Hits, misses from the New York Auto Show

Which cars and trucks met the sweet spot of spectacle and substance

NEW YORK – You can always find spectacle at a major auto show. ❚ But what about substance? ❚ That’s a little harder to come by. And the sweet spot is the intersection of spectacle and substance. ❚ Take the Subaru Outback. ❚ During press previews Wednesday at the New York Auto Show, Subaru debuted the redesigned Outback in a unique fashion. ❚ To remind us that Subaru is designed to appeal to people with an affection for the outdoors, the Outback emerged from a makeshift version of Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser during a press conference themed to promote Subaru’s donations to the National Parks. ❚ It was flashy, but Subaru has the substance to back it up. The brand is red hot in the U.S., and the Outback is its best seller. ❚ Here’s our list of hits and misses at the 2019 New York Auto Show.