ASA raps Subaru for "misleading" car claims
Subaru has been rapped by the ASA for claiming in a press ad that its Outback model offers better traction than other cars in poor weather.
The ad, which was challenged by one reader, claimed: "Unlike other cars, when the weather changes, the new Subaru Outback's handling doesn't."
The advertising watchdog upheld the complaint because Subaru had not substantiated its claim.
"Because Subaru had not shown the Outback offered anything more than other four wheel drive vehicles in terms of grip, and because other cars in the Subaru range used the same technology, we concluded that [the] ad was misleading on this point," the ASA ruled.
The ad has been banned in its present form and Subaru has been ordered by the ASA to remove its handling claim.
Another Subaru ad, a TV commercial, has been banned for making a claim about the Legacy model's boxer engine.
Three viewers said the ad was misleading for claiming that: "Unlike other cars, the new Subaru Legacy has the world's only Boxer Diesel engine, which makes it stick to the road whatever's round the corner".
In response Subaru said a previous ASA adjudication had ruled it was entitled to claim the Legacy was the only passenger car with a boxer diesel engine.
It acknowledged that other cars in the Subaru range also used the boxer diesel engine but considered "Unlike other cars" to be a comparison with other car manufacturers rather than its own makes.
The ASA said after expert advice it had upheld the complaint, and banned the ad in its present form.
"We considered Subaru were entitled to say the use of a boxer diesel engine in passenger cars was unique to Subaru and that they had provided evidence to show it was a factor in improving road holding ability, but that their evidence did not show the use of a boxer diesel engine in a passenger car was unique to the Subaru Legacy or that the boxer diesel engine was the sole factor in improving road holding ability in poor weather conditions.
"We considered the wording of the claim suggested the Legacy was the only passenger car with a boxer diesel engine and that, for that reason, it had road holding ability in a way that was different from other cars. Because Subaru had not shown that was the case, we concluded [the] ad was misleading on this point.