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Subaru might build WRX hatchback after all

The 2015 Subaru WRX is awesome. Really awesome. We told you as much in our first drive of the new sedan back in December. Honestly, our only complaint about Fuji Heavy's new performance machine is that it's no longer offered as a hatchback - the new WRX is a sedan-only affair, despite the more functional five-door variant accounting for some 50 percent of sales in the car's last generation.
But there's hope on the horizon, if a report from Australia's Motoring.com is to be believed. Speaking with Masuo Takatsu, Subaru's general manager for the WRX, the company is now re-considering putting the "hatch" back in its hot hatch.
"We have received strong interest from the US, where the hatchback was 50 percent (of previous-generation WRX sales), so we're now considering," Takatsu told Motoring, noting that the United States is Subaru's main target for this car. Additionally, Takatsu said the company's decision to only offer the sedan was the result of limited engineering resources, echoing statements we've previously heard from Subaru's US arm.

2015 Subaru Outback priced at $24,895*

Just a few weeks after announcing the pricing for the 2015 Legacy sedan, Subaru is getting ready to roll out the all-new 2015 Outback with a base price $24,895, plus an $850 destination charge. Like its platform-mate, the styling could be described as an evolution of the previous generation, but the company claims big changes underneath to improve comfort. It's scheduled to starting hitting dealers this summer.
The Outback continues to share most of its mechanical bits with the Legacy, including its engines. The 2.5-liter boxer-four-cylinder gets a touch more potent with 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque, and better fuel economy at 25 miles per gallon city, 33 highway and 28 combined. The 3.6-liter flat-six-engine has 256 hp and 247 lb-ft and also sees a marginal economy improvement at 20/27/22. All models now come standard with a CVT, and Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive gets some improvements with standard Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Active Torque Vectoring and X-Mode, a system to increase traction when needed.
The base 2.5i trim goes for $25,745 (all prices after destination), up $425 from last year's CVT base model. It comes standard with a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a USB port and AUX input. The 2.5i Premium trim retails at $27,845, but the upgrade nets buyers dual climate zones, a 10-way power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, all-weather package and a 7-inch infotainment system. The 2.5i Limited costs $30,845 and includes leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, a 12-speaker stereo, heated rear seats, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and a power tailgate. The top The 3.6R Limited trim is $33,845 and in addition to the bigger engine features HID low-beam headlights and stainless steel dual exhaust tips.

Subaru WRX S4 gets big power bump in Japan

A month after originally teasing it, Subaru is finally unveiling its WRX S4 model for Japan. It's a bit more than just a plush take on the sport sedan, because Subaru is fitting a more powerful version of the 2.0-liter, turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine than we get on these shores.
The company says that S4 stands for "'Sports performance', 'Safety performance', 'Smart driving' and 'Sophisticated feel," and it certainly looks like this Rex ticks all of those boxes. The most surprising feature is the Japanese model's 2.0-liter turbo engine boasting 296 horsepower (221 kilowatts) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) of torque in this application. That's quite a healthy upgrade over the 268 hp and 258 lb-ft that Americans get in the standard WRX, and it's even nipping at the heels of the 305 hp and 290 lb-ft from the STI with a 2.5-liter mill that we get over here.
While extra power is always welcome, enthusiasts might not be so thrilled that Subaru's Sport Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission is the sedan's only available gearbox. However, it offers a simulated eight-speed shifting mode when drivers notch the car into Sport# driving mode. Of course, the S4 also packs Subie's trademark all-wheel drive with Vehicle Dynamics Control and Active Torque Vectoring as standard.