so-so in the sports car market? I don't see folks looking at Subaru
when they have big dollars to throw around.

~Brian

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I also heard about the reclassification. Maybe the rules of the game should
be tightened up a bit?

Eco friendly? I could be driving many other brands I don't wish to mention
if fuel economy was my stick... But I live on a gravel road, on a mountain,
and when it is icy and/or snowy out, I like the fact I am not stuck at home,
out of work, out of fresh bread, or whatever else I feel like driving to
town to get.

I don't believe Subaru "lost" focus. I think they chose to change their
focus.

I read an article about Subaru a few years back which kinda bottom lined
what Subaru had told a car magazine... explaining they decided to shift from
the, everybody's affordable, good quality car, to make only hard to afford
luxury class vehicles.

Why?

Dunno, and I personally think that in the luxury department they keep
missing.

My last five cars have been Subarus exclusively, but I haven't really been
impressed by anything Subaru has done since they chose to make their engines
of the interference type. I like that I can still work on my '93 myself, at
least in as much as I am not an ignoramus.

When I think of luxury, I'm sorry, but Subaru isn't what comes to mind.
Problem is, I think the cash flushed target audience they are aiming at
really has little interest in them either. Does anybody really think of
Subaru as a luxury car manufacturer? Isn't that why the SVX and XT's did
only so-so in the sports car market? I don't see folks looking at Subaru
when they have big dollars to throw around.

~Brian

Well, the rules should be changed by getting the g'mint outta the biz
altogether. But that's not likely to happen.
So, until then, the g'mint sould realize the idiocy of the
classifications since 'trucks' are the number one 'passenger vehicle' in
many states if not the nation.
Hard to fault Subaru for trying to game the same system others enjoy.
Besides, as 'fleet averages' go, Subaru is still WAY ahead of many other
manufacturers. They don't make a Hummer or a F650, or a Suburban or a
Navigator for instance.


Carl

 

[bigjim]

Subaru is nowhere near being on my list of luxury vehicles. Nor on
most peoples'. Theyhad a hit with the 95 outback as it was smething
new that filled a niche. By 02-04 they got it just about perfect.
Then they changed it and made it unappealing to me. Subaru had one
of the highest repeat buyer numbers in the car world but I bet that
slipped . I wont even consider another subaru for many years until
they get past this wannabe luxury BS and make good cars again that fit
men and fix ergonomics that make current models uncomfortable, heavy
andslow

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Subaru is nowhere near being on my list of luxury vehicles. Nor on
most peoples'. Theyhad a hit with the 95 outback as it was smething
new that filled a niche. By 02-04 they got it just about perfect.
Then they changed it and made it unappealing to me. Subaru had one
of the highest repeat buyer numbers in the car world but I bet that
slipped . I wont even consider another subaru for many years until
they get past this wannabe luxury BS and make good cars again that fit
men and fix ergonomics that make current models uncomfortable, heavy
andslow

Actually, I mostly agree with you. My personal feelings is they started
chasing everyone else's market segemnts too late, and probably with less
effect than required. They should've stayed with what was working and
MAYBE consider the mini-car segment. I understand the attraction of the
SUV/Minivan market, but they did it wrong(and too late). Shoulda taken a
cue from Honda, or Toyota even, and developed an 'upscale' brand - like
Lexus/Acura for the Tribeca and maybe the Legacy GT, kept 'Subaru to be
like Honda/Toyota for the impreza line and the lower scale Legacies -
and probably the WRX/STi's, and bring the R1/R2's over, rename them
'Fuji' or something like the Scion brand. The reason Lexus, Infiniti,
Acura were created was a smart realization by those companies that folks
didn't want to tell people they spent $37k on a Honda. Just doesn't
'sound' upscale.
But really, they didn't need to do that - if it weren't for a video
game, they might never have brought the STi over here! They have some
odd ideas about marketing - that's for certain.

Carl

 

[alf]

Swap "avoid" for "comply" and yeah, that appears to be what the press
was reporting as the reason.

but legacy wagon with the same engine and almost everything else is
still a car which must meet all the emission requirements. it does not
make sense

 

[Todd H.]

but legacy wagon with the same engine and almost everything else is
still a car which must meet all the emission requirements. it does not
make sense

Agreed.

 

[nobody >]

but legacy wagon with the same engine and almost everything else is
still a car which must meet all the emission requirements. it does not
make sense

Even though the standard Legacy (non-raised) and the Outback share the
same basic body, they are separate *models* as classified by the EPA.

The Forester and Impreza share the same floorpan and running gear, but
the Forester is also classified as a truck. If you look at some parts
lists (bulbs from Sylvania for example), there's a listing for "Subaru
Truck".