Subaru ambassadors and Kiwi personalities Art and Matilda Green both drive Subaru SUVs, which are the perfect match for their lifestyles. Matilda drives the 2018 Car of the Year, the Subaru Forester and Art drives the seasoned trailblazer, the Subaru Outback.
We asked the newly married couple (and soon-to-be-parents) to share what they love about their different Subarus they drive and why Subaru fits so well with their lifestyles.
Art and Matilda love their Subarus which are perfect for their lifestyles and all the adventures they go on.
ART GREEN – THE ADVENTURE MAN
Anyone that has met Art will notice something about him straight away – no it’s not that he’s easy on the eye – it’s his height! At nearly 6ft 3, this is a man who needs some space for his long pins. Subaru’s largest and most popular SUV fits the bill.
“My Outback is a really good size for me. Sitting in the driver’s seat is really comfy,” Art says.
He spends a lot of time behind the Outback’s wheel, commuting back and forth to Auckland, as he and Matilda live in Warkworth - an hour away from the city of sails.
Art loves the size and practicality of the Subaru Outback, especially on his long drives back and forth to Auckland.
It’s important for Art to be connected while driving safely, as he does a lot of his business calls on the phone.
“The Bluetooth technology is seamless with my phone. I don’t even need to plug it in, and it talks to the infotainment system. It means I can play music and listen to podcasts while on my commute. The Harman Kardon sound system means everything always sounds good through the speakers too.”
When he does have some spare time, Art makes the most of it and get out and do some exercise.
“I love that my Outback is ready to go anywhere and do anything I want to do without having to prepare too much. Any morning I can just wake up go as my roof racks are already built into the car, so I quickly strap a board on the roof and go out for an early morning surf or paddle board.”
The Subaru Outback comes with integrated cross bars as standard across the range so you can be ready for any adventure that needs extra gear.
If the day’s schedule is jam-packed, Art gains an extra few minutes through making the most of the Outback’s generous 1801mm of cargo space, with the rear seats down.
“I like how big the boot is, as sometimes I just put my surfboard inside the car, which means I don’t even have to strap it on. That’s really handy. It’s a total life hack!”
Another life bonus is that the Outback ticks all the boxes when it comes to heading away for a ski weekend, courtesy of its engineering prowess (which it shares with all NZ-new Subaru models).
“If I want to go skiing, it’s not like a I need to take a different car or put chains on it. The All-Wheel Drive system makes it really easy to negotiate the ski field roads, I’ve got plenty of grip no matter what the weather throws at my Outback.”
After a chilly day on the slopes, there’s always a treat waiting for him when he gets back in the Outback to head down the mountain, “I love my seat warmers!” Art says.
Art has also spent time in the Subaru Levorg, the sports performance wagon which has the power of a WRX but the practicality of a wagon. He loves the standard technology across the Subaru range like All-Wheel Drive, Boxer engine and EyeSight, which means he can jump between models and still know he has everything he needs to keep him safe on the roads.
Art has enjoyed the invisible advantages of the Subaru Levorg too, whether it's up the mountain or a quick surf before work.
When he came on board as a Subaru brand ambassador two years ago, the Subaru line-up was not unfamiliar to Art.
“Our families are Subaru families. Matty’s mum has a Subaru; my mum, stepdad and my sisters have all got Subarus. They are always quite interested to see what newest version looks like when I pick mine up and they want to find out about all its new tricks.”
MATILDA GREEN – THE FORESTER GAL
Matilda joined the Subaru family last year and is thrilled to have the new Subaru Forester SUV on her side of the garage.
“The 2018 Car of the Year, I feel very honoured to be driving it!” she says.
The medium SUV is the perfect size for Matilda and suits her to a tee for her different travelling needs.
“I’ve always wanted to drive an SUV because I think they are really cool cars. It’s not too big and it’s still super easy to park. If I go into Auckland, I can park it so easily with the reversing camera and side camera on the kerb to help guide me into tight spaces.
Matilda loves driving the 2018 New Zealand Car of the Year, and the Subaru Forester is the perfect size for her.
Like the Outback, the Forester also sports a spacious boot, so sometimes Art and Matilda toss a coin about whose Subaru they should pack up for a road trip.
“We can fit everything in if we go away for the weekend or go down to Lake Rotoiti. We can pack it with heaps of stuff and it just never feels cramped. It has the perfect amount of roominess.”
Matilda also has a busy schedule, travelling around 350km a week as she juggles the various roles that come with being a prominent New Zealand social media personality. The Forester’s combination of comfort and adventure mean she can enjoy the ride.
“It’s really smooth, with the All-Wheel Drive situation. We drive so much - always back and forth from Auckland, and its always so steady going over gravel roads. The Forester is a dream to drive. I love it so much!”
Art and Matilda took the Subaru Forester with them on their honeymoon and camped in a roof top tent around New Zealand.
The Forester’s clever technology makes her life easier too.
“The adaptive cruise control is my best friend. I use it pretty much every day. It’s so nice when I can just trust it and let it judge the distance to the car in front of me. I feel really safe when I pop that on. I can relax and not be constantly adjusting the accelerator.”
Remember Art’s long legs? Well the Forester has the perfect solution for when he has taken Matilda’s Forester for a spin.
“The Driver Monitoring System is great because if Art ever drives my car I can hop back in and it reads my face and readjusts my seat position, which is so good because Art has the longest legs known to man! It also remembers and adjusts the wing mirrors, the air con and other things which is super handy because we have very different settings.”
The Driver Monitoring System (DMS) also monitors the driver for any distractions or drowsiness while driving and gives an audible and visual alert. It’s next level safety and convenience for the Subaru Forester that won 5 awards in 2018 including New Zealand Car of the Year.
Subaru’s Driver Monitoring System recognises the driver, adjusts to their personal cabin preferences, and monitors distractions while driving. Currently available on the Subaru Forester Sport Plus and Forester Premium models.
Knowing that the Forester, like all the Subarus in the line-up has a maximum 5-Star Safety rating and all the safety tech like EyeSight clever crash avoidance technology and DMS gives Matilda comfort with baby Green on the way too.
Art and Matilda know they have the right SUVs for their lifestyles, “we love our two Subarus and are so stoked to be driving these awesome SUVs every day, knowing that we can get out and do whatever we want with the capability to get there and back safely – and doing it in style!”
Find out more about the largest Subaru SUV, the Outback or the award-winning medium SUV, the Subaru Forester here and follow Art and Matilda Green to see what adventures they get up to in their Subaru SUVs.