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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  Safety First! - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By paramedic - April 13 - 2:00 am

  As a paramedic buying a new car for my wife, safety was the #1 concern. I have seen it after an accident and the car / passenger held up quite well (even after rolling over 5-6 times off a freeway overpass at freeway speed!). With many included saftey features this car will protect you if you are involved in an accident and will also provide you with the means, through great handling, to avoid an accident. Of course it is beautiful, built like a tank, fun to drive, and it is not a dime a dozen car. This car has the safety of a Volvo with the reliability of a Honda, all for 20K. You cant go wrong.

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  raftery subaru - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By ronme - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Absolutely teh best car for the money. Incredible handling and comes with all the options you would want.

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  Race Car with Factor Warrenty - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By mrth3p1ague - April 13 - 2:00 am

  This is my first 4cy. and I am very very impressed, this car drives like a V-8. The engineering behind this car is truly exhausting,not much was missed. This car can meet anyones driving style, the car can be mild manored if driven properly, if you let the revs get above 3000 your over the speed limit. This car has truly moved the bar for what a performace car should be. I will have to keep this car for a long time or I will be forced to pay 100k to find something that will compare to the overall performance found in this car.

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  My Big Red - 2001 Subaru Outback
  By Bluesky821 - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Love this car. Only faults were two recalls and brakes had to be done before their time but half cost was covered by the warranty.

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  Understated good looks, safe, reliable - 2007 Subaru Legacy
  By new legacy driver - April 11 - 8:30 pm

  Great bargains currently available on this car, $3K or so below sticker (use the internet to get a quote). Given that, and all the SE features (including AWD), I think this tops the midsized competition, including Hyundai. Plus, youre not one of the Camry/Accord, etc. masses. Hard to think of a car that gives you so much on safety (best possible crash scores) and reliability yet is also sufficiently stylish and fun to drive. Already took two long trips with wife and 2 kids and it was as comfortable as it could be for everyone.

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  I love my REX - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By ollie18 - April 9 - 10:00 am

  This is one fantastic car. The handling is phenomenal, the acceleration is awesome - its a blast to drive. I feel so safe in the car. It responds incredibly well. I tested a lot of cars before I got the WRX, such as the Accord V6, Celica GT-S, Mazda6 S, (and others) and none of them compared to the WRXs performance. Its a monster AWD performerIts a great bang for the buck!!!!

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  2004 WRX - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Andie17 - April 9 - 10:00 am

  This is a wonderful car. Fun to drive, handling is fantastic and it is faasst. The WRX is a trend setter - notice how many new turbo cars are now being offered - and few are AWD. Its a great bang for the buck. I have the WRX with the premium package and the car was still very reasonable. If youre looking for a reliable, fast car with a lot of punch, and a car with a lot of character - the WRX is worth considering. The new look (non-bug eye) is more my taste than the 2002 and 2003 style. The only con to the car is that the interior can be made a bit more substantial looking, and that the sedan doesnt have 60/40 rear fold down seats.

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  Great Car! - 2004 Subaru Outback
  By Alexandra Gomez - April 9 - 10:00 am

  I live in Southern Manitoba, where the winters are very cold. I have used my car for every day driving and never felt afraid of the weather or road conditions. I also like the fact that is a wagon, but it doesnt look like an old mamas wagon at all. I recommend this car to my friends all the time. When the time comes to get a new vehicle, Im sure it will be a Subaru.

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  Until you can afford your toy - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By drjeff - April 8 - 12:43 pm

  For a reasonable price, the Legacy GT is fast enough to be fun, agile enough to be safe, comfortable enough to be a family cruiser, and economical, reliable, and durable enough to be a daily commuter. This cars performance will surprise a lot of sports car owners, but its appearance doesnt attract speeding tickets or thieves. And if all that isnt enough, this car is more stable in bad weather than any SUV Ive ever been in. Unless you can count on dry roads, consider all wheel drive; Subarus AWD system incorporates superior engineering. See for yourself.

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  Best car ive ever owned - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By luckyzsquirrel - April 8 - 2:03 am

  Ive had this car a couple years and plan to keep it for a long time. Handles great, comfortable, lots of features, solid, great visibility and performs! It may have "only" 170 Hp, but a very broad power band. This car flies up the Colorado mountain passes. I could easily do 20 over even the steepest grades here, while many cars struggle to hold the speed limit. AWD is extraordinary in the winter, in all but true off road and deep snow(say over a foot) this car does better than my truck. Its economy is rated at 19-22, but Ive NEVER been close to that low. I consistently get just under 30 mpg combined driving. Ive had it in the mid 30s on the highway.