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:

• 

  One bad mofo! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Vader - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Well, all I gotta say is that this car is a performance machine, looking to kick some 8 cly rear-ends. Its a beautiful machine which has no pity going fast. It still surprises me how powerful it is, even after a month of owning one. :)

• 

  New H6 Wagon Model - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By tigerspy - December 1 - 10:00 am

  It’s about time Subaru came out with a base model Outback with the H6 engine! This car is a mid year model for 2003 and is basically a base model with the H6 engine, auto climate control, auto dimming mirror and a few extra items that dont come standard on the base model. The H6 engine is extremely smooth and quiet. Its mated with a 4-speed which has rather wide and tall gearing, but IMHO acceleration still remains smooth and quick. Subaru has priced this model very reasonably (thousands less than the LL Bean or VDC models and only a few hundred bucks more than the Limited model).

• 

  great car for the second time - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Philip Hanna - December 1 - 1:39 am

  We replaced our 2006 subaru outback with a 2017 subaru outback. Why argue with satisfaction.

• 

  New WRX Was Worth the Wait - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By 2012wrxguy - November 30 - 11:25 am

  I just picked up my 2012 WRX premium 4 door sedan last week. So far, the car exceeds my expectations. Ive wanted a WRX since they came out in 2002, and this one was worth the wait. The updates and body style changes in 2011 are outstanding. My car is dark grey metallic color with black cloth interior and gunmetal grey wheels. The car looks aggressive, tough, and almost sinister. Parked next to a 2012 Impreza (non WRX), the Impreza looks as exciting as a rocking chair.

• 

  Best car I had - 2014 Subaru Outback
  By karlrad - November 29 - 11:29 am

  I bought a 2014 Outback 2.5i Premium 6 speed a year ago, now I have little over 13000 miles on it. I can say this is the best car I have owned and for the money we paid, you cannot get anything with all the equipment it has for such a price. Subaru’s AWD system was a sell point, since I do not want any FWD cars anymore: I am sick of replacing boots and front axles. This Outback is extremely spacious, comfortable, and reliable. It handles very well on any terrain, snow or rain, sand or pavement. The finish and quality of the car is very good, I may not have ash wood like a luxury car, nor do I have Napa leather, but I did not pay three times what I paid to get them.

• 

  Subaru Crosstrek - A must have with Eyesight! - 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Robert Dorsey II - November 29 - 12:05 am

  We were not in the market for a "new" vehicle. But we wound up with a 7500 mile Certified Pre-Owned 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek with their amazing Eyesight package (and this was why), which is essentially new. The car was a former service fleet loaner, so it was in great shape with low mileage with an attractive price. It and the two others they had were the only used Subarus in the entire Metro area that had the Eyesight package. I looked at over 300 different vehicles listed online as well as contacted about seven Subaru dealers, and none of them had any pre-owned with Eyesight. To find this package in a pre-owned, you will probably have to buy new unless you wait until 2017.
  
  The Crosstrek as a whole is a great vehicle (a little smaller than our former Kia Sportage), but I will focus this review on Eyesight, as there are a million generic reviews about the Crosstrek itself. So in short: It is all of the things you have heard about: good for small families, reliable, safe, and good for its symmetrical AWD. I cant speak about the electronics other than Eyesight (bluetooth, etc), because I dont really use them or care about them. The only minus is it lacks some acceleration, which I doubt will ever really matter to most drivers.
  
  Subaru Eyesight is a technology that they install on vehicles ($1,250 retail value, I think) that uses two front-facing cameras to help the driver in emergency situations as well as control the vehicles adaptive cruise control. Eyesight will help you both break and decelerate if you need it. It also will send audible alerts of various situations which are both convenient and a significant safety upgrade. Both my wife and I are new drivers and find this very reassuring, though I think anyone would appreciate it the same. I encourage anyone in the market for a new car to look into this technology: it is fantastic (and the 2016s have an upgraded version that includes blind-spot detection!)!
  
  While we have not had the car long enough to thoroughly test everything, the adaptive cruise control was a major plus, and only comes with the Eyesight package. It will intelligently cruise for you at any predetermined maximum speed, and slow down if the traffic in front of you gets too close/slow. It keeps a distance of 2, 1.5, or 1 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you, and informs you with tones when it has "locked in" on a vehicle. Imagine how strange it is to feel your vehicle brake, decelerate, and come to a full halt without touching the pedals (if it comes to a full stop, you get a tone, and about a seconds warning before the cruise control shuts off and the car will idle forward). The future is here!
  
  If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive SUV that will ride nicely, carry enough, and protect you, your family, and your dog, then the Crosstrek may be the right choice for you. The Special Edition that is coming out later in 2016 sounds very attractive with lane-change assist and some more advanced auto-driving technologies.

• 

  So Far So Good - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By Bob - November 28 - 5:20 am

  I traded in my 2003 Subaru Baja for this car about one month ago and drove it about 950 miles. 35 to 37 mpg on the highway mileage amazes me. 18 mpg in the city is not much better than the 03 Bajas mileage. The new Legacy has more interior space and better seats than the old Baja. It also has more electronic controls and gadgets making it a little more difficult to operate. I like the ability to plug my iPod directly into the audio system. It also has fuel usage monitors not available on the 03 Baja. I hope the Legacys reliability is as good as the 7 years of trouble free driving I had with the Baja.

• 

  2014 Forester ROCKS - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By jra32a - November 25 - 6:21 am

  My new 2014 Forester is the 4th Subaru I have owned - 2001 Outback, 2005 Outback, 2009 Tribeca were prior. Without a doubt the 2014 Forester mirrors the engineering and design competence at Subaru. The 2013 and prior were not really spacious and the overall comforts were missing. That has all been fixed! The new interior is well designed, roomy, the seats are awesome, and the driver controls, warning lights, instruments, etc. are well arranged and easy to view. The new Lineartronic transmission is silky smooth and saves a couple mpg. Cargo area is ample, and on the 2.5i Touring, the rear seats recline. That is a nice feature. This vehicle almost got 5 stars in every category from me.

• 

  Love it! - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By FLSubaru - November 24 - 9:56 am

  I was a 98 Outback owner (and proud of it); when the wife and I decided to go new, it was either the Prius or the Forester. We made the right choice as this car is fun, peppy, roomy, sunny and a blast to drive. We were on vacation for 10 days, and we both missed driving it! Everywhere we went, we said, "Wouldnt it be fun to have the Subaru" for hills, curves and wonderful mountain roads... and most especially the Pacific Coast Highway. No rattles, good MPG and more room and visibility than we know what to do with! So far, a worthy successor to my beloved Outback (160k miles).

• 

  Extremely Multi-Talented Car - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By Captain Steve - November 23 - 6:20 pm

  The WRX is a car that does many things well, but is not particularly outstanding at any one thing. As a sports car person, I never expected to own a 4-door car. But here I am and Im quite happy with it! At high revs with the turbo working, the WRX has good power and definitely puts a smile on your face.-Handling is very sharp. This means the ride is a bit rough over bumpy roads, but the WRX doesnt pretend to be a luxury sedan.-AWD and 4 doors make the WRX actually pretty practical.-Standard equipment is quite nice. Not outsanding, but still very sufficient.