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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  Love it - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By scoobaru - March 2 - 12:36 am

  I bought the car with 11k miles in 2004. Ive had very few problems and have surpassed the 100k mark. I recently put about $500 worth of maintenance work into it and she runs great. Ive used it multiple times to tow a trailer with as much weight as 4000 lbs. Id like to get another 100k miles out of it at least. Im sure improvements have been made in the past 7 yrs - Im looking forward to buying another one.

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  Careful if you are big/tall - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Elrond - February 28 - 2:00 am

  A fine car, but at 62"/210, not for a long drive. Of course, few cars are. My wife loves it and the traction is superior, snow or rain. No problems, at all, though I have noticed the torque issue on pulling away. I find the acceleration perfectly adequate or better. Accessories are fine. Bought the 6 CD, nosebag, and universal cover (we do lots of dirt roads).

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  Things that make yoy say, Hmm - 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Scott - February 24 - 10:37 am

  I have put some 30k miles on her and this is a review , I have owned 4x Subarus and some 40 cars in my life. I do alot of outdoors activity and bring along the dogs as much as possible, so for that that it is pretty good, the MPG is about 24 City and 34 Highway, which is really good when compared to the SUVs in the area, the car handles well in braking, corner and such in the mountains, I travel to Smokey Mnt., about 3 times a year and I am also a Kayaker, which I have to get in and out of some tough places with the SUV, the ground clearance really come in, alot of mud holes, muddy and general soft ground she does well in. I have disappointed in alot of things about the SUV, items that are stock on others in this area are not in the Crosstrek, example, turning blinkers on the side on the car or mirros, none, with a company that prides itself on safety this should be on there, as to avoid a wreck, is best to see the other car and what its intentions are. The interior is really cheap, no lights on the mirrors overhead on the sun visor, chair material seems to stain very easy, carpet is like a felt, very thin, hard to clean, everything sticks to it, I would suggest seat covers, the radio only hold 1 Bluetooth link,( one cellphone), so if my wife wants to drive it, she has to delete my settings and put hers in, she as a Legency which this is not an issue with. Know the Engine and transmission, I will say that it is very lacking, even in teh small mountians of the Smokeys there is a real issue, the car has a hard time going uphill with the automatic transmission, even when using the paddle shifters, there is just so little pickup, that you have to allow more time for passing, or if you need power in an emergency, it is not there. I have checked on performance upgrades for the engine, there are none to this date. My brother is looking at a Subaru now, I would him Forester XT, it has the WRX engine, so when you need power it is there. CVT takes a few minutes to warm up and you can not go over 4k rpm, so either you have to let it idel until ready of drive less than 4k rpms. I would not buy another CrossTrek with the CVT and 2.0i engine, I am looking at selling it this spring, will go with Forester XT.

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  subbaru mystique - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By aj zimm - February 23 - 5:00 pm

  the forester is a basic plain good car wih a lotyt of features and a reliable foundation No matter what the ads say and how love is a Subaru mystique if you are in the market, new or used for this size SUV this must be on your list. Great entry exit, and a huge picture window they call the windshield makes you feel more a part of driving f the driving experience. The stock tires are noisy and are too harsh riding (Yokohama geolander 91 something) so in due time new treads will clear up this annoyance.

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  Very Happy - 2010 Subaru Forester
  By Patrick Hogan - February 22 - 5:03 pm

  So far so good. I test drove the new Outback, not please at all with the drive. The Forester however is easy to maneuver, no major blind spots. Leather is a must, other models w/o leather seem sub-par.

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  Excellent so far - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Nick Mitlo - February 22 - 1:11 am

  Driven for one month and love it so far! Problems with set up of My Subaru thru Dealership error and poor Customer Service at My Subaru web site and their Customer Service! But the car itself Is a dream car!

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  Dependable - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By SeattleSub - February 20 - 6:46 pm

  Bought new, now covered 72k miles in all conditions. I am a confirmed Subaru driver and this car has lived up to my expectations. This car gets me everywhere I want to go in any weather. The performance of the 2.5i is adequate. The 4-speed auto needs another gear and quicker response. Why did they put such poor tires on at the factory? Problems included: 1) Burning out headlight bulbs regularly. I no longer leave the headlights on all the time and the problem has gone away. 2) Wheel bearing went at 59k. I now have a 1 year old son and this model is too small in the back for the car seat and Mum. I am 65". I will probably buy the new model as it has much more leg and shoulder room.

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  My 2004 Subar WRX STI - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By zeroGsti - February 19 - 5:43 pm

  I love this car! I own a little 92 Honda Civic HB and I tell myself that Im going to drive the Civic to work for commuting but I cant resist driving the WRX because its so much fun. If you like fast cars like me youll love this car. Before making any judgments on this car I suggest you go to your nearest Subaru dealership to test drive it to see for yourself. After that the price doesnt seem so bad.

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  still lookin - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By johnny - February 19 - 6:19 am

  seems to be concern about the tire wear for the outback and some folks claim to change out the standard tires

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  Too Many dashboard and radio features left undone - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Declined - February 16 - 12:14 pm

  Unless you are a major programming artist do not even buy the programmables for mileage, fuel consumption and other dashboard hidden features. They use a paddle system to program all these functions. The automation fights back at every attempt to install even simple things like setting the clock. These features should come with solid pre-set features and maybe allow the user to up-grade the feature if he wants. I am so turned off over this I have given up trying to set the functions. This is my sixth purchase of a FORESTER. Because I anticipate they will do the same thing with unfinished automation when more autonomy becomes available this is my last purchase of a FORESTER. Never again!