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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  Surprise on the Road - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By funshe - October 2 - 6:16 pm

  I was looking for a fun, manual transmission 4 door sedan, and had been ready to buy an Acura TL 6 speed. Read a review of all-wheel drive sport sedans, & the Spec B got a great review, so I checked it out. Ive owned the car almost 4 months, and it is a blast to drive. I would have liked to have a 6-speed, and I know that the 2007 Spec B will have it, but the 5-speed is responsive, and I blow away BMWs and hemi Chryslers - the all wheel drive and low profile tires really stick. Seating is comfortable, although not as nice and encompassing as my BMW 540. The car is comfortable on longer (2-4 hour) drives, and the sound system is very good (no satellite radio however - a big miss!).

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  Oil consumption - piece of junk! BEWARE - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By markmine - October 2 - 11:42 am

  I purchased this car new and it was never abused. This is my first Subaru and the awd was appealing. This car is Very disappointing! Around 14k miles the car started burning approx 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. Subaru said this is normal! I think the new 2.0 engine has problems. The car also sounded like it had a bad wheel bearing, the dealer said the sound is the cvt transmission and again normal. The stereo system is horrible! The build quality is really bad and at 19k miles the car is rattling and gas mileage dropped to 26 mpg. Dont make the same mistake I made, buy a Honda or Toyota and stay away from Subaru!

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  First Subaru - 2010 Subaru Impreza
  By taylor0274 - October 1 - 10:46 pm

  My wife was looking for an AWD sedan because we have a new born. She could not be happier with her purchase. We werent looking to purchase new but after the deal that was offered she ending up with 2010. I wasnt sure if the car was going to be big enough, but she has more than enough room for her and our 4 month old.

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  On my radar since 98 - 2008 Subaru Forester
  By B Noble - October 1 - 4:03 am

  Finally, my 95 manual VW Jetta got tired and I could finally get my dream car, that I first saw debuted in 98 at the NYC auto show. It fit me like a glove. Im (52") and the drivers seat can be raised significantly with a touch of a power lever. Last April when I went looking to buy, I almost had a heart attack when I realized that the design of the 09 was seriously changed (not for the better) and it was bigger I didnt need bigger. I went hunting and had to purchase MY 08 a state away to get the one I wanted. I now have 3,000 miles on it and get 26+ mpg avg. It rides like a dream and I love the style of the dash board above all other new cars (including the Forester 09s).

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  New Subaru Owner - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By 1gman - September 30 - 4:37 am

  I just purchased a 2012 OB Limited with the sunroof package. The car seems to be great so far, my wife loves it. I like the look and performance of it. She came out of a 98 Volvo wagon. She wanted a wagon again so that limited the choices. We narrowed it down between the Venza and the OB. Toyota was difficult to work with, would never call me back so I gave up on them and bought the OB. I will update in a month or two about how it is doing. I got the car for about $450 below invoice through the Costco auto program which made the process much easier.

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  Great car - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By Ootyboy - September 30 - 2:00 am

  This is an amazingly fun car to drive. It has ample power and just sticks to the road. My wife complains that I like driving the suby way more than my own Acura MDX (which is almost $18,000 more). Excellent build quality. Overall solid car

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  2 blown head gaskets 20k miles - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By derek_someda - September 29 - 8:37 pm

  at 2.5 yrs noticed coolant drops in driveway. Problem progressed to wet spot. I thought no big deal that a hose needed to be replaced or clamp tightened. At 3yrs checked under car and found both head gaskets were leaking oil and water. Subaru was out of warranty and said my VIN was not amongst those recalled. Changing the gaskets would be over 3k. They sold me a 6 oz bottle of Subie coolant stop leak that did nothing. I used barrs stop leak with nano tech the last several years. Now it clogged the overfill hose so I cleaned it out. At 60k miles the oil is indicating overfill so I assume the water is now crossing into the engine block and have to get rid of the vehicle.

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  So long, Subaru - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Tsquared - September 29 - 1:40 pm

  This was my second Outback, my first being a 96 5 speed manual I traded for the 02 4 speed automatic. I wish I had held on to my 96. The 02 quality did not seem to be as good and was disappointing. Most recently, the engine sporadically idled poorly or hesitated on acceleration--even on the Interstate. My biggest concern was a leaking head gasket, which is apparently a common problem on 1999-2002 models and there was a recall for some--not all (Google "Outback head gasket"). The "fix" involved adding a conditioner to the coolant to seal the leak. Seems like a stop-gap to me. Between the head gasket and the sporadic acceleration problem I decided to it was time to trade.

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  08 WRX SEDAN - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By dScof - September 29 - 1:10 pm

  This is my second Subaru. I owned a 2005 WRX sedan before, which was a terrific little car. As for the 08, I initially didnt think that an extra half liter in engine size would make much difference, but I was wrong. This car revs so smooth and effortless, if youre not careful you can touch 100mph on the freeway without even realizing it. The handling in this car is superb, with some minor body roll, but its not noticeable in everyday driving. Fuel economy could probably be better, I used to average 20mpg on the stock tires (tires = awful), switched to lighter, performance tires and am getting 22-23mpg in mixed driving, up to 30mpg at non-freeway speeds if I set cruise and stay off turbo.

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  Need some improvement to be fun to drive - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By ben_d - September 29 - 6:06 am

  I drive mostly city, but took one road trip to CO. Car needs some power especially when trying to pass vehicles on hwy. I like the comfort of the car and the features (can be pricey if you add few). It needs a bit of power kick to be "Fun to Drive" and to eliminate some of the road noise. In Midwest performs OK in the city, but with 2.5i not so great on mountains of CO. CVT is a good concept but will need some work to be done to use with bigger engines. This is a large vehicle that need power to do what it should be. Interior is nice, exterior did some improvements, could be done better but better than last year.