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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  Subaru For Life - 1999 Subaru Forester
  By GavinJLang - January 12 - 12:10 am

  This is one of the best cars Ive ever owned. Thats saying a lot considering Ive owned over 60 cars. No, its no race car... the pick-up is moderate... BUT the capabilities, reliability, and overall maintenance cost have been lower than anything Ive owned in the past. Perfect for running around town or getting to that hard to reach off road destination. The only thing lacking in my model is 4 high and low for better off-road capabilities, but it definitely works well. Tires make a BIG difference in its handling and capabilities, and since there are so many aftermarket pieces available thats hardly an issue.

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  Plush, but cool. - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Luv2drive - January 10 - 10:56 pm

  We bought this car for my wife to drive, but I like it a lot, too. Its interior and exterior styling are cool and futuristic. (I even like the weird LED tail lights!) The upgraded stereo rocks, but I would rather listen to the unique sounding boxer engine. That engine is a little different than an inline 4. It produces punchy low end torque, but levels off the higher you rev. Theres really no point in revving it over 3500 rpm! The slick shifter, loose clutch, and peppy engine make it ridiculously easy to drive. Its obvious that Subaru focused on utility and comfort for this model, at the sacrifice of agility and handling, but the full time all wheel drive rules!

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  Solid AWD Sedan - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By Raffaele - January 10 - 2:30 pm

  Bought used 9 months ago with 15k mis put on about 5k so far. Was looking for good record of safety and reliability. Love the exterior looks, the 17s fit the car great. Interior looks great but rattles and the loose center arm rest isnt useful. Always using Sport mode but power/shifts feel delayed even when the engine roars. Gas mileage was a main concern, seen as low as 18mpg if driven in city/aggressively or as high as 31mpg with mostly highway/conservative driving. Overall averaging above EPA. Solid car but room for improvement.

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  Good - should be better - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By David - January 10 - 1:33 pm

  Came to this vehicle from 2003 base forester. 2009 forester felt too minivan and flimsy. Outback is a solid feeling vehicle, handles very well, is quiet and relaxing on the road. Exterior of 2009 model has a sharp mature look. HK stereo is a plus. Gas mileage OK... poor in city, good on freeway. Package of good high end options. At the price I paid other cars feel like plastic in comparison. If this vehicle were one foot shorter it would be fun to drive and also be a much better urban vehicle.

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  Lovely but tough car! - 2011 Subaru Impreza
  By postdoc - January 8 - 10:00 am

  This compact car possesses feature of AWD, safety, tougher underparts fit for outdoor, enough space, Bluetooth and USB. The front mask looks ordinal but the rear style looks nice. 5-sp AT is desirable but there may be some reasons why 4-sp is applied for this size of AWD car as Matrix-AWD and Vibe- AWD also apply 4-sp AT. I hope that professional car reviewers will consider this point. The audio system may be improved in 2011. If FWD is OK, Mazda 3 and Golf may be more attractive, but I like this car more and more day by day.

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  First Subaru - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By Sunshine State - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Drove it down the interstate and it handled well. I was impressed with the 4 cylinder engine, once you get moving it seems effortless (Driving in Florida, so most of the driving on flat area. Somethings I would recommend: 1. Automatic Door locks should be included. 2. 2 AC vents near the radio should be placed in a different location. 3. Mud flaps should be included on limited model. 4. It would help to improve flexibility of seating if back seat could be adjusted back or forward a few inches (similar to GMC Terrains back seat). 5. Warranty on drive train should be more competitive with other car manufacturers (many are 100,000 while Subaru is 60,000).

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  Roll the Dice - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By new subaru - January 8 - 10:00 am

  We wanted a 4 wheel drive for the Maine winters also we needed the room have 3 kids. We also wanted better mpg than our trailblazer was giving us. Test drove 5 different cars/suvs. Really like the Volvo xc70 then again who wouldnt just to much $$$$$. The Subaru has a great feel and ride. Remember its not a luxury car. Very roomy inside for all passengers and cargo. We have less then 1000 mi but averaging around 29 mpg. Problems sunroof has a small leak which is being fixed at dealership they say they have seen this with other Subarus. Also one of the rear speakers is not working hopefully will be fixed as well. Ill let ya know.

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  First car! - 2013 Subaru Outback
  By lynncy - January 7 - 12:27 pm

  As this was my first car and Im a highly practical person who wants to make sure I make the absolute best decision for me, I drove, drumroll please... 30 cars. I even drove the 2012 and 2013 outbacks back to back to see if I could notice significant differences in the way it drove. I did. Much less body roll and more pep with slightly better gas mileage did me in. So far Ive driven 1500 miles, mostly city. City, Ive been averaging 23 MPG and on the highway I did about 28 with two large adults and all our junk for a vacation. I havent done much off-roading, but I can tell this car would handle it no problemo.

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  Nice, functional little car - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By xraymike11 - January 2 - 9:23 pm

  My wife and I bought this car new, and weve been satisfied with the purchase. We perform routine maintenance, and the car has been quite reliable. After two spinout accidents on black ice, the car still feels extremely solid. I would recommend upgrading to winter tires. The manual transmissions takes some getting used to, but is a pleasure to drive once you master it. The engine isnt necessarily quick, but is adequate for normal driving. Inside, the front seats are comfortable and have great lateral support. Controls are logical and easy to reach. Back seats have enough room to fit adults. We average 26 mpg in normal driving. Maintains great resale value.

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  No SUV is perfect -- this one is closest - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By Pittsburgh Peneplainer - January 2 - 7:37 pm

  Compared this to Mazda CX-5, VW Tiguan; my other car is a 2016 VW GTI. The Forester won me over for its well-known virtues: best driving position, visibility, ease of entry, AWD system, modern safety features, fuel economy and (hopefully) reliability. The handling is better than I expected; the ride is never totally settled on the highway, but it absorbs bad bumps with ease. Its pretty quiet -- wind whistle around the mirrors starts above 65 mph -- much quieter than the CX-5. Rear seat is comfortable and very spacious; cargo area is terrific considering the exterior dimensions. I parallel park in the city every day; the visibility, big mirrors and rear-view camera make it easy. The bad: front seats (the standard cloth) do the job but nothing more; feels like youre sitting on them not in them. The interior plastics are mostly hard, shiny, brittle and ugly -- but they fit well. The EyeSight controls are strewn randomly about the cabin; the EyeSight cameras require that the sun visors arent wide enough to be useful. The power rear tailgate is slow, but its easy to just use it manually. The USB ports have no ability to retain index information between starts; check out the Forester forums on this issue. Choose the first song on your USB device carefully because youll be hearing it a lot! But still, the best compact SUV for my needs -- the redesigned 2017 Imprezas give me hope that future Foresters may overcome weaknesses in the current Forester.