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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  Subaru Newbie - 2008 Subaru Forester
  By SubaruMum - May 9 - 5:23 pm

  Drives like a dream and holds to the road well. Drove the WV mountains back roads and had a blast. Many curves and a lot of up and down hill travel. Good mileage, 29 mpg on this trip. Hope to do better on flat ground. Still breaking the car in.

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  A Fantastic Road Car - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By Don Adams Albany NY - May 9 - 4:30 pm

  I have owed 3 Subaru WRXs. This time I got the STI. Fast, determined, predictable and so easy to drive. I could live in this car and drive it 24 hours a day. It safely takes me to and from work and the performance on the highway keeps me from harms way. All wheel drive is killer in the winter. Braking is amazing and handling superb. I am in love with my car.

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  New baja owner - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By dhart - May 9 - 10:00 am

  I have had the Baja base model for about a week now. I sold an Explorer Sport Trac. I wanted something a bit smaller, better mileage and quieter on the road. The Baja is all of this. I think it is great. It is very quiet and smooth at highway speeds. It is much less work to drive than the Sport Trac. It is not a powerhouse, but I did not want one. I will drive this till it drops.

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  A good purchase overall - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By Blackjack72 - May 9 - 6:36 am

  Overall, I like this car. I considered buying a Forester a few years ago, but I couldnt get over the wagon-type exterior and small back seat. The 2009 Forester looks better and is bigger inside. I have almost 3,000 miles now and I enjoy the ride and the interior and exterior styling. I definitely love the moonroof. I am 64" and I have enough room in the drivers and rear seat. The major concern I have is the weak stereo. You have to turn the volume at least halfway to hear it, and even higher when listening to the iPod. I havent encountered any snow yet here in New England, but if this car is as good as my previous Legacy, Ill be happy. Mileage is good for an AWD vehicle.

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  Great Choice - 2009 Subaru Legacy
  By Lou - May 7 - 11:33 pm

  Ive owned my Subaru for 1 month and Im loving it! It handles great and is just a pleasure to drive.

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  Love the eyesight - 2013 Subaru Outback
  By jonaki - May 7 - 7:11 pm

  I bought my subaru from Gillman Subaru San Antonio, Texas. Austin, Tx dealers are hard to negotiate. I read about the eyesight technology in 2013 outback. This tech provides adaptive cruise control, safety against impacts, lane departure warning, etc. Unfortunately, this feature comes with a package with moonroof and navigation. The whole package and some other accessories brought the MSRP to about 34.5K. Offered 29.3K which was accepted by Gillman. Really enjoying the car, especially the eyesight features.

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  Incessant Rattling - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By cjseals1 - May 7 - 3:03 pm

  I have almost 4000 miles on my Forester Limited and from the day I brought it home the dashboard rattles and vibrates. I thought it was related to cold weather, but as the weather warms up it rattles worse. I have taken it into the dealership three times already and they tinker, pad and tighten with no improvement. I want to love this vehicle but it has eaten up and continues to eat up time and money in that I have to take off work and take it back to the dealer, only to have no improvement. The rattle seems to move but mainly in the vent or inside the odometer or MFD. Seems to be the whole dash. I am very disappointed. High rpms when accelerating, cheap carpet. Touchy gas pedal.

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  What A Great Car - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By WVRICK - May 6 - 10:16 pm

  I got my Legacy Premium yesterday and what a great car. Traded a 2009 Honda Civic that was like a ski on snow. This feels like a much more expensive car than it cost. It is solid, stable, smooth and very comfortable. Drove through drifting snow on the Interstate at highway speeds and couldnt tell the difference from the dry road. I gave it a 9 on performance because it is not a sports car. The power is adequate, not blazing, but I knew that when I bought it. I even got an $80 break on my insurance with the Legacy over the Honda.

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  Vibration - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Bad Outback - May 6 - 3:36 pm

  I have owned my Outback about 4 months and have had a consistent vibration that starts at 60 and goes to 71. Subaru is well aware of this problem and to date, has no fix. This is not my 1st Subaru, but may be my last. Factory Customer Service is very poor. Not what I would expect. I will not wait much longer for a fix before the Lemon Law comes into play. This is not effecting all Outbacks. I would highly recommend a lengthy test drive before you take delivery.

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  My new XT Limited - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By pthal - May 6 - 1:06 pm

  I bought this car in 5/05 using the 1,000 dealer incentive for a total of $28,600 (traded in a BMW 328i). All around it has great power but drives a little more like a SUV than I thought it would--sits higher than the previous model. Handling cant compare to a BMW but the acceleration is great. Love my bike rack and Im impressed by the quality of the interior. The more aggressive stance of the car is what appealed to me vs. previous version.