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Subaru The 2001 Subaru Outback L.L. Bean Edition One common criticism of the Subaru Outback is that it needs more power. Apparently Subaru officials have been listening, because this fall the Outback Wagon will be available with a horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine for the first time. Available in either the L.L. Bean Edition or VDC, the new engine produces 212-horsepower—an increase of almost 50 horsepower. Also for the first time, Subaru will offer a stability control system called Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC), which will complement the full-time all-wheel drive. Earlier this year, the 2001 Forester went on sale. The new Forester features a freshened exterior as well as a number of new features such as available front side airbags. Coming to the Americas sometime next summer is the next-generation Impreza. It also appears that a version of the high-powered Impreza WRX will finally find its way to U.S. shores, much to the delight of rally racing enthusiasts. Suzuki The Japanese automaker will add an all-new SUV to its model lineup later this year. Currently referred to as the XL-7, it will be larger than the Grand Vitara, available in 2WD or 4WD and sport a larger V6 engine. Styling is expected to be similar to the XL-6 concept that has recently made the autoshow rounds. The XL-7 will have seating for seven, and the rear seat will fold flat for better cargo versatility. The rest of the Suzuki lineup will feature a number of feature upgrades and new colors for the new model year. The Suzuki XL-6 Concept Toyota The 2001 Toyota Prius With so many new Toyota's are coming out in 2001, it's hard to know where to start. The first to hit showrooms will enter a very specialized market. The Prius is Toyota's gas-electric hybrid sedan. With an average fuel economy of 50 miles per gallon, the Prius becomes the second hybrid to hit the U.S. market—the Honda Insight has been on sale since December 1999. Toyota brings out four new or redesigned trucks this fall. The redesigned RAV4 mini SUV will be larger, with more interior room and new exterior styling, and it will feature a more powerful engine. The next step up from the RAV4 will be the all-new Highlander. A bit larger than the 4Runner, the Highlander has a more car-like ride. Two-wheel drive or full-time 4WD will be available, as will a 220-horsepower V6 engine. Next up the line is the new full-size Sequoia. Built on the Tundra truck platform, the Sequoia is larger than the Land Cruiser and will share the 240-horsepower V8 that powers the Tundra. Rounding out the Toyota truck changes are additions to the Tacoma pickup—in the form of two more doors. The Tacoma Double Cab will feature four forward-hinged full-size doors. Meantime, the Corolla is restyled for 2001 and the interior is upgraded. The 2001 Toyota RAV4 Volkswagen The 2001 Volkswagen EuroVan Almost everything in the Volkswagen lineup has been redesigned in the past few years, so for 2001 the German automaker is taking a bit of a break. However, that doesn't mean there's nothing new. A number of feature upgrades will appear throughout the model lineup, including a trunk entrapment button, a new cupholder design and late introduction of head protection airbags for most models. In addition, the EuroVan will get a new higher-output version of the VR6 engine that will produce 201 horsepower, an increase of over 60 horses. Volvo The Swedish automaker got a jump on the 2001 model year when the redesigned V70 wagon went on sale earlier this year. The new V70 shares much of the styling with the flagship S80, and shares a platform with the larger model as well. The 2.4T and T5 went on sale early, while the redesigned Cross Country (XC) will go on sale this fall. The XC sports 7.6 inches of ground clearance, full-time all-wheel drive and a 197-horsepower turbo engine. The S70 sedans will continue on their current platform for the time being. Meanwhile, the S40 and V40 will get a slight freshening for the new model year. The 2001 Volvo V70 Cross Country Return to introduction