And They Walked Away

Subaru always has been and always will be a company driven by safety. It is all about making sure that all occupants, including children and animals, are protected. It’s why Subaru has one of the best retention rates in the whole automotive industry, meaning 61.1% of all people who buy a Subaru come back and buy another one for whatever reason. This level of love for safety was highlighted in its 2014 ad campaign entitled “They Lived,” which shows a wrecked Subaru Outback with a Sheriff’s deputy at the scene of the accident telling a tow truck driver “they lived,” who then tells the salvage yard employee as he’s bringing the vehicle in the yard, who then tells another employee as the camera shows the damaged Outback.  

A Story About Survival 

A recent video made by Subaru showcases a high school swimmer named Kenzi who had a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek, her first car. One day, on her way to swim practice, Kenzi was driving on a newly paved road that was very slick from a big rainstorm when she suddenly spun out, hitting the grass on the side of the road and flipping three times and coming to a stop after hitting a tree. When the police arrived on the scene, they were surprised to find Kenzi alive and with nothing more than a few scrapes and some tree branches and leaves sticking out of her hair. However, they told her mother that they didn’t expect to see anyone alive…  

A Horrific Scene, But No Loss of Life 

Every airbag in the Crosstrek had deployed, the windshield came out of the car, the roof was impacted, and the overall shape of the car was different. But, amazingly, after going to the hospital to be checked out by medical professionals, Kenzi was released and asked her mom if she could go to swim practice.  

A Family Thanks Subaru for Saving a Life 

Kenzi made a TikTok video about her accident and thanked Subaru, saying, “Dear Subaru, Thanks for saving my life, lifestyle, and all the things that I love.” She also says in the video made for the Subaru YouTube channel, “I owe my ability to still swim to Subaru’s amazing safety standards. I am not a statistic. I am a survivor.” 

Kenzi Gets Another Subaru 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that after such a horrific crash, Kenzi went and got a new Subaru, a 2024 Outback Wilderness to be exact. Kenzi’s mom said, “Thank you so much for saving her life. We will always be a Subaru family.”  

The Importance of the IIHS 

Taking Kenzi’s accident into account, this is why it is so important to check safety ratings before buying yourself or anyone else a new or used vehicle. One of the main sources for crash test ratings is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as it has been testing, evaluating, and changing the way we understand car accidents since 1959. With its well-known Top Safety Pick awards, the company is one of the most trustworthy independent sources for vehicle safety. The 2014 Subaru Crosstrek was a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. In fact, the Crosstrek has been a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS every year since its introduction in 2013, including the current 2024 model. Kenzi’s new car, the 2024 Outback Wilderness, is also a Top Safety Pick, and has been given the TSP or TSP+ designation every year since 2010.  

You don’t have to buy a brand-new car to have advanced and excellent safety. Buying a used Subaru is just as much of a smart decision as buying a new one. In the case of Kenzi, she had, at the time, a nine-year-old Subaru Crosstrek that saved her life. Now, she has a brand-new car that will be just as safe.  

At Subaru of Rochester, we are happy to offer our customers more than a hundred new and used vehicles. Our fantastic sales team and finance department will work hard to find the best car that fits your needs. And our dedicated service department will always ensure that your vehicle is taken care of in the best way possible.