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:

• 

  Love the Car... Hate the Mileage - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By linmike - July 3 - 6:30 pm

  Purchased this car in January 2008. Have put about 200 miles on the car so far. Handles great in all weather. Mileage has not advance to more than 11.1 mpg; very disappointing.

• 

  Great Car - 2009 Subaru Impreza
  By rkouvo - July 3 - 2:26 am

  I dont know where the EPA got their numbers from, I do mostly city driving and am averaging 28.5mpg on the first two tanks of gas, the motor isnt even broken in yet, Im sure to get over 30mpg. Its a fun car to drive, definitely good for commuting, the only downside is the amount of wind and road noise along with some rattling of the hard plastic interior. I cant wait for some snow to see how the all wheel drive holds up though, if its anything like my 92 suby was, it should be a lot of fun. Id recommend this car to anyone, the 09 impreza has a noticeable amount of more interior space which is great! A+

• 

  XT 2 Turbo, Hi from Ukraine - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By Vladyslav Gavrylenko - July 2 - 10:00 am

  As everybody knows what Ukraine and Russia have no roads and this car perferct for me, the slogan any road and any time giving 100% feedback, By the way as i see for Ukraine we getting 2 liters and this 177 hp, my car starting much faster than Camry 2.4 and I was winner when i drived with BMW 2.5 :)

• 

  WRX - Great Car! - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Mike - June 29 - 11:53 pm

  The 2008 WRX is one fun car! I have the premium model because I wanted the heated seats. This car is fast, fun, safe and reliable. Reviews say this latest model is tame and now marketed to a larger audience. So what. For around $26K, this car delivers tons of performance for the dollar.

• 

  Soft brakes - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By Thomas Mikolajewski - June 29 - 4:37 am

  Bought 2014 Subaru Forester in March and found some features below standard. The rubber coated dash is hard to clean and seems to attach lint. The rear hatch does not open when the open button is pressed but has a delay so at first the open button was pressed repeatedly causing some frustration unless you wait until hatch starts to move. The brakes feel soft and the pedal slowly moves when stopped at a light. Need to pump brakes to get pedal up and this causes car to move which is scary when sitting in traffic. Dealer says all Subaru brakes operate this way but this is my first Subaru and I do not remember this problem on previous American or Japanese cars I owned.

• 

  Performance, Performance, Performance - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By John Nguyen - June 26 - 1:20 pm

  This is an amazingly fast vehicle. You can definitely feel all 300 horses and the 300 ft/lbs of torque. The AWD works great and helps out in rough road conditions. This is a pure performance car with little flaws. The negatives I did find were random rattle noises, attention I get from police, unmatched green lighting on the radio and climate control, easily chippable paint, and the gas mileage. Overall this car is for the driving enthusiasts, people who love to hear the cars engine and turbo, feel the cars torque, and be able to take corners with ease. You will not find another car with this much power for the price. Test drive it and you will automatically fall in love with it!

• 

  We like it a lot - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By drjochen - June 21 - 3:03 pm

  We have has the car for 2 months now and we like it a lot. It is very solid and doesnt drive as bad as your standard SUV/minivan. It drives more like a passenger car. It also roomy inside without having the monster size of some SUVs.

• 

  Cold Start - 2008 Subaru Forester
  By High Plains Drifter - June 20 - 10:30 am

  When I try to start it up in the morning it is noisy and has a rough idle. The shop has a bulletin for PZEV models that says ethanol in the gas will effect the engine this way on cold starts. All gas in this area has ethanol in it. I have had a lot of cars and never seen an engine start like this every morning. Cant Subaru do better than this?

• 

  Safe, Dependable and fun - 2004 Subaru Legacy
  By Froggy - June 15 - 1:53 am

  I agree with the others that the auto trans could be better.A 5 or 6 speed would improve economy (I get 25 overall) and acceleration. Reliability wise, I have over 90,000 on it and I have had only one out of pocket repair. It is still tight as a drum. My friends Hondas and Toyotas have been more problematic, in fact they all love my subie. I think many people just dont give Subaru a look before going to Honda or Toyota. This is my third Subaru and I dont see where the others are any more reliable or better made.

• 

  Shoulda checked - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By AnotherBill - June 13 - 6:00 pm

  Who can not help but love a new car. I know I do, but after a month of owning my Forester, there are some little annoyances that cant be noticed until you have owned the vehicle. I may be a little critical, but some things you take for granted that they have been tried and approved. The front seats need some added cushioning. It is a little to firm for my aching back that becomes apparent after a six hour drive The power seat is very nice, I just wish the passenger side had some of the same adjustments as the drivers, such as the lumbar support. These things dont become apparent until you have spent time in the vehicle. The climate control blows lots of whatever you want, but my kids in the back seat were complaining of being too hot, or too cool. I thought there was a vent to the back seat area under the front seats, but there are none. The entertainment? screen, AKA the radio, is a touch screen. I think it is the same software as the RAV4. Having to page up or page down to see other programmed stations is cumbersome, and without fail, I miss the touch area to advance, and end up on a different screen. Im sure I will get used to it, but for now it is a pain. The steering wheel controls are there, and they work well, except you have to step through all the other preprogramed channels. That is just how it works. No fault there. The information screen on top of the dash, although mostly useful, has a number of screen settings that seem to be more fluff than substance. It handles very nicely, but does seem a little too much on the stiff side for the bumpy roads of Ohio, and for the expansion joints of many of our interstate highways. The CVT was a nice surprise. Being old school, I was suspicious of the design, but it is quite smooth. My only gripe is from a stop, it can be a little "grabby" as it engages. I also hope the longevity is on par with their older designs that lasted forever. The AWD system is flawless. They all are. Im about done, but I need to mention that as I packed for a family trip, I found myself wishing it was a foot longer in the cargo area. Purely for hauling our junk around. Probably owning a mini-van spoiled me, but I still like to take my stuff with me when I head out on trips. Oh and another thing. I didnt realize this was not assembled in the U.S. That could have been a deal breaker. (My 1998 Outback was built in Indiana. Still on the road, but tired)