Subaru Outback to be classified as a light truck
Thread Starter
|
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,706
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL
In order to avoid fuel mileage restrictions for cars, Subaru is going to classify some Outback models as light trucks.
NY Times Article
To Avoid Fuel Limits, Subaru Is Turning a Sedan Into a Truck
By DANNY HAKIM
Published: January 13, 2004
DETROIT, Jan. 12 — The Subaru Outback sedan looks like any other midsize car, with a trunk and comfortable seating for four adults.
But Subaru is tweaking some parts of the Outback sedan and wagon this year to meet the specifications of a light truck, the same regulatory category used by pickups and sport utilities. Why? Largely to avoid tougher fuel economy and air pollution standards for cars.
It is the first time an automaker plans to make changes in a sedan — like raising its ground clearance by about an inch and a half — so it can qualify as a light truck. But it is hardly the first time an automaker has taken advantage of the nation's complex fuel regulations, which divide each manufacturer's annual vehicle fleet into two categories. Light trucks will have to average only 21.2 miles a gallon in the 2005 model year. By contrast, each automaker's full fleet of passenger cars must average 27.5 miles a gallon.
The move will let Subaru sell more vehicles with turbochargers, which pep up performance but hurt mileage and increase pollution. "It was difficult to achieve emissions performance with the turbos," said Fred D. Adcock, executive vice president of Subaru of America. They also made it hard to meet fleetwide fuel economy standards for cars.
Subaru's strategy highlights what environmentalists, consumer groups and some politicians say is a loophole in the fuel economy regulations that has undermined the government's ability to actually cut gas consumption. The average fuel economy for new vehicles is lower now than it was two decades ago, despite advances in fuel-saving technology.
"This is a new low for the auto industry, and it would make George Orwell proud," said Daniel Becker, a global warming expert at the Sierra Club.
It is particularly striking that Subaru wants to call the Outback a light truck because many of its owners see the wagon version as a rugged alternative to a sport utility, and the Outback sells best in those parts of the country, like college towns, where many people think it unfashionable to own an S.U.V.
"I probably can't count my friends with Outbacks on one hand — I'd have to use feet and toes," said Elizabeth Ike, 29, a fund-raiser at Sweet Briar College, which is an hour south of Charlottesville, Va. She said "the Outback might as well be Charlottesville's official car," adding that the town "likes to think of itself as an island that is more globally aware than the rest of the state."
"I don't want to speak for my friends, but I think they probably don't want to be that person in the Excursion," she said, referring to Ford's largest sport utility.
Subaru, a unit of Fuji Heavy Industries, says the new Outback, which will make its debut next month at the Chicago auto show and go on sale this spring, will retain its not-an-S.U.V. image because the changes being made are technical in nature. What customers will notice will be the new Outback's glossier look, executives said. Further, the base model will be more fuel efficient than the current version.
They said that calling the Outback a light truck will also let them offer the option of a tinted rear window not allowed on passenger cars.
Subaru executives noted that the sedan version of the Outback accounts for only about 8 percent of the model's sales, or about 3,500 vehicles a year; the rest are wagons. But critics say the actual numbers are less important than the precedent that the reclassification would set.
"If they can do it with a sedan, then anyone can do it with a sedan," said John DeCicco, a senior fellow and fuel economy expert at Environmental Defense. "It's almost like anything goes at this point."
Federal regulations originally set less-stringent fuel economy and emissions requirements for light trucks to avoid penalizing builders, farmers and other working people who relied on pickups. But the exemption opened the way for automakers to replace sedans and station wagons with vehicles that fit the definition of a light truck, notably sport utility vehicles and minivans.
Light trucks now account for more than half of all passenger vehicles sold in the country, up from about a fifth in the late 1970's.
The Transportation Department oversees corporate average fuel economy regulations and fines companies that do not comply with the rules.
Companies that change a borderline vehicle can benefit in two ways, because a big wagon that can sink an automaker's car average may improve its truck average. That, in turn, makes it possible to produce more big trucks and still meet the overall truck standard.
Since the regulatory system was put in place after the oil shocks of the 1970's, the industry has not only invented the minivan and greatly expanded the sport utility and pickup markets, but also started selling wagonlike "crossover" vehicles, like Chrysler's PT Cruiser, that blend cars and S.U.V.'s but are designed to meet the specifications of light trucks.
There are different ways to make a car meet the federal definition of a light truck, including making the rear seats removable to give a wagon a flat loading floor or raising a vehicle's ground clearance to at least 20 centimeters, or a little less than 8 inches. Subaru will raise the Outback's height from a minimum of 7.3 inches to as much as 8.7 inches next year, and will make other adjustments, like altering the position of the rear bumper, to meet light truck specifications.
Significantly raising the ride height can have a hazardous effect on a vehicle's stability. Part of the current Outback's appeal is that it performs better than S.U.V.'s on rollover tests.
"I live in the northern suburbs of New York and I saw a lot of S.U.V.'s on their backs like turtles," said Ralph Schiavone, 46, a consultant who lives in Westchester County, N.Y., explaining why he bought an Outback.
Tim Hurd, a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a branch of the Transportation Department, said a vehicle either met the specific technical requirements of being a light truck, or it did not. "They aren't a judgment call," he said.
Added to the complexity of the system is the fact that tailpipe emissions of pollutants are overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has classification rules that do not match those of the Transportation Department. The E.P.A., however, has said it will phase out the distinction between cars and trucks this decade.
Congressional efforts to change fuel economy standards face entrenched opposition from some members of both political parties. But last month, the Bush administration proposed an overhaul of fuel regulations for light trucks and an altered definition to rein in classification problems.
Environmental groups and consumer advocates have generally criticized the administration's proposals as potentially making a complicated system even more prone to manipulation, though they say aspects of the plan — in an early, undetailed form — could be beneficial.
NY Times Article
To Avoid Fuel Limits, Subaru Is Turning a Sedan Into a Truck
By DANNY HAKIM
Published: January 13, 2004
DETROIT, Jan. 12 — The Subaru Outback sedan looks like any other midsize car, with a trunk and comfortable seating for four adults.
But Subaru is tweaking some parts of the Outback sedan and wagon this year to meet the specifications of a light truck, the same regulatory category used by pickups and sport utilities. Why? Largely to avoid tougher fuel economy and air pollution standards for cars.
It is the first time an automaker plans to make changes in a sedan — like raising its ground clearance by about an inch and a half — so it can qualify as a light truck. But it is hardly the first time an automaker has taken advantage of the nation's complex fuel regulations, which divide each manufacturer's annual vehicle fleet into two categories. Light trucks will have to average only 21.2 miles a gallon in the 2005 model year. By contrast, each automaker's full fleet of passenger cars must average 27.5 miles a gallon.
The move will let Subaru sell more vehicles with turbochargers, which pep up performance but hurt mileage and increase pollution. "It was difficult to achieve emissions performance with the turbos," said Fred D. Adcock, executive vice president of Subaru of America. They also made it hard to meet fleetwide fuel economy standards for cars.
Subaru's strategy highlights what environmentalists, consumer groups and some politicians say is a loophole in the fuel economy regulations that has undermined the government's ability to actually cut gas consumption. The average fuel economy for new vehicles is lower now than it was two decades ago, despite advances in fuel-saving technology.
"This is a new low for the auto industry, and it would make George Orwell proud," said Daniel Becker, a global warming expert at the Sierra Club.
It is particularly striking that Subaru wants to call the Outback a light truck because many of its owners see the wagon version as a rugged alternative to a sport utility, and the Outback sells best in those parts of the country, like college towns, where many people think it unfashionable to own an S.U.V.
"I probably can't count my friends with Outbacks on one hand — I'd have to use feet and toes," said Elizabeth Ike, 29, a fund-raiser at Sweet Briar College, which is an hour south of Charlottesville, Va. She said "the Outback might as well be Charlottesville's official car," adding that the town "likes to think of itself as an island that is more globally aware than the rest of the state."
"I don't want to speak for my friends, but I think they probably don't want to be that person in the Excursion," she said, referring to Ford's largest sport utility.
Subaru, a unit of Fuji Heavy Industries, says the new Outback, which will make its debut next month at the Chicago auto show and go on sale this spring, will retain its not-an-S.U.V. image because the changes being made are technical in nature. What customers will notice will be the new Outback's glossier look, executives said. Further, the base model will be more fuel efficient than the current version.
They said that calling the Outback a light truck will also let them offer the option of a tinted rear window not allowed on passenger cars.
Subaru executives noted that the sedan version of the Outback accounts for only about 8 percent of the model's sales, or about 3,500 vehicles a year; the rest are wagons. But critics say the actual numbers are less important than the precedent that the reclassification would set.
"If they can do it with a sedan, then anyone can do it with a sedan," said John DeCicco, a senior fellow and fuel economy expert at Environmental Defense. "It's almost like anything goes at this point."
Federal regulations originally set less-stringent fuel economy and emissions requirements for light trucks to avoid penalizing builders, farmers and other working people who relied on pickups. But the exemption opened the way for automakers to replace sedans and station wagons with vehicles that fit the definition of a light truck, notably sport utility vehicles and minivans.
Light trucks now account for more than half of all passenger vehicles sold in the country, up from about a fifth in the late 1970's.
The Transportation Department oversees corporate average fuel economy regulations and fines companies that do not comply with the rules.
Companies that change a borderline vehicle can benefit in two ways, because a big wagon that can sink an automaker's car average may improve its truck average. That, in turn, makes it possible to produce more big trucks and still meet the overall truck standard.
Since the regulatory system was put in place after the oil shocks of the 1970's, the industry has not only invented the minivan and greatly expanded the sport utility and pickup markets, but also started selling wagonlike "crossover" vehicles, like Chrysler's PT Cruiser, that blend cars and S.U.V.'s but are designed to meet the specifications of light trucks.
There are different ways to make a car meet the federal definition of a light truck, including making the rear seats removable to give a wagon a flat loading floor or raising a vehicle's ground clearance to at least 20 centimeters, or a little less than 8 inches. Subaru will raise the Outback's height from a minimum of 7.3 inches to as much as 8.7 inches next year, and will make other adjustments, like altering the position of the rear bumper, to meet light truck specifications.
Significantly raising the ride height can have a hazardous effect on a vehicle's stability. Part of the current Outback's appeal is that it performs better than S.U.V.'s on rollover tests.
"I live in the northern suburbs of New York and I saw a lot of S.U.V.'s on their backs like turtles," said Ralph Schiavone, 46, a consultant who lives in Westchester County, N.Y., explaining why he bought an Outback.
Tim Hurd, a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a branch of the Transportation Department, said a vehicle either met the specific technical requirements of being a light truck, or it did not. "They aren't a judgment call," he said.
Added to the complexity of the system is the fact that tailpipe emissions of pollutants are overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has classification rules that do not match those of the Transportation Department. The E.P.A., however, has said it will phase out the distinction between cars and trucks this decade.
Congressional efforts to change fuel economy standards face entrenched opposition from some members of both political parties. But last month, the Bush administration proposed an overhaul of fuel regulations for light trucks and an altered definition to rein in classification problems.
Environmental groups and consumer advocates have generally criticized the administration's proposals as potentially making a complicated system even more prone to manipulation, though they say aspects of the plan — in an early, undetailed form — could be beneficial.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,062
Likes: 1
From: Boston, MA
AAARRRRGHH!!! 
The Sierra club guy is correct, this is a new, pathetic, shameless low for the auto industry, and it's exquisitely ironic that the perpetrator is none other than Subaru, whose cars are so popular with "socially conscious" people.
Maybe if Subaru didn't insist on making every single one of their cars all wheel drive, they wouldn't have such a problem with fleet fuel economy. I mean, their smallest model, the Impreza wagon, doesn't even get 30 mpg on average. I have always found it ironic that people drive gas guzzling Subarus and then plaster the whole back of the car with self-righteous bumper stickers. Now it will just be even more the case.
Unfortunately, this is just the natural result of leaving the "light truck" loophole (which is big enough to drive a Hummer through) in the regulations for so many years. Eventually the carmakers just start forcing the loophole wider and wider, with the Bush administration all but patting them on the back for their efforts.
Shame on Subaru. I wasn't particularly planning on ever buying one of their vehicles, but now I'll certainly advise everyone else against it as well.
The Sierra club guy is correct, this is a new, pathetic, shameless low for the auto industry, and it's exquisitely ironic that the perpetrator is none other than Subaru, whose cars are so popular with "socially conscious" people.
Maybe if Subaru didn't insist on making every single one of their cars all wheel drive, they wouldn't have such a problem with fleet fuel economy. I mean, their smallest model, the Impreza wagon, doesn't even get 30 mpg on average. I have always found it ironic that people drive gas guzzling Subarus and then plaster the whole back of the car with self-righteous bumper stickers. Now it will just be even more the case.
Unfortunately, this is just the natural result of leaving the "light truck" loophole (which is big enough to drive a Hummer through) in the regulations for so many years. Eventually the carmakers just start forcing the loophole wider and wider, with the Bush administration all but patting them on the back for their efforts.
Shame on Subaru. I wasn't particularly planning on ever buying one of their vehicles, but now I'll certainly advise everyone else against it as well.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 1
From: PA/NJ
>>AAARRRRGHH!!!
>>Maybe if Subaru didn't insist on making every single one of their cars all wheel drive, they wouldn't have such a problem with fleet fuel economy. I mean, their smallest model, the Impreza wagon, doesn't even get 30 mpg on average. I have always found it ironic that people drive gas guzzling Subarus and then plaster the whole back of the car with self-righteous bumper stickers. Now it will just be even more the case.
>>
>>Shame on Subaru. I wasn't particularly planning on ever buying one of their vehicles, but now I'll certainly advise everyone else against it as well.
Agreed. My biggest beef with Subarus is they get terrible gas milage for being such a small car. They never should have bagged the part-time system they used to have back in the 80's.
As far as overall MPG, this issue won't get any better until we as the general buying public stop buying gas-guzzling cars. And as long as gas is relatively cheap in this country, that is unlikely to happen.
>>Maybe if Subaru didn't insist on making every single one of their cars all wheel drive, they wouldn't have such a problem with fleet fuel economy. I mean, their smallest model, the Impreza wagon, doesn't even get 30 mpg on average. I have always found it ironic that people drive gas guzzling Subarus and then plaster the whole back of the car with self-righteous bumper stickers. Now it will just be even more the case.
>>
>>Shame on Subaru. I wasn't particularly planning on ever buying one of their vehicles, but now I'll certainly advise everyone else against it as well.
Agreed. My biggest beef with Subarus is they get terrible gas milage for being such a small car. They never should have bagged the part-time system they used to have back in the 80's.
As far as overall MPG, this issue won't get any better until we as the general buying public stop buying gas-guzzling cars. And as long as gas is relatively cheap in this country, that is unlikely to happen.
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 0
I agree, shame on Subaru!
Shame on the admiistration for continuing to leave that loophole open!
One reason I sold my Subaru in exchange for my MINI is that the Subaru did not get the kind of gas mileage I would like. The MINI isn't all that hot on mileage either, but at least it's better than Subaru.
Shame on the admiistration for continuing to leave that loophole open!
One reason I sold my Subaru in exchange for my MINI is that the Subaru did not get the kind of gas mileage I would like. The MINI isn't all that hot on mileage either, but at least it's better than Subaru.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Westmont, NJ
In the interests of adding a little balance to the discussion....
SUBARU RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING 2005 MY OUTBACK CLASSIFICATION
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 13, 2004 – Subaru of America, Inc. today released the following statement in response to various media reports regarding the vehicle classification of its new Outback Wagon and Sedan:
The primary reason the 2005 model year Outback will be classified according to NHTSA as a light duty truck is because it was completely redesigned to meet customer demand for more SUV-type features.
Subaru pioneered the crossover vehicle category back in 1995 with the Legacy Outback - the World's First Sport Utility Wagon. Today, the crossover category is the fastest growing segment in the auto industry. Through our market research, we know that customers don't want to sacrifice fuel economy, comfort, ease of entry, or ride quality; but desire SUV-like features such as dark-tinted side rear windows, higher ground clearance, and approach and departure angles suitable for off-road driving. Customers frequently choose Subaru Outback over conventional truck-based SUVs because of its outstanding fuel economy, performance, handling, and safety. The new Outback will continue to deliver the best of both worlds to the popular cross-over segment and remain a strong alternative to SUVs.
The new Outback, to debut at the Chicago Auto Show in early February, was designed to be a light duty truck. In fact, both the Outback Wagon and Sedan will exceed the NHTSA light duty truck standards on 4 of 5 requirements including break over angle, departure angle, running clearance, and axle clearance.
Subaru has always made fuel economy a top priority in its product development process. Subaru has a track record of producing superior crossover vehicles that meet stringent federal safety and emissions standards. The new Outback is no exception. The base model Outback is expected to have improved gas mileage for model year 2005, while we will also offer a model with enhanced performance characteristics for those customers that have expressed that desire. The new Outback Wagon and Sedan will meet federal emissions standards for light duty truck – which is as stringent as emission standards for light duty vehicles as defined by the EPA and ARB. However, final testing by the EPA for emissions compliance and fuel economy label calculations for model year 2005 Outback has not yet been completed and therefore is not available.
Subaru is committed to developing advanced technologies that improve fuel economy and emissions as evidenced by the new Sequential Series Hybrid Electric (SSHEV) propulsion system in the B9SC and the urban commuter electric vehicle R1e concept cars featured at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. In addition, the new Outback released later this year will feature advanced engine technologies such as Active Valve Control System (AVCS) that improves overall engine efficiency. Further, the newly designed Outback body structure reduces overall vehicle weight by as much as 180 pounds.
Subaru always has been and will continue to be committed to safeguarding the natural environment that so many of our customers avidly enjoy.
SUBARU RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING 2005 MY OUTBACK CLASSIFICATION
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 13, 2004 – Subaru of America, Inc. today released the following statement in response to various media reports regarding the vehicle classification of its new Outback Wagon and Sedan:
The primary reason the 2005 model year Outback will be classified according to NHTSA as a light duty truck is because it was completely redesigned to meet customer demand for more SUV-type features.
Subaru pioneered the crossover vehicle category back in 1995 with the Legacy Outback - the World's First Sport Utility Wagon. Today, the crossover category is the fastest growing segment in the auto industry. Through our market research, we know that customers don't want to sacrifice fuel economy, comfort, ease of entry, or ride quality; but desire SUV-like features such as dark-tinted side rear windows, higher ground clearance, and approach and departure angles suitable for off-road driving. Customers frequently choose Subaru Outback over conventional truck-based SUVs because of its outstanding fuel economy, performance, handling, and safety. The new Outback will continue to deliver the best of both worlds to the popular cross-over segment and remain a strong alternative to SUVs.
The new Outback, to debut at the Chicago Auto Show in early February, was designed to be a light duty truck. In fact, both the Outback Wagon and Sedan will exceed the NHTSA light duty truck standards on 4 of 5 requirements including break over angle, departure angle, running clearance, and axle clearance.
Subaru has always made fuel economy a top priority in its product development process. Subaru has a track record of producing superior crossover vehicles that meet stringent federal safety and emissions standards. The new Outback is no exception. The base model Outback is expected to have improved gas mileage for model year 2005, while we will also offer a model with enhanced performance characteristics for those customers that have expressed that desire. The new Outback Wagon and Sedan will meet federal emissions standards for light duty truck – which is as stringent as emission standards for light duty vehicles as defined by the EPA and ARB. However, final testing by the EPA for emissions compliance and fuel economy label calculations for model year 2005 Outback has not yet been completed and therefore is not available.
Subaru is committed to developing advanced technologies that improve fuel economy and emissions as evidenced by the new Sequential Series Hybrid Electric (SSHEV) propulsion system in the B9SC and the urban commuter electric vehicle R1e concept cars featured at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. In addition, the new Outback released later this year will feature advanced engine technologies such as Active Valve Control System (AVCS) that improves overall engine efficiency. Further, the newly designed Outback body structure reduces overall vehicle weight by as much as 180 pounds.
Subaru always has been and will continue to be committed to safeguarding the natural environment that so many of our customers avidly enjoy.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Wohnson89
R50/R53 :: Hatch Talk (2002-2006)
4
Jun 10, 2020 04:53 AM
ECSTuning
Interior/Exterior Products
0
Aug 21, 2015 12:58 PM
ECSTuning
Vendor Announcements
0
Aug 19, 2015 12:51 PM