2007 Subaru Legacy and Outback Earn Highest Ratings in NHTSA NCAP Crash Tests

See Also: Complete NHTSA 2007 Crash Rating News

The Subaru Legacy and Outback received the highest possible safety rating - five stars, for both frontal and side-impact crash tests for all seating positions

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 16 -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that the 2007 Subaru Legacy and Outback earned the highest rating in the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash tests. The Subaru Legacy and Outback received five stars in both the frontal and side-impact crash tests for all seating positions.

"Subaru customers have come to expect the highest level of safety in their vehicles," said Thomas J. Doll, Executive Vice President, Subaru of America, Inc. "Both the Legacy and Outback continue to deliver the highest levels of active and passive safety as evidenced by their recent five star performances in the NHTSA NCAP tests."

NHTSA uses a consumer-friendly ratings system -- ranging from one to five stars, with five being the highest, that makes it easy to compare the predicted safety performance of tested vehicles. Beginning in September 2007, government star ratings will be listed on the window stickers of new vehicles. A complete listing of the NHTSA NCAP ratings for 2007 models can be found at http://www.safercar.gov/. This information is also available by calling NHTSA's toll-free vehicle safety hotline, (888) 327-4236.

Subaru Making Safety Standard

To Subaru, safety means far more than protecting a car's occupants in the event of a collision. Ideally, a passenger vehicle should provide the driver with the means to help avoid hazardous situations. Subaru calls this concept Active Driving/Active Safety. Designing a vehicle for active safety gives a driver a strong sense of control, maneuverability and security.

Active Safety: Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive forms the core of the Subaru Active Driving/Active Safety concept. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive gives a Subaru a significant traction advantage over two-wheel drive cars (front- and/or rear-wheel drive) on all road surfaces. On all 2007 Subaru models, the standard 4-channel / 4-sensor Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) incorporates Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). This system enhances braking performance and stability by actively optimizing braking force between the front and rear wheels according to how the vehicle is loaded with passengers and cargo.

Passive Safety: The compact Subaru Boxer engine helps enhance safety, because it allows more crush room in front and on the sides. Subaru vehicles are designed to allow the entire powertrain to slide under the car along the floor tunnel in a severe collision, helping to prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment. All Subaru models are built around a Ring Frame Reinforced body structure design that incorporates front and rear crumple-zone construction to absorb the energy of an impact and help protect the reinforced passenger compartment. Essentially, the Ring Frame Reinforced structure forms a series of "rings" around the passenger compartment, providing excellent protection in a variety of collision types. This structure increases cabin rigidity and can absorb impact energy from any direction.

Advanced Restraint Systems: All 2007 Subaru models incorporate electrically triggered pre-tensioners and force limiters in the front three-point seatbelts. These systems work together to gradually restrain the occupants and absorb the impact energy of a frontal collision. The seatbelt pre-tensioners operate simultaneously with the front air bags and cinch the front seatbelts to help restrain the driver and front passenger in their seats. Next, the mechanically operated torsion-bar force-limiters extend the belts to reduce the belt forces on the occupants' torsos. The seatbelt mechanism also absorbs energy through internal deformation.

All 2007 Subaru models feature the Subaru Advanced Frontal Airbag System. This intelligent air bag system employs dual-stage-deployment driver and front passenger air bags.* A seat position sensor on the driver's seat track detects if the driver is sitting too close to the air bag, in which case the system would delay deployment of the air bag's second stage. The passenger side front seat incorporates an occupant detection module that detects weight on the passenger seat -- determining if it's a child or adult -- to control air bag deployment.

All Forester and Impreza models for 2007 feature standard front seat head/chest side impact air bags. The Legacy and Outback models come equipped with front seat side impact air bags for thorax-area protection and side curtain air bags (full side coverage) for head protection. The B9 Tribeca is equipped with front seat side impact air bags for thorax-area protection and side curtain air bags for the front and middle rows. Mounted in the upper sides of the front seatbacks, the front seat side-impact airbags offer protection regardless of seat position. The side curtain air bags deploy from the headliner.

All 2007 Subaru models are equipped with the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) for securing specially equipped child seats in the rear seat. Subaru sedan models are equipped with an internal emergency trunk release with a self-illuminating handle.

For additional information about Subaru of America, Inc. and Subaru vehicles, visit the company's media web site at http://www.media.subaru.com/.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2004. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com/.