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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  I ❤️ Station wagon - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Jeffrey Fitzgerald - April 22 - 2:56 pm

  I never thought I would love a station wagon, but the Outback has it all. Comfort, safety, performance, my wife and I are always fighting over who gets to drive it.

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  Good For The Money - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By kman - April 22 - 12:20 pm

  This is an excellent small sedan that, while not a WRX, is still plenty of fun. The reliability and build quality have proven to be top notch so far. The interior is well-designed and sporty-feeling, and I personally LOVE the exterior design of the Impreza. Acceleration is very good from any speed, handling is very predictable, and the motor has a nice deep rumble to it. The ride quality is very good, though to compensate, there is quite a bit of body roll during aggressive cornering. Fuel economy is good for a 3000-pound car with all-wheel-drive; Ive been getting around 25 mpg with hard driving, both city and highway. All in all, a great choice if you just cant afford a WRX.

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  Very Pleased - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By lisa - April 22 - 7:20 am

  I purchased the 08 Tribeca 6months ago. I am very happy with the vehicle. I previously had the Audi A4 and it was one problem after another. The Tribeca is more comfortable, has a smoother drive, and is more reliable. I would get it again.

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  Very good car - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By St. Nick - April 20 - 4:20 pm

  Yeah, the handling isnt tight as my old 2.5 RS Impreza but its almost as much fun to drive with a much improved ride, a good tradeoff if you drive on rough roads. Also the overall interior design, room, and build quality is better too. Its almost as big as a Legacy on the inside. The fuel economy is better than the EPA figures. I get 27 mpg in mixed city/highway driving and the motor is not even broken in yet. Get the manual transmission unless you totally hate them. The four speed mutes the performance of the spunky motor a bit too much. The manual 2.5is almost make you forget about the WRX when you consider insurance and $3.25 premium gas.

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  Expensive repair, lousy mpg - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Pdx Ower - April 20 - 11:30 am

  Try 17-19 mpg in mixed driving even on non-ethanol gas which is only 6 months a year around here. I get 25 mpg on an open highway on cruise control on good gas. My experience has been tire blowout at 25K miles, an expensive fuel injector around 30k miles, the cargo area interior cover before 30k miles, the serpentine belt at 40k miles, and the very expensive leaking valve gasket at 50k miles. Altogether, I have experienced higher than usual repair incidence of very expensive repairs, and long before they are due for normal maintenance. There were two recall notices, also.

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  2006 Forester: Perfect for our family! - 2006 Subaru Forester
  By Everett - April 18 - 11:13 am

  We recently got our Subie in anticipation of our firstborn. Had an Audi A4 Quattro and we sad to see it go. Good news though - WE LOVE OUR FORESTER! We considered the RAV4, Highlander, CRV, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda 5 but ultimately could not resist on the Subaru Forester. Great value, spacious cargo interior, all-wheel drive, car-like feel, good engine response, quiet engine when idling. Ive used it to make dump-runs, loaded it up with moving boxes ... even with baby seat and stroller loaded up, theres still plenty of cargo space. My wife loves the storage compartments under the carpeting in the trunk (for jumper cables, bungee cords, large umbrella, etc).

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  PERFECT 10 - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By KEITH - April 18 - 7:23 am

  I love this car. Its got gobs of power in every gear, handles like its on rails, has great fitting seats (for the average size guy at least), nice visible gauge cluster, and gets good gas mileage considering what it is. Its a factory made race car, that is totally street drivable. I can even haul the kids around town with no discomfort what so ever. The best car for under $30k and even beats some higher prices exotics.

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  Drove it 50,000 miles, Absolutely Reliable! - 2011 Subaru Forester
  By xira1 - April 17 - 8:51 am

  I just turned in my XT after 3-year lease was up. It never burned a drop of oil between changes and nothing (other than gas door lever) broke. It was 100% reliable through hard use, on and off-road, hauling bikes, kayaks etc. It was truly my trusted friend, and very fun to drive fast on mountain roads because of the precise, communicative steering. The turbo was powerful. Got a very good lease price, and when I turned it in, the car was worth more than the residual value, so I got a $1700 credit toward another vehicle.

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  reliable car - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By bob - April 16 - 8:10 pm

  Very roomy and handles well for a wagon. The 4wd is awesome. I cant figure out why it doesnt have privacy glass, its ridiculous that they have not figured that out yet when virtually every other automaker has it. The sun is always shining in my kids face. And the keyless entry is way too sensitive.

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  My First Subaru - 2016 Subaru Impreza
  By S7N - April 16 - 2:12 pm

  I traded in a 2013 Ford Focus due to various issues with the car and decided on a Subaru not only for the AWD but the reliability and decent price tag. I really love the car and got my Subaru in IceSilver with the Sport Premium all weather package because it had just the right options for the price. I paid a little over $22K here in Virginia Beach. I want to first start out with the Bluetooth connectivity because in my opinion it could be better. At times it will just stop working or will lower the volume when listening to music for no apparent reason. I do have an iphone 6s+ so maybe there is some issue there I dunno. Secondly, I want to mention the backup camera because I feel the video is a bit choppy/sluggish at times and could be improved like the one thats equipped on my 2015 Toyota Corolla. Thirdly, I would have really liked to see LED headlights as an option because after driving my Toyota Corolla which has LED headlights the Subaru looks bland in comparison. I think LEDs would make this a much more beautiful car and I could have saved some money since I opted for the fog light option to brighten up the roads a bit more. I really like the black interior and the red lights on the instruments accent it well. The cloth seats are probably the most comfortable seats Ive sat in. They are very soft and the heated seats work great. Ive read other reviews stating there is to much road noise but to be honest I have not experienced anything out of the ordinary when comparing it to my other cars. As far as the CVT and only being 148HP this thing is very quick off the line and has no problem what so ever getting around other cars. Its peppier than my Corolla for sure. This car really does handle well but I do have the upgraded 17" rim and tires. All in all Im very happy with my purchase and it feels great driving the car during my daily commutes.