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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  Reliable on everything - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By JP - August 16 - 8:33 am

  Bought it new and have had minimal repairs and total reliability. Have replaced both boot cover for axle (too close to muffler-bad design) and at 160000 am replacing timing belt. Only minor expected brake part replacement and tires. Drive on dirt roads and in the Rocky Mountains and it is great. I drive a great deal and never feel I am at risk. This car handles snowy roads very well. I have even gone off the road into a ditch (my stupidity) and was able to keep it upright and get right back on (snowy dirt road). So I am guessing that rollovers are not common. If that had been my old explorer, I would have rolled. Best AWD around as far as I am concerned

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  beautiful car - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By apkjczb - August 16 - 6:56 am

  I bought this car because I needed a car that has 7 passenger seating but I hate those big trucks with 7 seats, so this was the perfect match for me, I loved the interior design, and the leg room it has since I am a tall guy (6.2) the few things I am missing in the car is the Bluetooth, and rear backup sensor which is important for this car since it has a tiny rear window so itÂ’s a large blind spot.

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  2002 subaru GT sedan - 2002 Subaru Legacy
  By nd - August 16 - 2:00 am

  Bought in November. Seems like a solid car. To early to tell about reliability. Live in the northeast. Have had three storms since buying the car.Great in the snow.

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  Car waiting to be modded... seriously - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By WRXreX - August 16 - 2:00 am

  This car is one of the easiest car to get the power out of. $2000 can make this a reliable 300hp monster www.turboxs.com. On the other hand, $5000 can net you a high 11s WRX. This car is meant to be driven hard and that is what rally car is intended to be. Please dont expect interior quality of VW. You will be disappointed. However, factory option carbon fiber trim kit will make interior look much much better. Tim

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  world rally xperiment - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By vishnu stage 0 - August 16 - 2:00 am

  this car is awesome, i can feel like 90% cars around is SLOW. can beat any car stock! and dont forget about the beauty of AWD. great at cornering, bad weather and SNOW! its a fun car to drive. dont say you dont like it until you drive it. dare to try to turbo? and by the way, there is a morron saying that WRX eats too gasoline for such a small engine, and i would say .... "duhhh!!!! this is a turbocharged engine you dumb dumb."

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  Loving this little car! - 2011 Subaru Impreza
  By campanozzi - August 14 - 7:25 am

  I have upgraded from a 2002 forester auto to a 2011 impreza LIMITED (canada & autralia only) with leather and wrx seats, i love the sound of the little boxer engine, good steering to! Fuel consumption is OK, in the city and pretty good on the highway! Its in my opinion the last true drivers N/A subaru! It feels planted I trust my car, i have the premium sound system ans i have to say its a bit disappointing! Good styling with the sport package to! Last , cargo space is not really good since it has a big bump in the trunk (sedan)

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  Love it - 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Beth - August 13 - 10:16 pm

  I really love my car, sharp looking, great in the snow, 31 mpg. Lots of room to haul stuff (hay, riding gear, etc). What is dont like is acceleration from a stop but the engine is not really that big for all wheel drive. Dont like the seat heaters. They dont work well, they run off ambient temperature which is annoying. I wish I had a beeper warning with the back up camera. Other than those things Im very pleased with the car. I would definitely buy another one. I had to buy new tires, I got Coopers. Disappointed that Ive lost 4 mpg, but if they last longer than the factory tires Ill be happy. Still very happy with my car after 26 months. Cooper tires were a big waste of hundreds of dollars. I’ve had them 14 months. Totally useless to in snow, no traction.

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  20,000 miles, 8 month review - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By occking - August 13 - 7:36 pm

  So far very pleased with the vehicle. Gas mileage has steadily improved since new. I do mostly highway driving, going from near Providence RI to Montreal every few weeks; on those trips average (actual) 26.5 to 28 mpg. Trip computer always indicated 1 to 1.5 mpg higher than actual. The front windows seem to fog up very easily however, and I havent figured out a way yet with the heating system how to eliminate that from happening. Took quite some time to get used the the very low center armrest in the vehicle. Have an excellent place to put my XM Commander unit (satellite radio) right on the center console.

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  Horrible Seat Comfort and Goofy Nav System - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By cincy3 - August 11 - 8:59 am

  I now own my first Subaru Outback for just a week and already want to get rid of it. One huge factor... the seat headrests are horrible. Have now, after purchasing the car, found several blogs citing the same problem. The headrests lean too far forward making my neck ache - and I cannnot find a comfortable position. I now need to find someone to fix it or i will be getting rid of it after just a week of ownership. Also - a minor complaint - the Nav system is goofy. Takes different disks for different parts of the country instead of one simple system like Garmin. So, living on the edge of their regions - I have to keep switching disks. goofy.

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  seat heater switches - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By gilatravler - August 11 - 2:00 am

  great car, fun to drive and well designed