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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  After seven years of ownership - 2000 Subaru Forester
  By bargain hunter - July 3 - 2:00 pm

  I bought this vehicle new in January 2000. For seven years I never had any major problems with this vehicle other than a radiator replacement. In the seventh year everything went on it at once. CV boots, wheel alignment, worn out wheel bearing, engine cylinder gaskets, fuel filter. The vehicle only had 81,000 miles on it when this all happen.

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  I will never buy another Subaru - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By DeeDido - June 24 - 7:00 am

  With 75,000 miles on it the head gasket had to be replaced. At 85,000 the power steering gear box. There is no trunk light. There is no lumbar support in the seats. My back is killing me. The visors did not have enough range to block the sun. It rattled constantly. The ride was extremely bumpy all the time. The engine noise was very loud. The stereo was terrible. Cruise control was not even an option. Stupid cup holder mounted on the dash board above the stereo.

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  undocumented shut down mode - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By cg - April 27 - 4:26 pm

  At 203 miles, driving 20 mph on residential streets, the transmission stuck in 1st gear with numerous lights on. Undocumented limp home mode? Dealer "service" dept gave me a chat line to call instead of road side assistance. Ridiculous and dangerous non support. 24 hrs in shop and they still dont know what went wrong.

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  Horrible Mistake - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By mulligan8 - April 27 - 12:19 am

  Bought 3.6R limited with 25,000 miles and have had constant problems with suspension. I have had in dealer 3 times and 2 other shops and no one has a clue. I replaced front shocks as dealer suggested-- of course NOT under warranty. Car still makes clunking noises over small road imperfections and VERY noisy as well . Seats comfortable but made with cheap leather and all interior bits seem slapped together. Got the 6 cylinder because of power and the 4 cylinder with CVT rubber band transmission pathetic-- yet Subaru still somehow succeeds in make the six sound like a 4 cylinder. Cant wait to get rid of it...Never again

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  Worst car Ive ever owned!! - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Jen - April 20 - 8:00 pm

  This is the worst car Ive ever owned. NO steering control on snowy roads. Brakes smokes and wont respond in wet, snowy weather. Car stops for no reason in the middle of the road with no warning. Have to replace oil every time I stop for gas because it burns out completely. Had the engine almost seize because of this! DO NOT Buy!!!!!

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  Cars a Piece of Junk. - 2001 Subaru Legacy
  By 12816527 - April 18 - 1:48 am

  I had owned this car since 2001 and it was ok... Styling was decent, handling was good, but it always seemed to make a lot of ratteling noise which is apparently common on subarus. It needed to have the O2 sensor replaced and had other small mechanical defects. but overall it was a good car until yesterday. The engine locked up and died. the repair places said it would need a new engine, so much for Japanese cars being reliable. just avoid this car. its not great but does get good traction in the snow. And by the way it died with only 89,000 on it.

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  Rust - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Kuni N - April 16 - 6:28 am

  2013 Outback and started to notice the rust several months ago. Sent an email through Subaru website and first respsonse was we don’t cover it even though it’s within the 5 year warranty period. For a vehicle company that prides itself on outdoor and severe weather durabilty and performance, it’s surprising to get a quick email like that from corporate. I am sure there will be a class action lawsuit based on Kobe Steel scandal with Japanese auto makers and will participate in that once it commences.

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  Cant wait until my family gets rid of it. - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By evanlloyd321 - April 15 - 6:07 pm

  The 2007 Subaru Outback wagonis not the smartest option for a Family with 2 kids and a dog, let alone anyone. I am 19, the oldest child of my family. My dad is a car enthusiast who loves wagons, just because thats his thing. In 2007 he decided to buy the L.L. Bean edition, AWD, 3.0L V6 Outback for $28,000. And now it is the car I use at college. I average 17.4 MPG for a tiny Wagon. Anyone can find a vehicle that has more space, better gas milage. I mind as well be driving a Full size SUV or Truck. **A car I am considering is the 2014 Dodge Durango RWD V6, due to better everything than this piece of junk sitting in my college parking deck. Suggestion: Dont buy it!

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  Not much positive - 2013 Subaru Legacy
  By lanter - April 12 - 6:15 pm

  My wife wanted the Subaru Legacy for quite some time. Finally when it came time, I decided I would give one a try. We bought it with the plan to keep it for 6-8 years. The first thing I noticed when test driving was the strange feel of the seat on the back of my thighs. It was irritating for maybe a few weeks then I stopped noticing the seats were different from most vehicles Ive owned. I drive about 17k miles a year. Probably 45% hwy and 55% city. I am impressed still with the mpg. It seems like I rarely have to fuel up. I get avg about 26mpg and Im not trying. The back seats are large and passengers find them comfortable. There are though too many things I hate about this vehicle though.

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  10 Years in the Family - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Pike - April 7 - 10:07 am

  To start, the Subaru was my mothers car for almost 10 years and she had bought it barely used with less than 2000 miles on it. Though this is not my car, I have driven it for several thousand miles over the past decade. My biggest complaints with this vehicle are its atrocious steering feel, terrible fuel economy, sub par reliability, obstructive visibility, and cramp inducing seats. Other than that the Outback is pretty average in all other categories. The steering feels loose and the wheel rotates several degrees before the wheels respond. It is a feeling similar to large sedans like a Lincoln Town Car, or offroad capable SUVs like a Jeep Wrangler. If the steering was looser for offroad purposes I would not mark it down, but the Outback is not capable of tackling anything more than a dirt road. The owners manual also warns you that it is not designed as an offroad vehicle. As a result, the car feels a lot heavier and less nimble than other vehicles in the same size category. Second, fuel economy is terrible. It averaged 17 in the city and 26 on the highway for average fuel economy of 22 mpg. This is 2 mpg better than the epa rating, but still worse than contemporary RWD V8s or AWD cars with similar power. Speaking of the AWD, it takes a huge toll on the suspension and steering elements after 10 years. We had to replace a part of the front axel shaft and cv joint as it had worn down and was creating a grinding noise at highway speeds. Parts like that should not wear out in under 60k miles. All other cars we have owned have not had any mechanical failures until reaching over 100k miles. This car was also subject to the Takata airbag recall and the dealer says that we will need to wait another 6 months before it can be fixed after waiting a year already. The final issue is the interior comfort and design. The materials of the interior are mostly cheap hard plastics with a few soft touch panels. The seats were as uncomfortable as you could get in a car. I would develop pain in my lower back and legs after driving or riding in it for about an hour. It is the only car I have experienced this even though I have done 5-11 hours non-stop (except gas) in other vehicles. Blind spot visibility is also poor as the front head rests and side pillars make it difficult to see anything out of the back seat side windows if you are backing out of a parking spot or checking the blind spot. To conclude, the 2006 Subaru Outback 3.0R is a very average wagon that I did not look forward to driving.