Subaru Achieves Higher Standard of Safety with 5 TSPs including 3 TSP+ IIHS Award Ratings for 2014

• The 2014 Legacy, Outback and Forester with optional EyeSight receive IIHS' highest standard of safety, the 2014 TSP+ award and highest rating of superior for front crash prevention.
• 2014 Impreza and XV Crosstrek awarded IIHS TSP rating.

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Dec. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - Subaru Canada, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2014 Legacy, Outback and Forester, equipped with Subaru's EyeSight technology, have claimed the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) highest standard of safety, TOP SAFETY PICK+, along with the highest possible rating of superior for front crash prevention.  Additionally, the 2014 Subaru Impreza (except for WRX models) and XV Crosstrek have earned a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK rating.

The IIHS is using new criteria for the awards this year. TOP SAFETY PICK requires good performance in the Institute's moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and, for the first time, good or acceptable performance in the small overlap front test introduced in 2012. The same level of performance in those tests, along with at least a basic rating for front crash prevention, is required for their highest accolade, TOP SAFETY PICK+. Vehicles can earn basic, advanced or superior ratings for systems offered as standard or optional equipment.

"The Institute's awards highlight the vehicles with the best overall safety performance and Subaru is a standout," said IIHS president Adrian Lund. "The Impreza and XV Crosstrek afford buyers superior crash protection. The Legacy, Outback and Forester add the availability of state-of-the-art technology that can prevent some crashes from happening altogether."

With the small overlap test now incorporated into the basic TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, IIHS is using the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation to reward manufacturers that provide the next level of safety. This year, that means vehicles that not only protect their occupants in a crash, but also have systems that can prevent or mitigate front-to-rear crashes. Front crash prevention, which includes both warning systems and automatic braking, is intended to help inattentive drivers avoid rear-ending a stopped or slower-moving vehicle in front of them.

Subaru's innovative driver-assist system, EyeSight, is available on select Legacy, Outback and Forester models.  Like a second pair of eyes to help monitor the road ahead, EyeSight employs a pair of cameras mounted over the rearview mirror to detect objects in the vehicle's path. Pre-collision braking, for example, warns of a vehicle directly in front and applies the brakes automatically to slow or stop the vehicle, depending on travelling speed.

"I'm especially thrilled that the 2014 Legacy, Outback and Forester with optional EyeSight have claimed the IIHS' highest standard of safety - especially given the new, tougher criteria this year," said Shiro Ohta, president and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc. "With Subaru EyeSight - the front crash prevention system with the highest possible rating from the IIHS - as well our symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive system, Subaru drivers are well-equipped with the highest standard of safety, driving enjoyment and peace of mind. These elements make a Subaru unlike any other vehicle."

About Subaru Canada, Inc.
Subaru Canada, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of over 85 authorized dealers across Canada.

SOURCE: Subaru Canada Inc.

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