• Seven competitors in segment
• Real-world course in Colorado
• Tested by experts and consumers

Cherry Hill, N.J. - Dec 1, 2015 - Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that the XV Crosstrek takes top spot in the 2015 Cars.com Subcompact SUV Challenge by outperforming six other popular models in its segment.

With the help of five expert judges from Cars.com, USA Today and MotorWeek put the seven competitors through a 200-mile course on varying roads and elevation through the state of Colorado. In addition to the panel of judges, a young couple in the market for a new subcompact SUV also joined in the evaluation. All participants had the opportunity drive each SUV and evaluate handling, comfort, performance, features and cargo space.

The tests resulted in the following ranking:

1. 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek

2. 2016 Fiat 500X

3. 2016 Honda HR-V

4. 2016 Mazda CX-3

5. 2015 Jeep Renegade

6. 2015 Nissan Juke

7. 2016 Chevrolet Trax

For full results on the Subcompact SUV Challenge, visit www.cars.com/news.

"The XV Crosstrek ranked highest with the expert judges and was the favorite of the in-market couple," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com's editor-in-chief. "This subcompact SUV felt like the 'grownup' of the group, with an oversized cargo area and a delightfully quiet ride. Overall, it did the best job of packing in impressive, high-tech safety features, ample creature comforts and a great ride for a low price."

The versatile XV Crosstrek combines bold five-door design, a highly capable chassis, and multimedia features. It comes standard with Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, 8.7-inches of ground clearance and 17-inch alloy wheels. The model is one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel drive SUV utility vehicles in America, delivering 34-mpg EPA-estimated highway fuel economy.

The 2015 XV Crosstrek earned the Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as well as the Top Safety Pick+ rating when equipped with EyeSight® driver assist system.

About CARS.COM

Launched in 1998, Cars.com, a TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) company, is an award-recognized online destination for car shoppers and owners that offers information from experts and consumers to help research, price and find new and used cars, as well as information around service and repair for car owners. With more than 31 million monthly visits to its web properties, Cars.com offers millions of new and used vehicle listings, expert and consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison, build and price tools, unbiased editorial content and much more. In 2015, Cars.com introduced a new service and repair feature to help consumers find the right service provider and understand how much to pay with the fair-price estimator tool. Cars.com puts millions of car buyers, and now owners, in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make stress-free buying, selling and servicing decisions.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit media.subaru.com.