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:

• 

  Highly recommended - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By jbdc1 - September 23 - 7:13 am

  It does a terrific job of what it is designed to do. Weve had it 1 yr, for 11K mi, with no problems at all. Thats what I expect for a brand new $24K car, and performance is also exactly as I would expect from a small car and small engine. It has been great in the city and on highway trips, havent had a chance to go in the forest yet. Room for a dog and a baby, even on long trips, yet easy to drive and park anywhere. Took me a while to get used to some of the Subaru engineering, like automatic downshifting for engine braking on hills and the automatic climate control, but Ive learned to accept them as useful.

• 

  GREAT all purpose car - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By dailydrivernj - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Owning this vehicle now for one year has been a terrific experience. Good fuel economy, NO reliability issues at all. Fun to drive and gets a lot of looks. Interior storage is a bit tight at times. Comfortable seating in all 4 places. Dealer replaced front brakes under warranty at 22000 miles. The 30000 mile service at the dealer is a bit pricey for a 4cyl car. Cold a/c in summer and decent heat in winter. Easy to maintain and keep clean

• 

  Sweet ride - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By butterflyz - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. Its safe and fun to drive and most of all reliable.

• 

  Good Subie, once trannys fixed - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Secretsubie - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Forester for four years and almost 65,000 miles now, and overall its been a good buy. It averages about 27ish mpg, and its still fun to drive, with plenty of pep from its engine, paired with our five-speed manual transmission. About a year ago, we had problems with the clutch shuddering when the vehicle was cold, but the problem was fixed under warranty (apparently the early models were built with weaker clutch plates than needed). Weve been tempted with the turbo Foresters and the 2005, 250 hp Outbacks, but I think well keep this puppy around a few more years and a couple thousand more miles.

• 

  disappointed - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By d barrow - September 21 - 9:50 pm

  Head gaskets leaking coolant and will not cover under warranty at 80,000 miles -- Subaru has recall/bulletin for same problem on on other VINs but will only cover 50% of an over $1,000 repair. Dual stage rear sunroof liner jams and wont open and wont cover this common problem. Cheap plastic rear cupholders broke and over $65 to repair. Not happy with a vehicle that is expected to run to 200,000 miles!

• 

  Great AWD Hatchback! - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By macj123 - September 20 - 10:15 pm

  This is a great all-wheel drive hatchback! I would recommend it to anyone who has to drive in the snow, this is built for snow, cold and ice. I have a manual and my winter driving conditions are very harsh so my MPG is not that great. Still better than SUVs so Im not complaining. Engine has started beautifully in many days below 0, even in the -20s! Great cargo space, roof rails roof rails are nice.

• 

  Love this car, but.... - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By CK Henry - September 19 - 11:35 pm

  After 100k expect to spend a lot of money. I hear this is typical of most American made cars of this price range;however, so I can accept that. SUbaru Inc. has always been extremely supportive and very fair about fixing mfg. problems, until air bag incident....that was a huge disappointment. Didnt fix for six months! And told me not to allow a jump seat passenger! What?

• 

  LOVE my Forester! - 1999 Subaru Forester
  By problemcat13 - September 18 - 11:43 am

  I LOVE my Forester! I put 15k miles a year on it, and I drive it hard! 5 speed and the engine pulls great. I had one problem, the headgasket, but it was covered under the service bulletin/warranty to 100k. I currently have 112k miles and this car is great. I really enjoy it. Reliable, fun, but maybe a little small for a family of four. Stereo/tape was lousy, I replaced it with an OEM 6-CD changer from a Subaru WRX for $100. MPG: if I drive hard (wide open throttle) I get 21.4, if I set cruise at the speed limit, 28.4. AWD uses more gas but is a blast to drive spirited! We miss our other Subaru (95 Legacy) and plan to purchase another when we can. Im so glad I got this vehicle.

• 

  Clunk is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By vaa4 - September 18 - 5:53 am

  I was very happy about our new vehicle purchase (Jul09) until we hit a bump in the road...an uneven bump. Rack and Pinion is designed to clunk every time wheels are turned and hit an uneven pavement (fact). Happens on driveways and while turning on an imperfect road. Took 3 service trips to find out at over 75% of Outbacks suffer from this issue. Done 3 trips to get front vibrations (tires?) taken care of, still in progress. Front rotors already machined (2K miles). Driver door handle cable is loose, havent addressed yet. If I was a Die-hard Subaru fan, I may have ignored these imperfections since no other vehicle fits my lifestyle that well, but I am having a hard time coping with it yet.

• 

  Great Car! - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By Jared Davison - September 16 - 10:00 am

  This Subaru is a very sporty car. This car has a quiter ride then a BMW 3 series. This car handles better then my Toyota Camry. This car is very coimportable