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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  Nice Ride - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By Bean - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I traded in my beloved firebird for the WRX after a scary snow incident. The WRX has made the transition easy. The turbo gets things going quickly, the AWD handling is incredible. Its a sporty, reliable car. One you can take to the track for fun, or pack in some friends for a long road trip and still be comfortable. Very happy I purchased the WRX

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  Fun 2nd Car - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By kotpet - April 29 - 5:00 pm

  Fun 2nd car. Not for every day. Theres a considerable turbo lag, but not an issue if you keep revs above 4000. Some understear. Side mirrors too small. Also, I recommend to change to better tires.

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  Good and bad - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By CB-Bothell, WA. - April 25 - 4:40 pm

  Bought it new. It is an S with Premium package which only comes with an auto transmission. For a small car it is generally quiet, smooth engine, drives well and is fun to drive and returns reasonable gas mileage (I average 23 - 25 mpg). Driving position is very good, seats are good (a bit too hard), storage space very good, very good stereo. Back seat is fair (insufficient leg room) and cup holders poor. First three years were reliable. Since turning 38,000 miles have replaced alternator at 38,612 miles and at 42,271 miles knock sensor failed. Both on my tab. Repair costs are high for this auto. I like my Subaru, it has a lot going for it, but I will not purchase another, due to reliability issues.

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  1st Subaru - Nice Car!!! - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By AJC-Chicago - April 25 - 4:10 am

  Bought today, 50 miles so far. This was my choice over Camry, Accord, Altima since they all had comparable features for the price EXCEPT for AWD. Car runs very smooth and feels solid on the road: The feeling of AWD pushing the vehicle rather than that "pull" feel from front wheel drivers. CVT trans is wowing me as there is no shifting and it cruises quietly: 70mph at about 2100RPM. Engine is very responsive and unless you really need to race, I dont see a need for the Flat-6. Base radio is also very good and cant justify spending the extra 1k for the HK Stereo option. I would recommend test driving this car if youre in the mid-size sedan market. Good luck haggling on a brand new car!

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  Difficult to start at high altitudes - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Jeff - April 24 - 8:00 pm

  All perspective owners should be aware that this vehicle has a known and systemic issue at high altitudes. Specifically, the car is very difficult to start. I live in the Denver area (5200 feet) and took it up to Breckenridge (9200 feet) for the weekend. When we wanted to leave in the morning to go to the slopes I had a very difficult time starting it. This happened again after skiing all day. According to Dealer, this problem is well known by Subaru and they are working on a fix but dont have one yet. I am extremely frustrated (not surprised) that this known issue was not communicated to me by the dealer. I am writing this review to warn other potential buyers of this issue.

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  Side molding between the tires - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By Unhappy owner - April 22 - 7:03 am

  Has anyone else had problems with the side molding between the tires coming off? Mine has came off 4 times this week! Its frustrating. To think we paid a lot of money for a car thats gonna fall apart! I love the car & its features, but I am completely unhappy w/this problem! If we would have known it when we bought it we wouldnt have!

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  Solid car - needs more power - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By John Grubenhoff - April 21 - 12:36 pm

  I live in Colorado and do a lot of mountain driving in the snow. There was nowhere I couldnt get to in the Impreza wagon. Even with all season radials, I had better handling in snow and ice than many vehicles with snow tires. The ride is smooth and acceleration is adequate most of the time. The 4 speed auto lacks power when climbing steeper mountain hills and downshifts too frequently to maintain speed. Flat land driving is excellent. The handling in all conditions exceeds any car Ive driven before (86 Sentra, 90 Accord, 93 Infiniti G, 96 Infiniti G and 03 Altima). Overall this car offers a good mix of performance and mpg. If youre looking for true sport handling, get the WRX.

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  The Transmission? - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By seamus fogarty - April 20 - 5:26 am

  This is our 4th Subaru, 99 ,04 Legasc, 05, and 2008 llbean 6 cyl, , generally good all around, except for the transmission, it keeps, shunting, the gears, as all the other were smooth, feels like a driver with a standard shift, jerking the clutch, this is very disturbing, I had the 30,000, mile service last week, and to-day had to take it back to valley motors, that service cost $ 544. And that was fine, except that the transmission, issue was not resolved, now I am waiting for a call from valley motors, one other thing with the service/engineers, or lack of, the handbrake was adjusted so tight, that one had to be a mr Atlas to pull it up .

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  DYNO PACKED 4 CYL!!! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By bstshot3 - April 18 - 10:00 am

  THIS SUBARU IS NOTHING LIKE THE ONES OF THE PAST. IT IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A REAL SPORTS/RACE DRIVEN MACHINE. I HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS LITTLE CAR. ILL MOST LIKELY STICK WITH THIS CAR COMPANY FOR THE DURATION...

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  Poorly Designed - 2015 Subaru Outback
  By randirn - April 16 - 7:09 pm

  Notice to those considering a new Outback. Please be aware that there are some design features that are just not driver friendly. The electric tailgate. You must UNLOCK all the passenger doors to use this feature from inside the vehicle. You have now opened yourself up to being carjacked. I own a GMC Terrain and when I go to the supermarket and have the groceries loaded into the vehicle, I have all the passenger doors locked, I dont even need to have the vehicle turned on for the electric tailgate to work. The store employee can load the groceries while I sit inside the vehicle safe. The remote start, what joke. You remote start the vehicle, but when you open the drivers door the engine sto