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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  OMG OMG Giddy I am - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By BURU CUBBY - June 7 - 9:56 pm

  Got this 02/09. I can only say OMG! Never had a Subaru before... I got 2 independent mechanics I keep, they said GET IT. Its a steal!! Had 79986 on it, 1 owner, is fave color green, its got things I didnt think a car would dare have. I need it for the Chicago winters!! Im in luuuvv!! I can NEVER drive an American made car again. Love passing by storefronts with windows & seeing it. Im still in awe. The dual sunroofs are the bomb!! From what I hear these things just dont break down. I need that security driving alone a lot. The salesman thought I was gonna pass out from jumping around when he showed it to me (0: My Buru is all I could ever ask for. Everything is a perfect 10!!

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  best car for price - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By eraser1303 - June 7 - 6:10 pm

  somewhat loud, but gives the sound that you are moving, amazingly smooth at high speeds, great four wheel drive for great turns, clutch a little hard to get used too, great stock turbo for maximum performance, not very much noticible turbolag

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  update on oxygen sensor problem - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By anxious - June 7 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this vehicle in August 2004 and initially wrote in to Edmunds about an oxygen sensor light that went off immediately after I drove the car off the lot. Following the dealerships replacement of the faulty oxygen sensor (now 7 months ago) I have not had any problems with the car and I continue to enjoy driving it.

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  Best car for the money on the road, today. - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By roger gorski - June 7 - 12:35 pm

  This is my 3rd Subaru. I have only traded an old for a newer one, because the lease ran out. Great value for the money.Like a Timex watch...just keeps on ticking.

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  Great Ride! - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By greendesignguy - June 7 - 12:24 pm

  So, we have owned our Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited (Crystal Black Silica/Ivory Leather, Pop Package #1, Moonroof, and Navigation) for about a month now. This vehicle is very difficult to find, and we would have had ours earlier had we not had to wait for it to arrive at the dealer. It was also actually very difficult to find one to test drive, and we ultimately ended up testing out a demo version. I will start with the items I find to be an issue, and then talk about the stuff I love. First, as most have said, the vehicle lacks a little bit of power from the 40mph-60mph range, which is basically when you get on an interstate or highway. This is somewhat mitigated through use of the paddle shifters (which can actually be quite fun, but I use them sparingly). The acceleration is just fine otherwise. Starts smoothly and quickly from a stop and accelerates quickly and smoothly once you are already up to speed as in passing situations. The second item that is probably only an issue for me so it is really more of an annoyance and probably wont both many others is the way the dashboard cuts back to the passenger. I am fairly tall (6-7") and I fit really well on the driver’s side. Plenty of legroom compared to a lot of vehicles in this range. The problem is that when I am a passenger my right knee does not touch the dash when the seat is all the way back, but the dash swoops back towards the passenger at the center console which jams my left knee into it. It is not a big deal on short trips, but I have a feeling I will be doing all of the driving on the long trips. And again, this will only be an issue if you are my height. I would say anyone over 6-4" to check it out first to see if it bothers you. Those are my only complaints, and quite honestly, they are not all that big of a deal. On to the great stuff. First, the XV Crosstrek has a wonderfully solid ride and handles impeccably. We have owned many other small SUV/CUV vehicles and this one handles like a sports car compared to most of them. I would even go as far to say that it is better than the Acura crossover that we had for about a year. Next, the AWD works like a champ. Traveling for the holidays we were mostly driving through snow and ice, and this thing felt like it was magnetized to the road. On top of that, we were loaded down with two people, a large dog, all of our luggage and Christmas gifts driving in crappy, high wind weather and we still got 30 mpg. When it is just I or my wife driving in normal conditions we average that for both city and highway driving. I have to say this is one of the things that brought me to Subaru in the first place, great gas mileage on an AWD vehicle, and it has more than exceeded my expectations. All of the features of the vehicle are very nice (Moonroof, voice activated Navigation, backup camera etc.) , and I have found the leather interior to feel like it is of very high quality. The other interior finishes are also on par and even the plastics have a soft tactile feel to them. The interior design is simple, which is nice because it does not feel cluttered like a lot of vehicles today. One tech item I wish was part of the vehicle though is a read out of tire pressures. It has a tire pressure monitor/warning system, but nothing that tells you what the pressure currently is. We had this in another vehicle of ours and found it to be a functional and useful tool. On the exterior, I love the rugged yet refined look that the vehicle has from its added height, modified bumpers and especially the rims. Cant say enough how cool the rims are. Finally, a couple of other things to mention I would like to mention. First, the way the engine compartment is setup it will make it very easy to do routine maintenance if that is your thing. I will probably change our own oil and air filter as required. Second, while many dealers are not open to dealing on this vehicle, if you play your cards right, you can still get a deal as some dealers are open to dealing on the price. The biggest suggestion would be to make the dealers compete against one another and dont set foot into the dealership to finalize the deal until you have a price locked from email or phone communication. Doing so allowed us to get our Crosstrek ($28,200 MSRP) for $24,300, which makes for an incredible value on this vehicle. I hope that this review helps anyone that is interested in this vehicle. We really do love this car and could not be happier with it.

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  Superior comfort and control - 2018 Subaru Crosstrek
  By Chap Harrison - June 7 - 1:58 am

  I have only driven 1000 miles, but have been pleasantly surprised by almost everything. The electronic driving assistance is surprisingly good, with few false negatives or positives. Backing down a drive is strange - I have to rely on side mirrors and the rear camera, because you cant see much by twisting around to look. The only thing I havent liked is how the radio interacts with iPhone. Performance was completely unacceptable with iPhone 6s; it became okay when I bought an iPhone 7, but there is still a feeling of awkwardness with CarPlay. Too often when an interruption occurs (phone call, text, guidance instructions), whats being interrupted (radio, itunes, Overcast) never resumes without some manual intervention. This could be entirely Apples problem, though. The vehicle itself, although modestly powered, is one Id enthusiastically recommend.

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  B9 Divine - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Joe - June 6 - 7:50 pm

  Traded a Tahoe for the B9. Runs well. Shifting is substandard since I live in hilly area.

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  Transmission Issues after 12,000 Miles - 2017 Subaru WRX
  By Emily Hamblen - June 6 - 3:16 pm

  In July 2016 I bought my first new car, a 2017 Subaru WRX. In March 2017, after 12,000 miles, I noticed a vibration in 4th gear. I brought the car to Patriot Subaru where they pulled the transmission to correct the issue under warranty. A week later the transmission started to whine when accelerating. I brought the car back to the dealership where it was determined that the majority of my transmission needed to be replaced. This occurred on April 25th. Now a month later the car is still sitting at the dealership because parts are backordered. I contacted Subaru and was put in contact with Grant Noble. For two weeks Grant has been unable to address the issue or expedite the parts. I am extremely dissatisfied with this product.

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  Cant find a downside to this vehicle - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By subarublue77 - June 6 - 4:08 am

  Did not know SUV existed until I read Consumer Reports. They rated this #1 in small SUV category. I test drove also small SUV Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota and the Forester out classed them all. I bought it used from the Subaru dealership (Jax, FL) and they had the Carfax. Took it to my mechanic and he said everything looked great! Wanted something that seats 4 & back seats go down so I can carry wood for my woodworking projects. Took it on a couple of long drives already and nice smooth ride. Car accelerates well given it is a 4 cylinder. I bought the SUV because of its reliability history and price. I read all the reviews on Edmunds.com and almost everyone liked their Subaru.

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  Saab Owner becomes Subie Owner - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By Kenny Steinberg - June 5 - 11:53 pm

  I bought this as a safe city car for my wife and teenage daughter to share. We are very happy with our purchase. I have read here about the imploding turbo engines on these. I have discussed this with my service manager. He said that early VIN versions did indeed have that problem, but that this has been worked out. Hope so! This is a perfect size for us, and fits four people very comfortably, with five in a pinch.