WomanOnWheels.ca

In Review: 2024 Subaru Ascent

The Ascent is Subaru's largest vehicle and its only one with three rows. It competes in a crowded segment, and if you want to see how it does, check out my review at AutoTRADER.ca.

In Review: 2023 Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester does just about everything right: It's comfortable, it drives well, and AWD is standard. Find out more in my review at AutoTrader.ca.

In Review: 2023 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback gets a considerable refresh for 2023, including revised styling, improved driver-assist technologies, and new features. Find out more in my review at Forbes Wheels.

First Drive: 2023 Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback gets a freshening-up for 2023, with some styling changes, new features, updated technology and a new Onyx trim. Find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.ca.

In Review: 2022 Subaru Forester

I've always liked the Subaru Forester, and for 2022, it gets a refresh that improves a few things but doesn't radically change a vehicle that already got almost everything right. Find out more in my review at AutoTRADER.ca.

In Review: 2021 Subaru Forester

The Forester and Outback are tied as my favorite Subaru models, and this time around, I'm in the sport-utility one. It's a good performer and it's simple, and that's what I like about it. Find out more in my review at the National Post (Driving.ca).

In Review: 2021 Subaru Impreza

I enjoyed my time with the Subaru Impreza; it could have used a bit more power, but I found it practical, fun-to-drive, and good on gas. Check out the particulars in my review at AutoTRADER.ca.

Do you know the stories behind these auto logos?

Four interlocked rings, a woman with wings (although they really aren't), and birds and what might have been a plane...do you know the stories behind some of the best-known automotive logos? Find out in my story at the National Post (Driving.ca).

In Review: 2020 Subaru Outback

It's an absolutely brilliant driver, but when the 2020 Outback morphed into an all-new version, someone forgot that Simple Is Good when it comes to controls. Find out more in my review at the National Post (Driving.ca).

2020 Mitsubishi RVR versus Subaru Crosstrek: Which is the winner?

We took them both out, both in top-level trim, both within a few bucks of each other, both with all-wheel drive. Which one's the winner? Find out in our story and video over at the National Post (Driving.ca).

First Drive: 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Plug-In Hybrid

It's been on sale in the US for a year, but only now does it come to Canada. And initially just to Quebec -- which could be more about provincial "green" mandates than an expectation of changing the automotive landscape to plug-in. Find out more from my time behind its wheel at the National Post (Driving.ca).

In Review: 2020 Subaru Impreza

It undergoes some minor changes for 2020, including the standard EyeSight bundle of active safety technologies on all auto-equipped models, and while the Impreza could use a little more power, it's a decent little driver. Find out more in my "Quick Spin" review at the National Post (Driving.ca).

In Review: 2019 Subaru Impreza

It could use more power, and the stick shift is primarily about saving the cash over an automatic, but the Impreza will impress with its all-wheel drive and lots of features for what you pay. Find out more in my review at the National Post.

In review: 2019 Subaru Ascent

Subaru's B9 Tribeca didn't make that much of a splash when it came out, but with big, three-row SUVs now taking over from minivans, I predict its all-new Ascent is going to make its mark. Find out more in my review at the National Post.

In review: 2018 Subaru BRZ tS

It's the BRZ tuned by STI. Upgraded suspension? Check. Super-sticky tires? Check. Kinda-goofy rear wing on the back? Check.

Engine upgrades? Uncheck. That's right, the BRZ tS has everything except more power -- and still, I'm okay with it. Find out why in my review at AutoTRADER.ca.

 

In review: 2018 Subaru Outback

Put a Legacy station wagon on steroids, and you've basically got the Subaru Outback. I like it because it has the practicality of an SUV, but without the exaggerated height and size. Find out more in my review at the National Post.

First Drive: Refreshed 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback

For 2018, Subaru's Legacy and sibling Outback undergo some tweaks: new styling cues, new features, and a smoother ride. Find out more in my story over at AutoTRADER.

A visit to Subaru's "secret" museum

Every time Subaru builds a new model, it sends a copy off to a museum at its proving grounds in Japan. It isn't open to the public, and I was fortunate to be invited inside to see what's there. Find out more in my story over at AutoTrader.

First Drive: 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

It doesn't look all that much different, but the new Crosstrek is tires-to-roof new and quite a performer. I had a chance to drive it on Subaru's proving grounds in Japan ... find out more in my story at AutoTrader.

Subaru: From a rocky start, to success

Subaru had a tough time getting to North America: it was initially imported by entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin, who found a loophole and brought in what technically wasn't a car. Find out more in my "Rearview Mirror" column at the National Post.

In review: 2017 Subaru Forester

I've always liked the Forester, and the 2017 update is a good one -- this won the Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, after all. Check out my review at Auto Trader.

What's the best compact hatchback?

Okay, so you've got seven compact hatchbacks: Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic, Kia Forte, Mazda3, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla iM, and Volkswagen Golf. Which one's the best? I was one of the writers tasked with finding out -- see what won over at AutoTrader.

Auto trivia: Mack's trucks, Subaru's stars, and Car of the Year

That famous bulldog that adorns each Mack truck today originally started out as a block of wood, carved by a bored engineer recuperating from surgery. Find out more, and about Subaru and the original Car of the Year, in my Toronto Star trivia column by clicking here.

Where the money goes ...

In today's news: Toyota USA's charitable foundation has given over $317,000 to a school environmental program, part of the $100 million it earmarks for charitable donations to education.

Thus begins my rant for today: people who won't buy import cars because "they send all that money back to Japan".

I just got back from a tour of the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana, where the company builds the Outback, Legacy, Tribeca and the Toyota Camry. The president was obviously from Japan, but none of the hundreds of workers I saw appeared to be. Rather, they all looked like local, corn-fed Indiana men and women. When it was quitting time, they went out to the parking lot and got into their vehicles (which were overwhelmingly Chevrolet trucks), which I'm guessing they bought with their Subaru wages. They were probably going home to houses bought with their pay. Maybe they'd stop on the way and do some shopping with money they'd received in return for their labor at Subaru, too.

Last week I drove along Ontario's Highway 401, past the massive Toyota plant that's being built in Woodstock. The construction workers didn't look like they'd been imported from Japan. I doubt the truckloads of construction materials came from overseas, either. And once the plant is operational, I don't believe the workers screwing the cars together will be brought over from the land of the rising sun. Instead, Toyota will be paying Canadian wages, supporting Canadian suppliers, paying Canadian taxes, and signing local contracts for everything from the toilet paper in the bathroom to the food in the cafeteria. And I'll go out on a limb and say that the almost inconceivable mountain of money it took to build that plant came from Canadian sales of Toyota products. Who knows? Maybe some of it even came in from Japan.

Hate the imports if you like; that's your prerogative. Just don't hide it behind this crap about none of that money being spent here.

And for that matter, don't forget to use your favorite line when you buy your GM, Ford or Chrysler vehicle. Using the prevailing logic, the Big Three take the profits of every vehicle sold in Canada and immediately ship them back to their head offices in Michigan -- sending your money back to a foreign country.

Where the money goes ...

In the news today: the Toyota USA Foundation has given over $317,000 to promote environmental literacy in U.S. schools. It's part of the foundation's $100 million charity to support education programs in the United States.

Thus begins my rant for the day: people who object to import automakers because "they send all that money back to Japan."

I just got back from a tour of Subaru's plant in Lafayette, Indiana, where it builds the Legacy, Outback, Tribeca and the Toyota Camry. The company president was obviously from Japan, but the hundreds of workers I saw weren't. They all looked like local, corn-fed Indiana men and women. At quitting time, they all went out to their vehicles -- overwhelmingly Chevrolet trucks, by the way. I'm guessing they bought them locally, with their Subaru wages. And they were probably going home, to houses paid for with money they'd received by working at the factory. Maybe they'd stop on the way to buy some things, with cash from their pay, too.

Last week, I drove down Ontario's Highway 401, past the huge new Toyota plant that's being built in Woodstock. I'm guessing most of the construction workers I saw were not imported from Japan. I'm also guessing the truckloads of construction material didn't come from overseas. And I seriously doubt that the workforce that finally ends up on the assembly lines will come exclusively from the land of the rising sun, either. That Toyota plant will pay Canadian wages, support local Canadian businesses and pay Canadian taxes. And I'm also guessing that the almost inconceivable mountain of money it took to build this enormous plant came from Toyota's sales in Canada. Hell, maybe some of that money came out of Japan.

The fact is, whenever I look at auto plants, they're shovelling money back into the economy. They're hiring local workers, getting stuff from local suppliers, and writing contracts with local companies to supply everything from construction equipment to the toilet paper in the bathrooms and the food in the cafeteria. And it doesn't matter what nameplate is over the door.

Hate the import automakers if you want. In fact, I think it's healthy to support home-grown Canadian industry.

Just don't hide behind this "they send all their money back to Japan" crap.

And for that matter, when you give your hard-earned Canadian money to GM and Ford and Chrysler, don't forget to repeat your favorite line. Because according to that logic, they're just shipping it straight to their head offices in Michigan -- sending your money back to a foreign country.