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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  Quick study - 2000 Subaru Outback
  By magicjeanne - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Handles and drives well, hugs road, not powerful, unless time to gain momentum on open hwy. What smells like its burning after driving up hills? After heated seat has been on? Transmission? I have an automatic. Why no rear window wiper? Why no storage pockets behind front seats?

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  Good car, but... - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Jim F - October 8 - 2:30 pm

  Had this car 5 years & like it. Really like the way it hugs the road & handles curves with low center of gravity due to "pancake engine". 4 cyl engine a little lacking in "get up & go." Love the AWD; Ive driven in snow and sand, NEVER put on chains. Interior comfort just OK; still find myself wanting better place to put my elbows while driving. No one wants to ride in middle of back seat. No major mechanical repairs in 5 years, but have had minor oil seepage for last couple years - not enough to drop oil level, but enough to produce burning oil smell from engine & cant find source. CHECK ENGINE & AT OIL TEMP lights keep coming on though no malfunction & no one can figure out why. Annoying.

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  awesome - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By rup - October 8 - 2:00 am

  so much fun

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  Oil burner - burnt engine/valves. Awful - 2010 Subaru Impreza
  By crtruthbtold - October 7 - 4:10 pm

  I bough (and I am now selling) my 2010 Subaru Impreza (Outback Sport). I bought it new, it burns oil. Ridiculous. All the maintenance and oil changes as required. In under 100K miles I had an oil leak develop and had to replace valve gasket -$$$ repair. less than 10K miles later I had a push rod bearing go because of oil burning! and now I have to buy a short block engine if I wanted to repair it. I am selling it for salvage for more than I expected as I refuse to sink good money after bad. At least I dont owe any money on it. This is the 2nd Subaru I have purchased with oil issues (the other was a turbo Baja - 4 burned valves while still under warranty in the first 36K miles).Stay away.

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  Performance for the rest of us - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Michael - October 7 - 11:30 am

  The STi is by far the most performance value for your dollar. At roughly $100/horsepower, you will be challenged to find something else that competes (with the exception of the Mitsubishi EVO). This car is by far the most fun to drive of any turbocharged car Ive owned. Running out of corners in 2nd gear with the All Wheel Drive will put a huge grin on your face every single time you do it. There are other performance cars out there such as the Nissan 350Z that are close. But the STi offers a standard cart-your-friends around 4-door (I carry both my kids car seats in mine) that you dont get with most sports cars. Bottom line is this car is a blast to drive, and is affordable.

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  A better SAAB...? - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By Doug - October 7 - 10:16 am

  3rd Impreza, 5th Subaru. A sports sedan with SUBSTANCE. Subaru AWD has pulled us through winter whiteouts (even with the performance Bridgestone RE-92 tires) when 4wd pickups and SUVs were all over the place. Solid construction--some of that vault-like feel of the Europeans, without the disappointments. Love the Alfa-esque styling; my "hog-nose" the last of the good-looking Imprezas before Subaru began taking their styling cues from the Koreans. More than adequate power & handling for my needs from base 2.5i. Instrument layout, gauge lighting superb. Quirky enough to start a cult-following, yet reliable to keep those of us on a budget coming back for more. A better SAAB? Just MAYBE...

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  Awesome car - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By MURKCITY - October 7 - 8:06 am

  Just got the car I have about 3k worth of miles on it. I drive it about 120 miles a day on a five day week schedule and on a reg 9-5 job schedule. I have the 5M and all I can say is that I love my car. It is awesome! This is the fist year that I am actually looking forward to the winter here in New York. Cant wait for the snow! I usually hate driving in the snow but after all the you tube videos of the Imprezas in the snow I cant wait! The only thing I regret is not getting the WRX sti. I might try to trade mine back in for it but not sure. Other than that I love it!

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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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  A Go anywhere, do everything vehicle - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By TheSubaruNut - October 6 - 2:53 pm

  This is our 4th Subaru since 1990. This one is the best so far. Style, fit and finish are superb. The stereo with XM radio is outstanding. Wonderful sound system. Handling is great and I love the 3 position switch controlling turbo performance. In the conservative Intelligent mode we get 24+ MPG and the engine has yet to be broken in. Change the switch setting to super high performance and expect to get a real thrill (but plan to pay for it in MPGs). Turning radius is very short and without a doubt the ride beats any Mercedes or Lexus Ive ever ridden in. Heated seats respond quickly and will roast your back side when set to high. We have the nav system, but yet to test it.

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  The Details - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By Kelly & Diana - October 6 - 10:06 am

  I like the car. It was between this or Hondas new HRV. The 2017 Forester won hands down. In fact, it works far better than this site (which wont let you paragraph). [PRO’s] Other than the cons, I am happy with our purchase of a 2017 Subaru Forester. I like the various features. The CVT transmission seems to get the job done just fine. I’m told it may even contribute to the decent milage we are experiencing. On mileage, we seem to be doing well over twenty-five, which is several miles to a gallon better than our 01 six cylinder Accord. One of the first things I noticed was how nice and sharp the Forester turns. I haven’t tested its limits, but it feels you could nearly turn around on an old two lane road. I like that I don’t have to grope around under the car for the oil filter. Acceleration with the four cylinder is impressive. My formerly owned, five speed, four cylinder, 98 Accord hopped right along. Even with four adults in it and running up a mountain pass. The Forester feels as if it could compete, for the most part. The car seems to do pretty well grabbing what traction it can on ice or compact snow. When my little pickup wants to take a block to get up to steam, the Subaru just squats down and goes on the same roadway, though it does it’s share of slipping too. Something other than factory provided tires, true winter tires, would go a long ways to changing that. [CON’s] The cons are the not so well thought out details, such as the spare tire and the USB access to the radio. First, the USB port. Who thinks it was a good idea to put the USB port to the radio inside and at the bottom of the six by six square, ten inch deep console? Needless to say, trying to plug a flash drive into the port and drive the car is not a good combination. Second, there is the matter of AWD, a pretend spare tire and no choice in the matter. Obviously, it’s a good practice to keep all four tires the same size. This keeps the front from turning at a different speed than the back, which can not just trash milage, but can also trash transmissions. A good tire rotation pattern includes the spare. That way, all tires are the same diameter. If you have a blow out, you can go to the spare. As it is, you may have to consider purchasing at least two, if not four tires, when one goes. I didn’t pay total attention to the details and didn’t catch that the radio lacks rear speakers. I WILL remedy that, because the sound quality from the current system is what it is - barely stereo. This is not to say the system is not quality for what it is. As others pointed out, the warranty could be better. [JUST FOR REFERENCE] Our previous ride, an 01 Accord, had a lot of trunk space. In fact, until we put the Forester’s seats down, we could get about three times as much in its trunk.