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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  SubiNewbi - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By SubiNewbi - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Im in love with my 2.5 RS. Yes its a WRX lite, but I saved a lot of green on the overall cost and insurance. Plus the RS is a great performer. Gotta have the 5 speed though. Ive had zero problems after 1,500 miles. The car is tight. Great feel. Awesome brakes. Comfortable, sporty seats. Shifting is a little stiff. Subaru should study manual trannys at Nissan. Dealers are eager to sell this car. You can get a great price, and probably just about any of the options at cost.

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  STI is not only a car, but a tuner name - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By WreXinefx - October 23 - 10:00 am

  When you own the STI, you are getting Subarus inhouse tuner and they also work with Prodrive for their WRC car. This car is as close to driving the WRC Rally car as you can get here. 0-60 in less than 5 secs and it will eat corners and airborne over apexes. Watchout M3, S4, pushrod American muscle cars! This is the car the will decimate all.

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  My STi - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By aballen - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love my STi. I recently became a father and had to get a more practical car than my TT Roadster. The STi turned out to be perfect. Its faster than my old car, and there is plenty of room for a child seat in the back. It handles well, in my opinion, though it is not as responsive as my old roadster.

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  Great Car - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By TimS - October 23 - 10:00 am

  All things considered, this is the best car availabe.

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  Great so Far! - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Jason - October 23 - 4:05 am

  So far so good, glad I bought the 3.6R!

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  Checked-out all the sedans. Legacy rose to the top - 2017 Subaru Legacy
  By Iowa - October 22 - 7:15 am

  Wife and I test drove all the 2017 sedans. Accord was ruled out because the seating was very uncomfortable for both of us. Ford Fusion gas mileage not up to par. Camry was sort of blah. Finally narrowed to Sonata and Legacy (Limited trim for both) . Both are quiet. Sonata has slightly better pick-up, but I thought Legacy handled better. Sonatas warranty was a strong selling point, but the Legacy had all-wheel drive. Final choice based on minor interior things. No options for the Sonata interior color: only black interior with the white/silver/grey exterior, and only beige with the blue/red exteriors. Also the faux wood interior molding on the Sonata beige trim looked cheap. Have had the Legacy for a month and very happy with it.

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  New Legacy - 2009 Subaru Legacy
  By John - October 20 - 9:46 pm

  My sixth Subaru (79 and 87 wagons, 81 Brat, 95 Legacy, 03 Forester). Still have the Forester and Brat. Just picked up a 2009 Legacy 2.5i Limited-$21,800-and 2.9% financing. This is a good time to get the 09 models with the new 10s coming in. Initial impressions-firm but sporty ride, seats are hard (but I am coming from a very soft seat in a Ford Explorer), drove smoothly on the 125 mile trip back from the dealer. Nice sound system from the Harmon Karden stereo. Very similar in size to my old 95 Legacy -on the smaller size of the competition but my 6-year old fits fine in the backseat in her booster seat. 22.6mpg on the drive home but that should improve with time.

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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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  Exceeded My Expectations - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By winebike - October 17 - 4:52 pm

  I have driven my OB 1200 miles. The build date was 10/10 and it came with Conti ProContact tires. In mixed city/highway driving, Ive been averaging 22 mph. I previously drove a Lexus GS300. I am very happy with the ride, handling, and features of the OB. When I took my first test drive of an OB last summer, I didnt like it and took it off my list, but I kept coming back to it and liked it better after each test drive. After my fourth test drive, I was sold. After buying the OB and getting to know it even better, I can say that the OB has exceeded my expectations and is an awesome car for its class.

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  Great first car! - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By redrider05 - October 17 - 12:49 pm

  This is my first car, which I got for a steal, considering it has a shocking 192k miles. I was very weary about getting a car with that many miles, but it was the only Subaru available in my budget. Subarus have been in the family for years and I know they are reliable. Whoever had this car before took good care of it. Regular maintenance was done and I found nothing wrong. Ive had her for a few weeks and she runs great. I plan on keeping her maintained enough to get another 100k miles. I love my Forester and now Im making fun of my mother, who drives an Impreza sedan. My car is way cooler then hers.