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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  Two Thumbs Down/2001 Forester S - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Robin - August 18 - 2:10 am

  After careful research and Edmunds info I bought this car new. I never will buy a Subaru again! The Geolander tires, were horrible-replaced them at 20k. Had to replace at 21k rear brake pads/rotors and had one faulty front bearing (that was replaced free). Then at 27k had to replace front brake pads/disc. Factory didnt cover any of it and once again another faulty bearing, this time it was the rear. I had to fight with the dealer garage to get that bearing at no charge! Now at 31k I just noticed my rotors are etched! Which at this rate my brakes/rotors are needing replacement every 9K miles. This car has only 31k, is 6 yrs old. The dealership tired to blame me for the brakes-saying I didnt drive it enough.

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  “Oil leak both cams and chang (sic) cover” - 2012 Subaru Forester
  By Jean Young - August 11 - 4:57 am

  “Oil leak both cams and chang (sic) cover” noted by the Subaru technician on Wednesday. My 2012 Subaru Forester has been using huge and excessive amounts of oil since its purchase. First, I was told that it was part of the “break - in period. Under no circumstances should a new car or even one with just over 65,000 miles like mine that has been babied and maintained only by the dealer present such major engine issues. This is my second Subaru and it will be my last. The first one, a 2003 Forester, though far from perfect, had over 150,000 miles before needing a new head gasket after exhibiting irregular oil use. This one has clocked with irregular oil usage since its purchase.

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  WARNING: I GOT A LEMON - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By JoshJoshJosh - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Just a warning. I now have 17000 miles on the car and it has been seven trips to the dealership. The brakes disintegrated, the alternator and battery were defective, the car was recalled for a parking brake problem, another brake problem (brake light).

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  Disappointing - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By ramjet3 - June 22 - 10:46 am

  First time Subaru owner, 2013 Crosstrek purchased Feb 2013. Less than 5000 mi, 5 dashboard warning lights started flashing, transmission wont shift. Had it towed to dealer. Not offered loan vehicle, so need to rent car at my own expense until repairs are made. I expected better of a vehicle costing nearly $25K. Also, very poor mileage, my best highway mileage is 26 mpg, best all-around mileage is 22 mpg. Definitely does not live up to advertising. I will not buy another Subaru.

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  Oil Burner - 2013 Subaru Impreza
  By rpg3 - June 19 - 2:37 pm

  Was excited when we bought our 2012 Impreza Hatchback, BUT...we had the car for 25,000 miles and needed to bring it into the dealership 14 times for a check-oil light. Got the run around from the dealership...oil consumption was normal, they were going to change the brand of oil used, maybe the light was defective to just routinely topping it off. Ended up calling a lemon law lawyer who got me a $2500 settlement from Subaru and then I traded the car with equity on my loan. So, I ended up coming out alright, but I feel sorry for whoever ends up with my car or whoever buys the Impreza new. Dont do it

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  My first and last Subaru. - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By Alan Christenson - June 15 - 8:17 pm

  We bought this car used in 2010 with 17,000 miles on it. It was a great car until it hit about 70,000 when it started having regular repair issues that really shouldnt happen. I fully expect to do maintenance on any vehicle for parts that wear out, but these problems are something different entirely. First it was the head gasket problem that most of these have, that came to just under $2,000 for repair (known issue that should have been covered by Subaru). Over the last three years I had problems with the ground wire in the radio that I had "fixed" three different times until it went out entirely and I had to have the radio head unit replaced for $500. The wires in the rear lift gate began breaking about a year ago causing my tail lights to go out. This is apparently a common issue as well and is very dangerous (no tail lights at night) and should have been recalled. That was $400 to replace. My catalytic converter is going out now and apparently it has been recalled in some states, but not in mine so its going to cost me another $1,000. I also have problems in the passenger airbag light/switch that the dealership is telling me will be another $350 to fix. A little research on the internet tells me that it is bad soldering on a circuit board (another common enough problem that it can be found on youtube). Like I said, I gladly pay for regular maintenance and parts on a vehicle but these things are not "normal" problems and seem to be regular occurrences on Subarus. Tack on to this substantially decreased winter mileage (I expect some, but not 15%-18%), and I cant see myself purchasing another Subaru. Sure, you can probably pass them on to your children when you upgrade to a new one (just like the commercials show), but youre going to spend a lot of money to keep it that long and youll be saddling them with something that appears to require regular, expensive repairs.

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  Disappointed. - 2017 Subaru Impreza
  By Unhappy in Orlando - May 8 - 7:38 pm

  I recently accepted the buyout of my Golf SportsWagon Diesel because a year and a half later I received the price I paid. So, my review will be somewhat of a comparison especially since they are similarly priced. First, the materials used in the VW were far superior. It was a sturdier ride with little to complain about noise wise. This Is not the case with the Impreza. The car is two months old and already has numerous areas that rattle plus depending on road surface, it can be quite loud inside. I will say the front seats of the Impreza are more comfortable than the VW because of its smaller seat area. The room in front are about equal with the rear seat area of the Impreza having more space. The upgraded stereo of the Impreza only offers decent sound where the fender system of VW was rocking. The Imprezas Apple Play sometimes just does not work. When it is not working, the other media like Bluetooth, Aux and Cds will not work either only leaving the radio that works. The biggest disappointment is the gas mileage. I went from a 32mpg average to 23.5mpg with both having tanks of just over 13 gallons. There are nice design features and functionality but for the quality offered the Impreza is healthily over priced

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  Cant Find Much to Like - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Christopher - May 2 - 5:51 pm

  I hate this car. Maybe Im just too old (55), but I struggle to find anything I like about it. OK, the handling is definitely great, and the climate control, too, but thats about it really. The acceleration, while good, is uneven and falls off suddenly at higher RPMs. But even that is OK, its just everything else. Most of my complaints are small issues, but when added up just make for a crappy experience, especially considering this is a 30k-ish car in premium trim like mine. My biggest gripe is comfort. I heard nothing but good things about the seats when reading reviews, but they just dont work for me. Ive had chronic neck and shoulder pain since the day I bought it. The arm rest with the extension and heated seat switch positions are a ridiculous afterthought. Add to that, that the engine races when started cold, even on warm days, and takes a long time to settle into a solid normal idle, the clutch feel is poor (Ive driven sticks all my life, I know), the transmission is reluctant (maybe its the STI short throw in mine) and sometimes will not go into first when the light turns green leaving you screwing around letting the clutch out and retrying. The interior materials are pretty substandard, its ride overly harsh (they should save that for the STI), lots of road noise, and perhaps worst of all is the stereo, so you cant even drown out all the annoyances with some good music. Ill close with the comment that my 16 year old Jetta GLX was a better car in every respect except acceleration (not that bad with the vr6) and handling (too soft). I really miss that car... Be warned, this is not an enjoyable daily driver. [12/19/16] Update. After trying to live with this for a year, I finally sold it. I never warmed up to this car, and never looked forward to driving it. The transmission shifting that I complained about was the only thing that improved with time. That said, after about 1000 miles the throwout bearing started making noise on cold mornings. Reading up on that issue revealed comments that said "they all do that" and others that said they went to the trouble of trying to get it fixed, only to have it do it again in short order. I totally lost confidence over that issue. In spite of me saying I liked the climate control, that changed to not liking it when the weather turned warm. On hot days It just continues to blast you with cold air, never seeming to get a clue when enough is enough. Id have to turn it up to 85 to get it to stop, otherwise it would just blast cold my whole 10 mile ride home from work. Never had that issue with my VW, it would almost immediately start dialing it back automatically. One of the final "last straw" issues for me was when one cool damp day I left it out and the side windows were all misted - I thought, "oh, Ill just roll the windows down to wipe them clean". Good luck with that, the windows in this piece of crap dont even touch the wiper trim. I literally had to push out on the windows while rolling them down and up to try to get them to wipe clean. Give me a freakin break! If you have ever had a nice car and you buy this, you will forever be disappointed. I did have a happy ending, though. I managed to get out of the WRX and into a GTI for almost a wash due to the deep discounting at VW, and in the process picked up everything I was missing including leather interior, an awesome Fender stereo, push button entry/start, adaptive xenon lights, rain sensing wipers, etc, etc. If you must buy a WRX, I would advise buying a base model, spending more for any higher trim level is a waste, and will not somehow transform it into a better experience. Its like putting lipstick on a pig. It is what it is, a track weapon, not an enjoyable daily driver.

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  Loved it at First, Then........ - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By Joe Botelho - April 16 - 6:47 pm

  I was looking for small, all wheel drive car, specifically a hatchback, that would accommodate my 6 foot frame comfortably and the Impreza Sport Premium fit the bill nicely. The car is fun to drive, has as much pep as Im ever going to need on the windy roads of New England and was very serviceable in the rain and snow. I never had an issue with the car, but did have to replace the standard issue tires at only 21,000 miles. Also at that time the front driver seat seemed to wear more than I would consider normal and I probably should have paid attention to that. The car now has 43,000 miles on it and one day the horn just stopped working. Also, there is a massive hole in the front drivers seat with protruding metal and plastic parts which have already ruined two aftermarket seat covers. I never owned a vehicle where the front seat was essentially useless after 40,000 miles?? Recently, I was passing the dealership where I bought the vehicle, and stopped in to see if there was a recall regarding the front seat. Oddly, all the service rep kept saying was "Do you have an appointment?" He repeated that 5 times, when I finally suggested that I am a human being, not a robot. After the whole disinterested event where they pretty much told me "tough luck and seeya later" I decided to take my car to another dealership to get the horn fixed. And I thought it couldnt get any worse. I called the other dealership, got an "appointment" a few days later for them to check out the horn. While he was writing up the service order he explained that they also offer a "complimentary" car wash, which I declined as I wash my own vehicle. While I was at the service desk, I also mentioned that I felt my front seat was falling apart prematurely and if they would check it out......, and was totally ignored. To add insult to injury, after they checked out my car they said it needed a new "steering roll connector" to the tune of $415.00!! For a horn! I declined the their generous offer and they still charged me $55.00 to check it out. I should have taken them up on the "complimentary" car wash. And just when you think it couldnt get any worse? As I am walking out to my car, I noticed a huge scrape on the corner of the front bumper. I went back in tell them about it and they suggested It was already there and that I was lying!!! I had taken a picture of the car earlier in the day to document my seat issues so I pulled out my camera phone and showed them a picture I had taken hours earlier with no scrape. They still suggested I was making it up!! I have never been more humiliated in my life! I loved this car at first but between its quality and support of its service outlets I will move on to another brand.....soon.

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  Not What I expected in a Subaru - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By Bob - April 1 - 9:26 pm

  I have had this car for 4 short years and am very disappointed in this vehicle, already back for 3 recalls, and 3 times back to dealership for warning light problems. The car is noisy inside when traveling a highway, made rather cheaply as I have already lost one of the fog light covers, it just fell off, too low to the ground as you feel each bump and very hard to drive through snow as the car bottoms out on the snow. A/c doesnt get car cooled enough in Summer heat. Already have a hole in driver seat because of metal inside the seat, dealer wont even acknowledge it. The shift got stuck in park and wont go into reverse or drive until I took a screwdriver and pushed it into the emergency release switch. Bringing the car back in once again next week for warning lights and now the shift. Would not buy Subaru again