#boxer

Subaru people are among the most vocal in the world of automotive fandoms about how much they love their cars.

One of the most engaging options in the 911 family, the GTS, has returned.

The Subaru Outback has carved itself a comfortable niche as a no nonsense, go anywhere, family hauler.

If you’re shopping for a sports car under $30,000 – AutoGuide.com has you covered.

Yesterday we eliminated five cars from the 2014 AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout.

That leaves the final three, which are all completely different takes on affordable fun. Weren’t we surprised when the numbers were tabulated and the top cars included not just all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive rivals, but a hatchback, a sedan and a coupe.

The Scion FR-S is a low-slung, rear-wheel drive sports coupe built without compromises. The Ford Fiesta ST is a sub-compact hatchback jacked on steroids. And finally we have the sensible, all-wheel drive Subaru sedan, that also just so happens to deliver awesome amounts of turbocharged thrust.

This is it, time to crown a victor. Who is your money on?

Sporty cars are not dead. Rumors of their demise are premature. Thrill-packed machinery litters the automotive landscape, available to suit nearly every budget.

When it comes to motoring fun, one of the most intriguing segments is the under $30,000 price bracket, where several enticing choices can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Vehicle Overview

In 2005 Saab wanted a compact vehicle to sell in North America against products like the Audi A3 and Volvo V50. At the time GM owned Saab completely and had an influential ownership share in Subaru. To fill the gap in Saab’s lineup, the company began to sell a version of the Subaru Impreza wagon with Saab family styling front and back as well as a more premium interior. Other than that, the vehicle was mechanically similar to the Subaru and features the Impreza’s basic body shell.

Like the Impreza, the Saab 9-2x was offered with the regular 2.5-liter horizontally opposed engine as well as the WRX’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four. In 2006, a few 2.5-liter turbocharged vehicles were produced and to this day are the rarest of the model line.

The 2015 Subaru WRX STI is the real deal. Ignore the detractors who have yet to drive the new car; it’s not at all a mildly updated carryover.

Subaru has just taken the wraps off of the 2015 WRX STI and it is more than just a WRX with a giant wing.

Subaru has just taken the wraps off of the 2015 WRX STI and it doesn’t disappoint.

Subaru will be heading to Le Mans next season, but not in the way fans of the automaker would like to see.

It’s unwise to purchase a home without having a qualified expert give it a thorough going over, why should new cars be any different? Top-to-bottom, front-to-back, inside-and-out, the 2014 Subaru Forester is on the receiving end of AutoGuide’s weekly Five-Point Inspection.

The next-generation 2014  Subaru Forester will be more fuel efficient than today’s model according to the company. 

Available in both a 2.o-liter and 2.5-liter displacement, at first it seems there’s little new with this four-cylinder engine, but it’s the details that matter most. With a new bore and stroke, the porting has been redesigned, while the pistons are lighter and the con rods help reduce internal friction. Also included is Subaru’s AVCS (Active Valve Control System) variable valve timing system. Subaru claims these advances have resulted in a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy.

Another benefit of the new design are separate cooling ducts for the block and heads.

No performance numbers have been released but Subaru claims the new design makes for advances in driving performance with, “acceleration in all speed ranges” while stating that the new engine has been designed to work with advancing technology – likely meaning it’s capable of featuring a direct-injection system, as well as adaptable to a hybrid setup.

The new generation boxer 4-cylinder will debut in the Forester and will then go on to replace the 4-cylinder boxer powerplants in the rest of the Subaru lineup.

Official release after the jump:

For the first time in two decades, Subaru is expected to debut an all-new 4-cylinder boxer engine later this year, which will be used in most models in its lineup to help improve fuel economy.