Any news on std HID lights & more power?

I'm an infrequent poster here, but have always liked Subarus & have encouraged several people to buy, which they did. Why not me, one might ask.

Simple. I want factory HID lights, more power & better mileage, if possible. I cannot believe that even in the higher Subaru models HID lights are not available even though they are in other markets. I'd also like more power, as even the ultra dull Accord & Camry offer far more. I'v spent some time looking into what the future may bring before posting here, but didn't see much. I even called SOA and complained. I encourage all here to do the same, since they say they listen to customers, at least in theory.

I currently have an '08 335xi. It is indeed a nice car and quite quick. The AWD is useful. I do not, however, see that it is worth 20K more than a loaded Legacy GT. But, I want what I want and the BMW won out, at least for now. Next time around I'd like to re-consider a Legacy and hope they come around & start to offer better lights. While I'm ranting, what's up with the FOUR speed transmissions in the lesser models? 4 speeds? What is this, 1977? I didn't know anyone even made a 4 speed tranny anymore.

So, does anyone have a line on future improvements or changes? Thanks in advance.

I'm sorry, but HID's should not be a deal breaker. The projectors offer the same coverage as HID without the awesome blue tint and much less glare to oncoming drivers.

Again, nothing wrong with HID. I love them. But it's not a deal breaker.

No lights, no sale. It really is that simple. Even my wife's Sienna MINIVAN has them!!

This isn't 1987 anymore. Time to lose the 4 speed transmissions & add decent lighting for those willing to pay. I can't see a damned thing when I on occasion drive my MIL's Legacy with primitive halogen lights. Too dull & too yellow. I keep reaching for the switch to see "are these things even on??"

Some will disagree with me. That's fine. Subaru needs to at least OFFER them. I mean, really, why are they on a WRX & not on what is supposed to be their top of the line offering? Dumb. Really dumb.

So, has anyone heard anything about what the future might bring?

what makes you think the accord and camry offer much more performance? I'd put my car against either one of those...

what makes you think the lgt has a 4 speed transmission?

HIDs was important to me, but it was not a deal breaker. After having both in my car,I like HIDs more than halogen and prefer them.. but having whiter headlights with a bit more spread is simply not worth the money. If you REALLY have to have hids, do a ~$1100 rx330 retrofit...I understand your problem with this as I've taken the route of retrofitting and its very annoying, but its better than paying $20k more by a LONG shot.

I heard they would offer them in 2009.. back in 2007.. but it looks like that dude was wrong.. maybe the 2010 will.. but who cares they're gonna charge $3k for the option anyway.. unless you ALWAYS drive at night, you just need something to see where you're going.

This is from someone who had hids, lost one, then went back to halogens because of the ridiculous problems you have with hids. You blow a halogen, you go to walmart or any other store and buy a replacement. .you blow an hid? you gotta mail order and drive around pirate-eyed for a week or so when the $100 bulb comes in.

Thanks for your comments & insight. Allow me to respond:

"what makes you think the accord and camry offer much more performance? I'd put my car against either one of those... "

Didn't say performance. Said HP. There is a difference. I'd like to see a good 275hp at least and similar torque. 224+/- is a bit light, IMO. Put a 275-300hp engine in the GT and things get much more interesting. I have 300 in my 335xi and there is a BIG difference between it and the lesser 328 model which has something like 230 (can't recall the exact number).

"what makes you think the lgt has a 4 speed transmission?"

It doesn't. The lesser models do. Either way, a 4 speed tranny like archaic halogens is an anachronism & speaks to what Subaru thinks it's customers will tolerate. I expect more, but if nobody else does then then won't budge.

"HIDs was important to me, but it was not a deal breaker. After having both in my car,I like HIDs more than halogen and prefer them.. but having whiter headlights with a bit more spread is simply not worth the money. If you REALLY have to have hids, do a ~$1100 rx330 retrofit...I understand your problem with this as I've taken the route of retrofitting and its very annoying, but its better than paying $20k more by a LONG shot."

I am disinclined to figure out a warranty breaking $1100 retrofit that I do not as of yet understand, although I likely have the technical ability to perform it. It's gotta be on the site here somewhere... Seems complicated to say the least. Every year seems to have a new series of wires to modify or the like. I'd be very, very leery of warranty concerns and simply don't like, as a rule, non OEM changes. As for the $20K? Well, the BMW does have a few nice features.

"I heard they would offer them in 2009.. back in 2007.. but it looks like that dude was wrong.. maybe the 2010 will.. but who cares they're gonna charge $3k for the option anyway.. unless you ALWAYS drive at night, you just need something to see where you're going. "

Interesting. I just can't understand why they don't do the right thing and offer HIDs in at least the top line car. Makes no sense. I'd love to hear if anyone else has any info. I'll spend $3k for the lights, as I assume they'd likely come with other things as well. Even MB never charged more than $1k for HIDs if I remember right. In all seriousness, my 40+ eyes really do vastly prefer HID lights. The swiveling feature is also kinda cool, but not a deal breaker.

"This is from someone who had hids, lost one, then went back to halogens because of the ridiculous problems you have with hids. You blow a halogen, you go to walmart or any other store and buy a replacement. .you blow an hid? you gotta mail order and drive around pirate-eyed for a week or so when the $100 bulb comes in."

Never had an issue with any factory ones. Ever. Even my wife's Sienna minivan has them. Problems seem to invariably arise in aftermarket installs. I don't understand the mail order comment, however- If I blew an HID bulb I'd go to the dealer and get one. If not in stock I'd have one overnighted.

want 300 out of an lgt? buy an UP/DP and a cobb AP.. done.

HP is just a number.

what warranty are you breaking with hids? Are you going to try to have a headlight bulb replaced under warranty? Thats like trying to have a windshield wiper blade replaced.. things fail.. they just do.. you cant expect to have EVERYTHING covered.

The retrofit (I have not done it with the projectors) looks to be fairly easy.. I'm confident that I could do it, I just havent felt like spending the money on something as simple as blue headlights. I drive a lot in the country and in the city and lighting has never been a problem (except when my HID bulb burned out after 6 months and I drove around with my fogs as my only light source for a few days because you cant just buy a replacement bulb at the store) With street lights and my brights I havent had any trouble seeing.

You cant rely on your dealer all the time.. you have to be your own person some times.. When your warranty runs out the dealer is going to charge you INSANE prices for those bulbs and other components.

I love BMW, I think the 335i has tons of power, but they wont negotiate on prices and then try to argue that financing your oil changes and basic maintanence is a positive.. I would rather pay them to do it or just do it myself.. I mean how hard is an oil change?

Some food for thought for you however.. legacy has hids in japan.. if you take the fuse panel cover off there is an empty slot for "HID RELAY." for whatever reason SOA has not thought it would be cost effective to have hids in the legacy.. they are really dragging their feet on luxury items.. but having less luxury means less weight to carry around so you can get more performance for the buck.. and I'd rather have that any day over some gadgets that I CAN add myself if I really really want to.

oh yea.. 1 last thing.. the hid retrofit involves NO wire cutting.

Thanks or the post. Before proceeding, let me state that I am not here to bust chops or stir up crap. I've always liked Subies and wanted to buy one, even though I've had 4 BMWs or so since '96. They're getting needlessly pricey, hence my concerns. My 335xi listed for 52--the '09 version similarly equipped is 54! What I can afford to spend & what makes sense to do are starting to diverge. That's why I encouraged my MIL to buy a Legacy 2 years ago as well as several people in my office. Let's see here:

"want 300 out of an lgt? buy an UP/DP and a cobb AP.. done. "

:eek:Warranty & durability concerns would stop me from doing this. I figure if the motor/trans/clutch was designed for 300hp it would have had it form the factory. Too risky for me. Blowing up a motor sounds very expensive.

"what warranty are you breaking with hids? Are you going to try to have a headlight bulb replaced under warranty? Thats like trying to have a windshield wiper blade replaced.. things fail.. they just do.. you cant expect to have EVERYTHING covered."

You'd be surprised what can deny a warranty claim & what the SOB's can & will use to deny something even totally unrelated. I've seen it. As for headlight bulbs, etc under warr., yes I have had them replaced even under warranty. Maybe that's why BMW charges 20K more--to cover the wiper blades!!

"The retrofit (I have not done it with the projectors) looks to be fairly easy.. I'm confident that I could do it, I just havent felt like spending the money on something as simple as blue headlights. I drive a lot in the country and in the city and lighting has never been a problem (except when my HID bulb burned out after 6 months and I drove around with my fogs as my only light source for a few days because you cant just buy a replacement bulb at the store) With street lights and my brights I havent had any trouble seeing."

I've restored a few older enduro bikes and this light thing looked complex, or at least it looked that way when I read the post by the guy who used all RX330 parts. Heating up the case in a stove to soften it? Mixing & matching parts? Not something I'd expect on a car of this caliber and price point. Too easy to end up with a botched job. Plug n play is one thing- I've done that before on a Lexus GX470, but even then it wasn't the same as OEM.

"You cant rely on your dealer all the time.. you have to be your own person some times.. When your warranty runs out the dealer is going to charge you INSANE prices for those bulbs and other components."

I do my own oil & Zaino, etc., and will hard wire my Val-one & laser jammer, but that's it. Too computerized. Dealer prices are OK- don't kill me too much. Can't be worse than BMW, plus I'll bet there are on line sources or hopefully trustable local mechanics.

"I love BMW, I think the 335i has tons of power, but they wont negotiate on prices and then try to argue that financing your oil changes and basic maintanence is a positive.. I would rather pay them to do it or just do it myself.. I mean how hard is an oil change? "

Sure they negotiate. My 335xi listed at 52 & I paid 48 or 49. All maintenance is "free" for 4 yrs or 50K miles, even the oil & wipers. Oil changes used to be easy- I did many. Now, however, the bast*rds got rid of the dipstick! Makes it hard to re-measure. Just did the oil w/ mobil 1 on my wife's AWD Sienna last night.

"Some food for thought for you however.. legacy has hids in japan.. if you take the fuse panel cover off there is an empty slot for "HID RELAY." for whatever reason SOA has not thought it would be cost effective to have hids in the legacy.. they are really dragging their feet on luxury items.. but having less luxury means less weight to carry around so you can get more performance for the buck.. and I'd rather have that any day over some gadgets that I CAN add myself if I really really want to."

LOL! Your note on the slot for the empty relay is EXACTLY what prompted my post. My MIL's plain jane 4 cyl Legacy has the same thing, which is what caused me to start googling & end up here. I saw the JDM & other markets had them & said "huh?" I even wrote/called SOA.

"oh yea.. 1 last thing.. the hid retrofit involves NO wire cutting."

Wait--- I thought people had to cut open the light case and modify pretty much everything, or at least that's what I saw with some guy who rebuilt his entire light assembly using RX330 parts. Are you telling me it actually CAN be a simple plug-n-play? Even if so, I am still leery of non OEM parts. They never seem to last long.

Thanks again for your time & comments.

well, you are correct that it involves opening the headlight... but having done this its VERY easy and only takes a few hours, an oven, a screwdriver, and some determination.

You and I may be similar in that any mod we do, we want to un-do before we sell/trade-in the car. So when I do something like an HID retrofit that is going to change the projector or the plate or anything inside the headlight itself, I would buy a second seat of headlights from the dealer and do this to them so that I would have my working spare if anything goes wrong.

I tried to buy a 335i when I got my new job. The guy told me if I dont pay sticker.. I dont get the car.. he said I was lucky they werent marking them up anymore. They wouldn't even let me test drive the car.. only sit in it. I had another BMW dealer tell me that if I wasn't ready to buy he wasnt even going to show me a car.. he threw his card across his desk at me and said "call me when you're ready to buy."

IIRC the hid relay plug in the fuse box is only a hole on usdm models.. theres no wire harness for it. I may be wrong tho.

You are forgetting the car owners bill of rights in terms of warranty and its denial. They have to be able to prove the relationship of the failure and your mods. For instance.. if you change the headlights and the fuse panel burns out at the headlight fuse.. yea.. your fault.. but if you change the headlights out and a piece of your pre-turbo cat breaks up and destroys your turbo.. they cant say that your headlights caused that to happen.. unless they were somehow knocking against the cat which.. is just impossible..

The LGT actually can comfortablly see 300hp/305TQ without any major complaints in the powre train.. when you start to go above that you may start to see problems.. especially with the automatic.. a transmission cooler can offset the wear and tear additional power makes on the automatics.

I have a cobb AP.. $700 device gives you code reading, and a considerable power increase. I'vre had mine for nearly 50k miles and have no complaints about anything the device has caused.. other than lead foots disease.

These cars are solid.. subaru is not your ordinary auto maker where the car can only run as is.. its one of the things that attracted me to the brand.. and believe it or not the other was the fact that it DIDNT have goodies.. not because I dont like luxuries and options... but because if its an option. I have to have it..

Question for ya, do you consider a bmw thats not loaded "just transportation?" I feel like if you're going to ride luxury, ride luxury! I see people around town in 325s with halogens and its like.. come on.. you can do better! I feel like we may be on the same page with that.

But yea thats actually why I got an LGT... cos it can be "loaded" and only have 1-2 options and be under $35k

[...]Didn't say performance. Said HP. There is a difference. I'd like to see a good 275hp at least and similar torque. 224+/- is a bit light, IMO. Put a 275-300hp engine in the GT and things get much more interesting. I have 300 in my 335xi and there is a BIG difference between it and the lesser 328 model which has something like 230 (can't recall the exact number).[...]

Just some food for thought. Comparing a 2008 LGT and a 2008 335xi weight/hp:

2008 LGT: 14.05 lb/hp

2008 335xi: 12.71 lb/hp

An LGT would need ~268.7 flywheel hp to equal a stock 335xi, which is well within the stage 1 range, which is just a reflash.

2008 LGT under the old SAE power ratings (250hp): 13.66 lb/hp

Stage 2 LGT (Reflash + DP or cat removal, generally agreed on as 260whp with 20% drivetrain loss): 10.95 lb/hp

I'll start at the beginning-

well, you are correct that it involves opening the headlight... but having done this its VERY easy and only takes a few hours, an oven, a screwdriver, and some determination.

 

I think the oven part turned me off. This said, how does one get it back together? Does using an over permanently damage the seal?

 

You and I may be similar in that any mod we do, we want to un-do before we sell/trade-in the car. So when I do something like an HID retrofit that is going to change the projector or the plate or anything inside the headlight itself, I would buy a second seat of headlights from the dealer and do this to them so that I would have my working spare if anything goes wrong.

 

Exactly true. Modifications kill a car's resale or trade value.

 

I tried to buy a 335i when I got my new job. The guy told me if I dont pay sticker.. I dont get the car.. he said I was lucky they werent marking them up anymore. They wouldn't even let me test drive the car.. only sit in it. I had another BMW dealer tell me that if I wasn't ready to buy he wasnt even going to show me a car.. he threw his card across his desk at me and said "call me when you're ready to buy."

 

WTF? What kind of a dealer did you see? I've heard of such things, especially when the car is just out, but your experience is one of the worse I've ever heard of. I've never paid anything close to list for any of mine. In fact, all mine are special orders as I want what I want. I'd have kicked that dealer to the curb for life with that nonsense.

 

IIRC the hid relay plug in the fuse box is only a hole on usdm models.. theres no wire harness for it. I may be wrong tho.

 

Makes sense. I saw it and said "why aren't these lights available?"

 

You are forgetting the car owners bill of rights in terms of warranty and its denial. They have to be able to prove the relationship of the failure and your mods. For instance.. if you change the headlights and the fuse panel burns out at the headlight fuse.. yea.. your fault.. but if you change the headlights out and a piece of your pre-turbo cat breaks up and destroys your turbo.. they cant say that your headlights caused that to happen.. unless they were somehow knocking against the cat which.. is just impossible..

 

True, but they can & will put you through an incredible amount of BS, or at least BMW can. They'll argue how you changed the voltage & fried a component, even if there is no connection. The burden then shifts to you to prove otherwise. If you have to hire an attorney to fight it (I wouldn't have to) you may win in the end, but at what cost in time, effort & money?

 

The LGT actually can comfortablly see 300hp/305TQ without any major complaints in the powre train.. when you start to go above that you may start to see problems.. especially with the automatic.. a transmission cooler can offset the wear and tear additional power makes on the automatics.

 

I have a cobb AP.. $700 device gives you code reading, and a considerable power increase. I'vre had mine for nearly 50k miles and have no complaints about anything the device has caused.. other than lead foots disease.

 

I am unfamiliar with this. Can a dealer's code machine pick it up? Can it be reversed when one goes in for service? Any downsides? I would really, really worry about durability concerns.

 

These cars are solid.. subaru is not your ordinary auto maker where the car can only run as is.. its one of the things that attracted me to the brand.. and believe it or not the other was the fact that it DIDNT have goodies.. not because I dont like luxuries and options... but because if its an option. I have to have it..

 

Question for ya, do you consider a bmw thats not loaded "just transportation?" I feel like if you're going to ride luxury, ride luxury! I see people around town in 325s with halogens and its like.. come on.. you can do better! I feel like we may be on the same page with that.

 

Sure do. That's why I went for the 335xi with premium, cold weather, sport, Nav, comfort access, auto w/ paddle shifters, Sirius, park distance control & more. I have lambasted MB for not making HIDs standard on even it's higher models. Can you believe an E63 does NOT have HIDs as standard equipment? Crazy. And--just another way to gouge more $$.

 

But yea thats actually why I got an LGT... cos it can be "loaded" and only have 1-2 options and be under $35k

 

Exactly why the LGT appeals to me. Perhaps when I am again ready I'll get one as 54+ is alot for a 3 series, even if it is loaded. I want a little more value than the dollar-euro rate is allowing. What prompted this post was a conversation w/ a colleague asking for car advice. I recommended the LGT, but lamented no HIDs. He too passed on it, saying no HIDs = no sale.

 

Nice board they have here, BTW. Very helpful & informative. If you like your car as I do mine, have you tried Zaino polish? Truly incredible.

Just some food for thought. Comparing a 2008 LGT and a 2008 335xi weight/hp:

2008 LGT: 14.05 lb/hp

2008 335xi: 12.71 lb/hp

 

An LGT would need ~268.7 flywheel hp to equal a stock 335xi, which is well within the stage 1 range, which is just a reflash.

 

2008 LGT under the old SAE power ratings (250hp): 13.66 lb/hp

Stage 2 LGT (Reflash + DP or cat removal, generally agreed on as 260whp with 20% drivetrain loss): 10.95 lb/hp

I did not know there was such a difference. My 335xi does a 0-60 in around 5 or so, based on what I've read. What is the LGT tested at, if I might ask?

i suppose with the price of a new Legacy it should come with an HID lighting system. as JWS3 did, i looked at BMWs as well, but they are definately not cost efficient as far as replacement parts go. not to mention even the 8 cylinder models dont compare when it comes to doing business on the pavement compared to the LGT i have.

it would have taken a lot more to get the 330 sedan i was looking into to do a 4.5 second 0-60 and 13 flat 1/4, so the LGT won in my favor when i was buying. i also added an HID system because halogen doesnt cut it, dont understand why they skimp there on the Legacy.

by the way, in stock form, the LGT is roughly 5.6 seconds 0-60 mph

the 335i is a rocket, I wont disagree with you there. I LOVE those cars..

The 2 dealers I went to was gwinnett place BMW (united BMW) and global imports BMW. both in Atlanta.

I looked at the C230 when I was looking at my lgt. It was around 48 or so sticker after it was loaded down and once the car got moving it was a lot of fun, but.. I wanted to stay closer to 30 and I had heard there were issues with them in longevity. since I planned to pay this car off (and I'm almost to that point) I wanted something more.. long haul.

the accessport cant be detected by their systems. It can be unloaded and sold when you sell the car. You can flash the ecu sort of "on the fly" to other maps and programs to add hp, economy etc. It can even read CELs iirc.. honestly ECU work makes me VERY nervous.. but I learn by taking risks..

If you search around here on the forums you will find a LOT of people that do hid retrofits and probably an equal number of people like you and I that are unhappy with the fact that HIDs are not offered.. I honestly believe there is enough support for that in the market demand to support it.. and since they make it for jdm models.. I'm at a loss as to why they cant make them for ours.. as you stated, the sti has them.. whats the difference?

SOA is a strange animal indeed... I doubt any of us will be able to understand it.

I did not know there was such a difference. My 335xi does a 0-60 in around 5 or so, based on what I've read. What is the LGT tested at, if I might ask?

0-60? Road and Track tested the '06 Spec.B at 5.1s to sixty, and anybody with a few dollars (>$1k if you go the AccessPort route) into mods can break into the 4s range without too much difficulty. I've been told I baby the hell out of my clutch/tranny, and I still do ~5.5 to 60 all the time.

I actually spent quite a bit of time looking at the 335xi; between the cost differential for a new loaded 335xi, reading that the stock turbos don't have much headroom (unlike the LGT: Subaru's stock tune is crap so lots of headroom), and the ease of working on/modding the LGT, I was sold. Granted, I was leaning very heavily towards a Spec.B in the first place, but given the semi-similar prices of a loaded Spec.B (with mods/other dealer crap) and a base 335xi, I started investigating it.

Edit: I was aware that the 335i was/is a rocket, but I wanted four wheel drive, so I compared against the 335xi.

yea, tbh AWD wasn't really a requirement for me initially.. I didnt really think about it. I started out looking at FWDs like the altima SER and the grand prix GXP.. HATED it.. swore off FWD for a performance car.. started looking at the G35 the C230 the 328i (at the time, then the 335i later) LGT was the 1st and only AWD I considred.. now I test drive RWD cars that are rated to be faster than the LGT.. and I'm irritated that they dont have the seat of the pants like the LGT.. I remember when I was 2 years into my car iwas looking at the new G37 ya know.. and I tried to get the car sporty but with the power rated at like 9k rpm.. it wasnt happening.. a friend of mine who was also in the market at the time rode with me. After I got back in my car I stomped it onto the road and my friend said "THATS what I'm talkin bout!"

Since snow is rare here AWD is only important to me for rain and putting the power to the ground... but its worth it.. when I see an LGT on a lift and you can plainly see that rear diff and dual mufflers.. it makes me smile.

[...]If you search around here on the forums you will find a LOT of people that do hid retrofits and probably an equal number of people like you and I that are unhappy with the fact that HIDs are not offered.. I honestly believe there is enough support for that in the market demand to support it.. and since they make it for jdm models.. I'm at a loss as to why they cant make them for ours.. as you stated, the sti has them.. whats the difference?

 

SOA is a strange animal indeed... I doubt any of us will be able to understand it.

I've put HIDs in mine and although they do have their issues, it's a pretty good retrofit for $125 shipped. SoA opts out of some pretty awesome options, but just about all of them can be added in if you're willing.

Forgive me if i sound plebian, but are we indeed comparing Subaru to the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Infiniti? I am new to Subaru, but I have long followed the activities of the aforementioned brands, and according to my knowledge, don't the latter 3 brands shoot for a different customer base entirely? In the issue of "Drive" magazine I just received, Subaru admits to being a niche brand, targeting specific people, and it mentioned "park enthusiasts" i believe. Plus, aside from the 128i/135i, what model from either BMW/MB/Infiniti retails below $33,000? At that price, you can get a fully loaded SpecB, correct?

Again,

[...]Plus, aside from the 128i/135i, what model from either BMW/MB/Infiniti retails below $33,000? At that price, you can get a fully loaded SpecB, correct?

MSRP for the Spec.B is $34,595, and with a few options I've got one priced out at $37,200 on their website. Once you start adding on dealer options like Bluetooth, iPod integration, Lojack, paint protection (since the Subaru paint sucks), etc. you can push it up close to 335xi territory.

Edit: All told, mine was just over $38k including state tax and warranty. The 335i starts at $40,100, which is well within cross-shopping for me.

MSRP for the Spec.B is $34,595, and with a few options I've got one priced out at $37,200 on their website. Once you start adding on dealer options like Bluetooth, iPod integration, Lojack, paint protection (since the Subaru paint sucks), etc. you can push it up close to 335xi territory.

 

Edit: All told, mine was just over $38k including state tax and warranty. The 335i starts at $40,100, which is well within cross-shopping for me.

If SOA would fix the lights, add a few things & tweak the mix it could easily have a BMW beater at a Subaru price. I can afford the BMW, but worry that the value is dropping. 54K for a loaded 3 series?

I called SOA several times & even sent a letter. I figure it can't hurt & by the time I'm ready for something new maybe they'll come around. Here is a copy of the email I just got from them today:

We appreciate that you took the time to bring your feedback regarding the interior color options for our 2009 Legacy 2.5GT Ltd Sedan and your recommendation to offer this model with HID headlights. Your comments have been provided to our Product Planning Department for their review, tracking and consideration. We are always striving to improve upon our products and appreciate your recommendations.

The 2009 Legacy 2.5GT Ltd Sedan comes with the Warm Ivory Leather Interior with two exterior color options - Newport Blue Pearl and Satin White Pearl. I just checked our Web site and it only shows Newport Blue Pearl as available with the Warm Ivory Leather interior. That is incorrect. I have notified our Marketing Department of this misinformation on our Web site. Thanks for letting us know by way of sending us your email!

Without a doubt, the most difficult decisions are what colors to offer our vehicles in and what interior color options to offer them in. For many years now, we have received many emails from Subaru customers complaining about the light colored interior colors we offer our vehicles in. Most of these customers complained that the light colored interiors were too difficult to keep clean. Of course, with every situation, there are two sides and no matter what decisions are made, some customers will be 'left out.' This is why such decisions are difficult to make.

At this time, only the WRX STI models come and have been equipped with HID headlights. Not even the Legacy 2.5GT Spec B Sedan, which is the top of the line Legacy Sedan, has come equipped with HID headlights. But, changes are always happening!

Thank you again for your time, interest and feedback.