Overview & Reviews

Subaru is a Japan-based automaker whose recent offerings are both practical and fun to drive. The automaker crafts vehicles whose all-wheel-drive powertrains and available turbochargers facilitate sharp performance. Incongruously, most Subaru vehicles are discreet and versatile enough to serve as competent family haulers, and the brand is known for boasting some of the best crash test scores in the automotive world.

In the early 1950s, a collection of Japanese companies joined to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Its automotive division came to be known as "Subaru," which is a Japanese word meaning "unite." In 1954, the first Subaru car was unveiled. Powered by a four-cylinder engine, the P-1 (its name was later changed to the Subaru 1500) boasted a front-wheel wishbone-type independent suspension and was the first car to feature a monocoque body designed in Japan. Sales were suspended due to challenges associated with funding and support, but Subaru soon resolved its difficulties and rolled out a sibling for its first-born; the 360 was introduced in 1958. Dubbed the Ladybird because of its ladybug shape, the compact 360 proved immensely popular, and remained in production for 12 years.

The 1960s saw the launch of the first Subaru truck. Based on the Subaru 360 platform, the Sambar minitruck offered both compact dimensions (a must for Japan's crowded, narrow streets) and an extremely spacious cargo bed. The truck was soon joined by the Sambar Light Van, a compact van built for both commercial and leisure use. In 1966, the automaker rolled out the 1000, a car that holds the distinction of being the first vehicle to use the drive technology that is the linchpin of current Subaru models: a front-wheel-drive system coupled to a horizontally opposed engine. This setup offered many advantages in handling and performance. By the end of the decade, Subaru North America had been founded, and exports to the United States had begun.

Subaru started the '70s with the introduction of the GL/DL (called the Leone in other markets). The sedan (it was soon joined by a coupe and a station wagon) broke new ground by offering four-wheel-drive (4WD) capability. Up until then, 4WD had only been offered in off-road-oriented vehicles. Coveted for use in the snow and in hilly regions, the GL and DL also benefited from the increasing popularity of outdoor sports like skiing and fishing, and went on to become the world's top-selling 4WD vehicle. In 1977, Subaru rolled out the successful Brat; based on the GL, it was a small car-based pickup whose cargo bed featured a pair of jump seats. More and more, young people were seeking a vehicle designed for an outdoorsy lifestyle, and the rugged Brat was perfectly in step with their needs.

Subaru continued to offer versatile but slightly quirky vehicles through the '80s. It developed the world's first electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The technology made its debut later that decade in a new Subaru, the tiny Justy economy car. By the end of the '80s, Subaru had given birth to the Legacy, which replaced the outgoing GL/DL (now called the Loyale in the U.S.). Available as both a wagon and a sedan, the Legacy placed an emphasis on performance.

The automaker made a name for itself in motorsports in the 1990s by being the first Japanese marque to win the Manufacturers' title at the World Rally Championship three years in a row. The Subaru family continued to grow during this decade, with the addition of the high-performance SVX, the popular Legacy-based Outback wagon and the sporty Impreza. In the late '90s, General Motors acquired a 20 percent stake in parent company Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) with the aim of strengthening its presence in foreign markets. This affiliation didn't last long, however, and Toyota currently owns a small percentage of FHI.

Today, Subaru's lineup includes everything from compact trucks to family-friendly wagons to high-performance cars such as the WRX STi. The brand is hailed as a top pick for enthusiasts seeking vehicles that offer a shot of utility with their performance thrills.

User Reviews:

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  This car is a piece of trash! - 1998 Subaru Forester
  By paulnelissa - November 22 - 7:36 am

  We bought this car used from a Subaru dealership. The day after we bought it the check engine light came on and has stayed on for almost 4 years. We have, in the past 4 years, replaced the clutch, had a major oil leak, replaced the rear wheel bearings twice, and now have a crack in our cylinder head which can not be repaired. The mechanic has recommended a new engine. I realize that the car has a lot of miles, but come on. This car is a lemon if I ever saw one. Subaru has refused to honor warranty issues. We hate them and this car.

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  Look elsewhere - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By folledOnce - November 1 - 5:10 pm

  At first I thought that dealer(s) were the problem, but car proved me wrong. Everything was a problem. There is no dealer service in NJ and corporate culture is basic arrogance. The car proved to be completely unreliable. I changed oil myself and performed all recommended maintenance, but car started overheating after 38K miles (guess what the warranty period is?). The fact that it was engine overheating and it is theoretically has a warranty for 5 years or 60,000 did not change the fact that I paid for the changing of relays and electrical components on the engine ($400). Brakes: first time changed at 8,000 miles at the dealer. The second time I shelled $400 out of pocket.

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  Head Gasket again! - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By countrycousin - November 1 - 2:42 am

  My 01 Outback has now had 3 head gasket failures. The first one was at 130K, second time only after 20K miles. Im now looking for someone to replace head gaskets again. The car now has total of 70K on the 2nd head gasket. The car has 222K total on it now. There must be something I like about it since I keep fixing it, but issues with quality appeared early on. I have owned 2 other Subaru vehicles, but now will consider other AWD for my next Colorado mountain car.

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  Stay away - 2016 Subaru Legacy
  By Emil - October 18 - 6:59 am

  I bought this car because I have been very happy with my previous 2005 LL Bean Outback but did not want and need another wagon. It has been a major disappointment so far (two weeks and 300 mi down the road). - CVT is horrible - absolutely no feedback on acceleration, car glides like a boat, its hard to tell how fast you go unless you constantly look at the tachometer. Quickly loses momentum the moment you lift your foot off the gas pedal, as if the brakes are being applied, which is very frustrating esp. in stop-and-go traffic. - Relatively poor acceleration even with the H6, 3.6 L engine (the 2.5 L that I test drove is even worse and feels strained most of the time!), even without extra passengers/cargo - Steering is just OK but there is a SIGNIFICANT body roll when cornering, much worse than with my old Outback - Loud wind/road noise, at times so bad as you cant talk on the phone using the Bluetooth connection - Ride is VERY bumpy even on recently paved streets even though Subaru claims they softened the suspension on the 2016 Legacy models in the Limited trim and up - Gear shift paddles on the steering wheel are bulky and sticking out, constantly get in the way of my hands when driving; the leather the wheel itself feels more like rubber - Mileage ls much worse than advertised/expected: Ive been getting 16.5-17 mi/gallon on mostly city driving; hopefully this will change after engine break in. - Poor craftsmanship - interior looks overall cheap; doors are tight and you have to really slam to shut them; the leather of the upper part of passenger front seat has been sloppily cut and stitched and looks wrinkled, esp. around the seams (I did not notice this when I bought the car, so caveat emptor, but dealer and Subaru refused acknowledge this as a defect, I suspect the dealer got a discount on this particular car because of this which they DID NOT pass on me) - Seats feel shallow and hard, overall uncomfortable, difficult to get out of the drivers seat - Rear window defroster is pretty much useless since it goes only 2/3 up the window (the rest is dedicated to the antenna). You have to scrape/wipe your rear window manually every time there is frost/snow/fog. - Entertainment - voice command is useless: it never gets the command right and has a significant lag; touch screen sensitivity is weird and I still havent gotten used to it Overall, Subaru seem to have dropped the ball on their newer models. This is definitely not what a 30+ K, 6-cyl, upper-trim car should drive and feel like. This is my 3rd Subaru and definitely the last. Ill drive it until the bumper-to-bumper warranty runs out and trade immediately.

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  broken rod at 84K - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By joebabi - October 12 - 8:36 am

  I believed all the hype about the reliability of subarus til I bought one. 3 Recalls and then the engine blew at 84,000 miles (broken rod). Subarus customer service offered me a whopping $500 toward a new one. Would not recommend these cars. Ride is uncomfortable and interior is cheaply done. Good in snow but not if engine doesnt run.

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  The style/under-steering is a Boo - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By Arrowhead - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I know under-steering is a common AWD problem. But not THIS much!!! At 5,500 rpm and 35mph, it cant corner like any others even with BS S-03. Youd beat a RSX type-R or Celica on open road, but youd never pass any in a race at cornering. This IS a Rally car, and sucks on the road. I turned it into a show car and loan it to people at autoshows. Finally, here is a catch. CHICKS HATE THIS CAR in both my personal experience and consumer research. I spent over $8,000 on make-overs included JDM HID headlights, carbon-fiber hood, and Zero- Sports bodykit/Wing, and women still dont buy it. So if you would like to pick up some hot chicks at night clubs. Give this one up!

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  Noisy like a Jeep Wrangler - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By huhwuuuuut? - October 7 - 2:00 am

  My ownership experience was short, and for good reason. This vehicle is deceivingly small, slow to respond to driver input, and extremely noisy. The windows are prone to extreme wind noise, and there is no good fix for it. Autotragic transmission felt as if it was on life support at 50,000 miles. If you have to buy one of these, look for a stick shift. Gas mileage is decent for an AWD vehicle, I think that I averaged 22-23. If you are looking for a roomy family vehicle, keep looking. My old Honda Civic was bigger than this tin can.

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  2017 Subaru Legacy Sport - 2017 Subaru Legacy
  By MJM - September 21 - 1:25 pm

  Looked at the Accord and Jetta and found the Subaru to be superior. AWD is much appreciated in New England. I have had reliability issues. The coolant system has drained completely on two separate occassions leaving me high and dry. I find this completely unacceptable for a car with 4000 miles on it. I am researching my options but my preference would be return this car at this point. Ive got a Suburban with 200K miles on it which has had one coolant change in its lifetime. The legacy Sport is a 30K plus car and I can not rely on it for a drive beyond the grocery store. I am obviously not happy.

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  2015 Outback Reliability Terrible - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Adam - September 15 - 4:36 pm

  In March of 2015, my wife and I purchased a brand new 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5 Limited with eyesight for use part-time at our SC house. Considering that we have only put about 3,000 miles on the vehicle in about 1 1/2 years it has been a huge disappointment. First the gas filler door wouldnt open and the first and second recalls didnt fix the problem - the third finally did months and months later. The windshield cracked in half - another recall. Another recall for the taillight bulb that made the eyesight worthless came a few months later. The first weekend I drove it I couldnt get the car to restart about doing an errand for 10 minutes. I had to call my Maryland dealer to tell the SC dealer that there was a TSB on the issue. Now after numerous check engine light issues that went away on their own the check engine light comes on and puts all the other warning lights on. Apparently this was due to driving through a large puddle after a two hour rain. This storm had no effect on our Volvo that drove through the same storm and puddles. Now, even after dealer service the light comes back on with all the other warning lights. Can you say Toyota?

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  Dont bother buying - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By luism2013 - August 9 - 9:07 am

  Car consumes way to much oil for a brand new car. Never thought I would spend so much on just oil. Spend more time getting oil for the car then I do getting gas. My oil light came on right after I purchased the vehicle and had the dealer see what was wrong they said it was just low. After topping it off I began my trip home and on an empty road the oil light came on had to drive it several hundred me to get oil. Took it in to a dealer and say the car normally burns 1 quart every 1200 miles. You do an oil change every 7000 miles thats 5-6 quarts of oil at 10 bucks a quart. Never had any problems. So with other vehicles first and last subaru I personally buy. Also the car over revs.