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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  THE car to get! - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By Cang - August 19 - 2:00 am

  I was ify on this car, but let me tell you, it is IT for me & my family, nothing but Subarus for us, especially this one, our Forester. GOD is so good.

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  BRAT Returns - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By rick byrd - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive had to get used to the sometimes stodgy clutch, but, outside of this, driving is a blast, with surprising power in fourth if you want to test the rpms. Ive had some SUV fans tell me that AWD is not good for off-road, but havent had a chance to test this yet.

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  Outback Features make my commute easier! - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Laura Coughlan - August 19 - 1:49 am

  I got the 2017 Outback limited with eyesight. The adaptive cruise control makes my long commute much easier, as it will slow down and speed up to keep my car at a constant distance from the car ahead of me. Even if cars move in and out of my lane (or if I change lanes), the cruise control keeps me safe and less stressed during my 45+ minute commute. And the visual and audible alerts are hugely helpful when a car is in my blind spot as I drive, or when I am getting ready to back up. My family is very happy with our new car!

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  Love it - but recalls adding up - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By redsoxfan - August 18 - 9:50 pm

  I bought my first Subaru after a long search. Chose it over a CR-V, primarily for handling - the Subaru is very solid. I love the AWD - it saved my life this winter during a very difficult snowstorm. In my previous car (a Toyota Camry) I would have been off the road. I love the spaciousness of the interior - a big factor in my purchase decision. The rear seats fold down in a second, and leave lots of flat room, unlike the CR-V. The gas mileage has been fantastic - at worst 28, at best 32 mpg. The recalls are a big issue - my dealership is an hour away - that adds up to many added miles on my new, not-exactly inexpensive car! Wait for the 2011 - let them fix the recall issues.

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  1st Subaru - 2006 Subaru Forester
  By Eugene - August 18 - 8:40 pm

  Bought our first Subaru 2 months ago. Also looked at RAV4 and CR-V. So far were not disappointed. Getting about 25 MPG mixed driving. Overall an excellent car!

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  Survival among the SUVs - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By Skibum - August 18 - 10:06 am

  I needed a vehicle that would not be run off the single open lane on the NY Thruway during snowstorms. My FWD VW Golf was inadequate, and did not want to buy an SUV. Settled on the AWD Subaru Impreza and have not looked back. Good power with the stickshift; 25 mpg on daily commute; some 28 mpg racing up from NJ to Vermont. Had more occasion to drive through rain and mud than through snow this winter, though - handled all equally magnificently. A blast to drive, indeed! Good heater the few cold days we had. Accessories of foglights, trailer hitch, and ski rack have come in useful - most everything else already built in! Excellent websites exist for all kinds of Subaru-related info.

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  Nice ride at expense of tire wear and Oil use - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Shelly Marshall - August 17 - 10:44 am

  I updated this review because Ive learned more about the Crosstrek that applied to me since I traded it in. (I feel sorry for the ones who bought it after me) My update will appear at the end of my original review which is here: I like the feel of driving this. Good points is the MPG (unless the wind blows against you then it drops by 10 MPG--that is not a joke! ANYTHING but during downhill and you lose the great mileage) I have a cage in back for little dogs--and I like the way that works. The storage is wonderful. easy to see out windows and easy to drive in traffic. Down side. Cloth seats stain when you sneeze! Horrible how bad the seats look in just a few years. I wish I had gotten leather. Very noisy on the road--good thing noise doesnt bother me too much but it drives others crazy. The worst thing about the vehicle is the tire wear. The vehicle is not worth it because it eats tires like crazy and the dealers and Customer Service for Subaru both handle this fact as if it is your fault. This is what dealers in Arizona, California, Utah, Montana, and Alaska have actually said to me: a) its your driving b) its out of alignment (fixed THREE times but never corrected tire wear) c) its because you carry an ice chest and food in the back when you travel d) its the 300 lb motorcycle trailer you pull e) its all the potholes you hit f) it must be heavy passengers that you carry in back g) its your toy Pomeranians that you carry in a cage in back h) its the tires you buy Its not any of those things. At 70,000 miles, I was on my 5th set of tires! The first set went out at 19,000! What is up with that? The last set of tires I bought were rated hard tires (602) with a 60,000-mile warranty and after only 25,000 miles Subaru in Fairbanks refused to rotate the tires because they say I need new ones, AGAIN! It was Anchorage Subaru who told me if I bought the hard tires and they wore out that fast, that the tire company would honor the warranty. I figured it was a good solution to badly wearing tires--problem was, when the tire company saw the tires, they blamed the Crosstrek and refused to honor the warranty. Incredible. I own a 2013 CrossTrek. Something is very wrong with the tire wear. Soft tires get 15,000 and hard rubber gets 25,000--that is not right. Buyers beware. (You will find more reviews like this about the tires on the Internet). There is either something wrong with the Subaru I bought or with he crosstalk in general. My second major complaint is the customer care department. The problem showed up at 19,000 when I almost killed myself on bald tires. That is when the excuses began. Even though I had a 60,000 mile or 3-year warranty, they strung me along until the warranty ran out--paid for one alignment and then kept telling me, "this time it will be different" . Once the warranty was out, I was out of luck even though there was something definitely wrong with the vehicle and I began the process at 19,000 miles. The only thing Subaru did for me besides string me along until the warranty ran out was align my vehicle, buy one set of tires and assure me they wanted to take care of the problem--which never happened. Hollow words, really. I will never buy another Subaru. Not because of the tire wear and something being wrong with my vehicle, things go wrong! I own a business and nothing is ever 100%. so I cut slack for businesses. The trouble is the warranty was not honored--not the one that came with the original purchase or their extended warranty. I expected better from Subaru because they have been good in the past-but this was ridiculous--to blame me (who has driven for 40 years) and make sure that they did not correct the problem and let both my warranties run out. I wasted a lot of time and money on this problem--and as far as Im concerned, Subaru owes me the money back from my extended warranty because they did not honor it. I have kept all my records and pictures and even a few tires--if someone does a class action, Im in. UPDATE 9.21.16 There is a class action--but not on the tire wear--on oil!!!! And that was one of the problems I had. The car went through LOTs of oil. I kept running out and I mentioned it several times. Once It was only 500 miles after an oil change. I called the dealer who changed my oil and they said they probably forgot one quart! I was so far away from that dealer that I didnt bother to take it back to them (they are in Ogden and I was in Arizona). The oil light came on a lot and I asked several Subaru dealers what was going on and they claimed there was nothing going on--acted as if I didnt understand cars. Now there is a class action suit about the oil--I probably put in an extra 5 quarts when I owned the vehicle so it isnt worth my time trying to find receipts to join the suit but I can take the time to warn others about the way Subaru strung me along on TWO issues and their warranty was worthless! I really believe they should refund me the money paid

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  great car and fun to drive - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By subtone - August 17 - 10:00 am

  Trying to keep it under 4000rpms for the 1st 1000 miles. I researched about 4-5 cars the past 8 months and it all came back to the WRX, a little more than i wanted to spend but I just love the car.

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  Good little machine - 2013 Subaru Impreza
  By califchick - August 17 - 8:33 am

  I traded in my VW Jetta sedan a month ago for the Impreza hatchback. As the salesperson informed me during the "Im still looking" phase, people buy Subarus for the "waist down" performance, as they lack many of the luxuries that other car makers add as perks. Having said that, the leather is good quality, the car handles very well (cant wait to get it in the snow!), and its got a decent backseat and storage for the daily haul. Bluetooth and USB are decent, but stereo very generic. Controls are simple. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is interesting...takes some getting used to. One month in, and Im a happy customer!

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  I love my Subaru - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Andi - August 16 - 5:56 pm

  I am the 3rd owner of my 2001 Subaru Forester. I purchased the car used with about 143,000 miles on it. Its now at 155,000. So far in work I have had to replace a cracked CV boot but that was all that I HAD to do. I opted to replace the head gaskets because they were leaking, but the mechanic told me that it wasnt an immediate need. Eventually I replaced the windshield wiper arms, but it was a quick fix. I live in Northern Michigan and the car starts on - 30F days. It grips the road well when there is lots of snow and ice, as well as in the rain. I would definitely buy another Subaru Forester.