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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  Worst car I ever owned - 2000 Subaru Outback
  By ely - December 18 - 12:20 am

  Within a year, the head gasket blew, damaging the radiator, and leaving me stranded in the desert. Since it was almost out of warranty, the dealer kept saying he didnt know what the problem was. As soon as the gasket was out of warranty, the dealer miraculously diagnosed the problem. Subaru covered only a small % of the nearly $2,000 bill. Other problems: catalytic converter (engine light always on); heat shield always coming loose; ball joint replaced several times; broken sway bar; 2 transmissions in 4 months; engine stills runs so hot it feels like heater is on; noisy; poor acceleration.

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  2013 Subaru Impreza is a terrible car - 2013 Subaru Impreza
  By tammyw4 - November 23 - 3:17 pm

  This car has been nothing but a problem. It has a terrible ride, gets poor gas mileage and at 24,400 miles chewed a set of tires right off the car. Subaru has to pay to put a new set on becuse it was under warranty. It has been aligned four time, it has had the steering box adjusted and now the AWD disengages in any slippery condition. Subaru is aware of how this car is running particulary with the AWD malfunctions, but Subaru engineering insists that the car is running to specifications. It is a piece of junk and the worst car purchase I have ever made. I have heard of many problems with the 2013s so buyer beware on this model year they are defective.

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  Subaru Bluetooth is garbage! - 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Larry Belcastro - November 20 - 11:49 pm

  When we upgraded our cell phone to a Samsung S6, we lost the ability to automatically reconnect each time we use the car. This is time consuming and has to be done BEFORE we move the car, delaying our travel. We cannot connect the bluetooth when driving, even though the driver is not pushing the buttons. Subaru Customer Support says that they cannot keep up with all the new cell phones and carriers, and have a list available with the ones that work. GET MORE HELP THEN! This is a poor excuse why they cannot get the autoconnect feature to work, but as a consumer its a good excuse to never buy another Subaru if they cannot keep current with technology.

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  Dont buy a Subaru - 2001 Subaru Legacy
  By IW - November 20 - 10:03 pm

  I bought the car new in 2000, performed all dealer service as scheduled, have had numerous problems with head gasket, transfer seal, and cam seal oil leaks. I bought the car expecting to get 200,000+ miles out of it, and started having oil leaks at 45,000 miles. Dealer has tried to repair numerous times, with no success. Every Subaru owner with whom I speak says the head gaskets are a known issue. I would never buy a Subaru again, and am looking to ditch this one as soon as possible, taking a huge loss in depreciation.

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  HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By dena - November 10 - 11:46 am

  Dont even think about buying this car! I have had it for about 6 months & absolutely regret buying this car. The exterior is great but the interior is cheap & poorly designed. The fabric on the doors already looks worn, the electric seats crack the plastic covers around the legs every time I move the seat back, the rubber seal around the back passenger door fell off... The position of the seat heater knobs is unreachable while driving. Plus, my factory installed remote start doesnt work unless the car is already warmed up. The dealership says there have been other complaints about this happening but nothing is being done to fix it. Subaru customer service is terrible. Dont buy this car!!

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  Would never buy another Subaru! - 1998 Subaru Forester
  By Lizzy - October 27 - 11:36 am

  This car has done nothing but cost us money! We have only owned it 4 years and only have 85,000 on a 10 year old vehicle but have had to replace the seals, transfer solenoid, clutches, you name it! Guess what? Once again, the engine light and At Oil Temp light are flashing after having the clutches replaced only 10 months ago. No one else can fix this vehicle either other than a Subaru Dealer. STAY FAR AWAY!

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  only problems - 2000 Subaru Impreza
  By scooby2 - October 12 - 10:00 am

  I had only problems with this car, they had to change the clutch, the alarm, twice the windows due to scratch, the rail of the moon roof, paint can scratch very easely, metal parts are bad quality and so on. The car was apparently not checked at the manufacturing plant exit. I have now the engine that misfires, a strange paper burnt odor that the dealer cannot fixed. Very poor customer service and inefficient dealer. I would not recommand the car to anyone. Too much body roll when driving hard and the clutch is a nightmare when cold and when driving fast.

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  Burns Lots of Oil and Gas - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By Kirk Kraemer - September 20 - 9:52 am

  Lawsuit has been settled and Subaru finally agreed that maybe I should not have to add a quart of $8 oil every 2200 miles. Car has about 118,000 miles and has burned oil excessively the entire time (dealer: "its normal oil burn to go through a quart in as little as 1200 miles). Class action settlement extends warranty for 1 year for cars that are already in excess of 100,000 miles. Specifically traded in my previous Subaru to get the 2012 because of the 37mpg highway on the sticker. I NEVER EVER got over 31 mpg and I drive mostly flat highway with constant speeds. Total BS on the 37mpg.

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  horrible car, dont buy - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By D - September 17 - 7:40 am

  Bought this new in 2007 from a dealer with 30 miles on the odometer. Now it has 4,300. Horrible car. Small, uncomfortable, cheap looking. Interior vibrates in all places possible (started to do so when I drove it off the lot). Biggest problem: engine shakes ridiculously when idling. Dealer said it was "normal." Yeah right, it makes my passengers dizzy. Dont invest in this car, you will not be happy. There are many other problems to list: slow manual transmission, very rough ride, noisy tires, horrible aerodynamics, unbelievably cheap stereo, speakers crackle.

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  SERIOUS STRUCTURAL ISSUES!--LEGACY - 2011 Subaru Legacy
  By snowboarder155 - September 16 - 11:38 pm

  The hood of this car collapsed in the center after an average snowstorm we had from just 21 inches of snow (thats less than 2 ft!). I just purchased this car less than 3 weeks ago and it is a brand new 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited Model. Subaru will not fix, even with all of the pictures I took and the police report I got that clearly says that this car was parked safely in a driveway, where nothing couldve fallen on it, and the hood collapsed from just 21 inches of snow. Also the customer service was horrible! They were absolutely mean to me about this where I did nothing to cause this. I believe this car has a serious structural issue and I will be seeing Subaru in court!