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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  I Hate To Give It Up - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Laura - April 12 - 2:20 am

  Love my Tribeca, my lease is over and I am getting an Acura MDX the acceleration on the Subaru wasnt enough for me very safe vehicle and great paint, the car looks and drives like brand new after 3 yrs. of ownership. I wish they would build a bigger Subaru that was more roomy I have 2 boys and the 4 of us just grew out of this truck. If you travel a lot get the luggage rack because it is a tight squeeze in the back.

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  Avoid 2001 manual Foresters - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By disappointed subie - April 11 - 1:03 pm

  There must be something about 2001 manual Foresters. We had all sorts of trouble with our 2001 manual L model. Almost from the start, we had problems with shudder and gear grinding/engagement. Since 2001, weve gone through four new clutches, two TSB services and a total transmission replacement. They were all covered under warranty, but not without a lot of grief, letters to Subaru headquarters and, most recently, a month of the Forester being in the shop. When the transmission started grinding again (six weeks after the transmission replacement) we decided that was the last straw. We traded in the Forester for a new Honda Accord EX V6 coupe. Were keeping our Outback, tho.

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  Good car with some flaws - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Peter - April 10 - 5:56 am

  I bought it because I wanted something practical (wagon), safe (AWD), fun to drive (manual, turbo), reliable (made in Japan) and reasonably priced (slightly over $21K). I have owned the car for almost 3 years (33K miles). Overall it has been a pleasant experience. Fuel economy is decent (on average about 26 mpg). The car is kind of sluggish off the line tough (turbo lag), and even once the turbo kicks in it does not appear to deliver advertised acceleration. My major gripes pertain to the gear box and paint quality. First I got grinding while shifting into the 5th gear. Now I am getting occasional grind while shifting into the 1st. Paint is very week - millions of chips on the hood and fenders.

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  Lots of little problems. - 1998 Subaru Forester
  By deepsky - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive had lots of small problems with this vehicle. Oil leaks, transmission popping out of gear, piston slap noise from engine, all occuring immediately after the warranty expired at 50,000 miles. All of these things take away from the fact that this is a nice little SUV. It handles great in the snow and has a lot of nice little features, although the back seat is really too small for a rear-facing child seat.

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  Sleeper Wagon, able and quick - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By P-band - April 10 - 2:00 am

  The engine, once in the power band, is raw power, serious, and breathless. The boxer flat-four gives a unique engine sound reminiscent of the traditional Porsche 911. With AWD, handling is phenomenal. Performance outperforms price and other cars in similar price range. In fact, the performance rivals that of cars priced far higher! Overall, for the price of such a playful, demonic little sport wagon, I am extremely happy with the purchase. Highly recommended for those wanting a genuinely high- performing sports car with the skill to do the tasks of small SUVs!

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  Brakes - 2004 Subaru Outback
  By Vermont owner - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I do like my 2002 Outback Wagon. BUT there seems to be problems with the brakes on the Outbacks. I drive a 5- speed standard, mostly interstate driving of 100 miles at a time. I had new brakes at 14,000 miles and another set of brakes at 25,000 miles. There also seems to be problems with needing to replace the head gasket at anywhere between 40,000 and 60,000 miles. This is unheard of in vehicles as this problem doesnt unually occur until 100,000 miles. Id be interested to hear if other folks are seeing and having these problems.

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  WOW - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By WOW - April 10 - 1:53 am

  Im recently out of a 2002 Civic Ex and into an Impreza RS 2.5 auto. I was shocked to see how much my Subaru rode and handled like a VW. The Subaru is rock solid, has excellent handling and sticks to the road like glue. Made my old Civic EX feel like I was driving a wheelbarrow. Fit and finish are on par with the rest of Japan. This vehicle comes highly recommended

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  Accelerator Problem - 2008 Subaru Forester
  By Sylvia Lucy - April 8 - 5:13 pm

  There is one annoying problem that spoils the overall positive driving experience. The vehicle speeds up and slows down constantly while I try to hold a steady highway speed. The dealership ship says all the newer Foresters do that because of the computer settings. Subaru has made a flash program change computer settings for Imprezas that exhibited this problem but havent gotten around to make a fix for the 2008 and 2009 Forester. I would suggest waiting until they have this problem solved before buying one.

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  Good car to own and drive - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By avkesq - April 8 - 2:52 am

  When my 1998 Subaru wagon bit the dust (failed transmission) after 168K miles, I decided to buy the new sedan, in late 2004. It now has over 60,000 miles and is still running well. This car provides the best mix of comfort, performance, fuel economy and road grip/stability that I have come across. I travel a lot and have used a number of rental cars (many brand new), but the Subaru beats them all. Highway fuel economy is at 29mpg, provided I keep at or below 65mph. Acceleration is good when I flip to Sports mode, enabling me to join the freeway from the ramp with lots of power to spare, and agility and road grip make me feel safe. Truly fun car to drive for the money, and very safe.

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  Gone, Sold, Amazed - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By KJ - April 5 - 5:30 am

  I am a 40 year old man who has brought several cars/trucks back from the dead to a better than stock finish. I have enjoyed the muscle cars of the late 60s mainly and several foreign cars & trucks. I can honestly say I have never driven a bone stock car or any of my creations or creations of my friends that just flat out amazed me. BUT THIS CAR DID. For the money I still cant believe how good this car goes and handles. I sometimes go back and look at the blacktop to verify Im not picking it up off the ground. I love this car on back roads especially, we ave plenty of them in WV. I just wish they had some type of license here that if you passed the test you could drive as fast as you want.