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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  STi in disguse - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By Foos - October 4 - 8:40 am

  Overall, this is the best car I have ever had. You have all the utility of a station wagon/SUV, but the guts of a sports car. With a little bit of tuning, this car competes with a stock STi. Without a doubt this is the wolf in the sheeps clothing.

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  2009 Outback Constantly Rattles - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By SB - October 4 - 7:00 am

  I bought a 2009 Outback last year and was so happy to have another Subaru. Several months after purchase I noticed a loud rattle in the front, took it to the dealership who told me there were issues with the 2008/2009 Heat Shields - and they replaced mine. The rattle problem seemed to be resolved, however 2 months later - it is rattling again. This time the dealership showed me Memos of consumer complaints of the rattle - and stated it would probably continue because these Heat Shields are just clipped together instead of being bolted together. AND - be prepared for it to be much worse in the winter time. I wish I knew this in advance - very disappointed! : (

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  Good, reliable car - 2008 Subaru Legacy
  By darthbateman - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this car for about 3 years and have put around 20,000 miles on it, including two trips from central Florida to Savannah, GA (about 700 miles round trip). Ive enjoyed my time with this car. It has been very reliable, never been in the shop except for a door light issue (which was caused by the dealership). My only real complaint is the interior space. The back seat isnt really made for anyone 6 feet tall or over. Neither is the front seat, for that matter. Im just under 6 feet and I have to keep the seat all the way back. But, if youre looking for a car that will never go wrong, this is it. I average about 18 MPG in the city and about 26 on the highway at less than 70mph.

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  Strengths and weaknesses what I thought they would be. - 2013 Subaru Impreza
  By lkalliance - October 1 - 10:14 pm

  Ive had my first Subaru now for over 22,000 miles. After many years on the west coast, I was not used to the level of snow I experience here in Minnesota, and so when it was time for a new car on a budget I found myself choosing between this Subaru (AWD for the weather, decent MPG, bare bones for the rest) and a Nissan Altima (fun to drive, good creature comforts, same weather limitations as my previous Sentra). After over a year of ownership, Id have to say I got what I expected to get: in city and highway driving in the snow, this is a vast improvement over the sedan I was driving, with reasonable MPG. The interiour is roomy but basic, the creature comforts are poor.

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  Great for tall drivers - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By don225 - October 1 - 5:49 am

  I bought this car for 2 reasons 1. Head room,Im 65 2. AWD Over all happy but a few issues to note 1.The car has an uncanny ability to suck in the exhaust from other vehicles, and it has nothing to do with the in cabin filter. 2.The design of the front seats. As the driver its almost impossible to reach under the seat to grab anything, and there is a cable that runs directly from the underbelly of the seat to the ground that eliminates passage. The passenger seat sits so low that even I feel like a kid in a car(Im 65) 4.Rattles. have fun going back and forth to the dealer getting all the rattles in the body panels shored up while under warranty 5.Transmission issues at 70K mi 6.Sterio

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  Suburban workhorse - 1998 Subaru Forester
  By BrianT - October 1 - 4:43 am

  I bought my Forester in college, and have put nearly 100,000 miles on it with few problems. Only recently (at 130,000 miles) have I had to have any major work done: new clutch and tranny. The AWD system works great in snow, lots of cargo room in back, and good clearance for offroad. It also rides more like a car as opposed to the Honda SUVs.

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  Be SPEC-tacular - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By Max - September 27 - 1:36 am

  I recently shopped for a Subaru Legacy GT, when the dealer offered an outstanding buy on his only spec.B. The combination of improved handling dynamics, navigation system and other features turned it into an irresistible buy. Any enthusiast who has driven the turbo GT Legacy knows that the 250 HP rating offered by Subaru is WAY low. Zero-to-60 in 5.3 (which this car does) means something more on the order of 275+ flywheel HP. Great performance, handling and all wheel drive make this a terrific buy!

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  Great Car - but stumped the expert - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By Jeff Lampe - September 26 - 7:33 am

  I have had the Subaru GT Ltd for about 9 months. I absolutely love this car, it fits me like a glove and drives like no other car I have ever had. It is classic, conservative, but with an attitude that I can turn on with a little pressure on the gas. I blow the doors off the hot little Hondas and German cars. The handling is tight and I love cruising around in it. However, things came crashing down after taking it thru a car wash. The ECU, bulkhead wire harness, integrated unit have been replaced and who knows what else is needed, certainly not the dealers or the Subaru expert knows why it will not start, or not run for more than 30 min. It has been in the shop for the past 9 weeks.

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  Legacy for a Legacy - 2007 Subaru Legacy
  By J - September 26 - 2:53 am

  This car replaces my 1990 Legacy LS which lasted me 167,000 miles (until cracked engine block). 07 edition looks good, handles well, gets great mileage, has decent trunk space and is more peppier (w/2.5L) than my 1990 (w/2.0L). One quirk: car bucks at a certain rpm in all gears when when foot held steady on gas pedal on moderate downgrades (supposedly due to electronic gas pedal). Dealer says thats the way the car is designed. If you have a manual tranny, try this yourself, as this is supposedly common to all Legacy SIs. That said, Id still rather have a 5 speed stick than an auto transmission.

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  No problems here - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By nor327 - September 13 - 2:26 am

  I was motivated to write this review after reading reviews citing multitudinous problems. No rattles or breakdowns to report. Incredibly roomy inside given the small package outside. I dont think it is fair to cite as negatives the use of plastics or the sound system since those are attributes that can be evaluated in a test drive. I think this is a super automobile for the price point.