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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  AMAZING CAR!!!!! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Robert Schwarze - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This car has to be the true peak of performance. I have never driven such a fun and reliable car. It can take turns at serious speeds and can haul when you want it too. THE FUNNEST car I have ever owned and if you havent tried one out, do it NOW. Was definitely the best buy of my life. I cant wait to use my FREE ONE YEAR OF SCCA - o ya that comes with it too!!! THIS CAR ROCKS!

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  Month Old Outback - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By WL - February 6 - 8:26 pm

  A month into ownership with approximately 2000 miles, Im learning to like it more each day. The drive and ride are superior but Im having a hard time getting comfortable in the seat. The back seat is too small. Cup holders need to be better thought out and more plentiful. Gas mileage avg. 25 overall. But when Im driving it I love it.

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  Outstanding Vehicle - 2009 Subaru Tribeca
  By Len - February 6 - 6:00 pm

  Traded in a 2007 Lincoln MKZ on my Tribeca. The Tribeca is superior to the Lincoln in every way. It is extremely roomy (professional reviews notwithstanding). Build quality is superb, no rattles, upscale looking, tons of room for passengers and cargo. I also have a 2008 Outback, and I can say that Subaru has it all together. If you are worried about buying American, note that my Lincoln was assembled in Mexico, both my Subarus assembled in Indiana. Which is the "American" car?????

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  Cant use Yakima or Thule - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Willow - February 6 - 5:10 am

  What was Subaru thinking? If using a Yakima or Thule rack system the bars can only be placed 21 inches apart with Subarus 2010 new rack system. This makes the rack useless to true outdoors people. Forget placing a sea kayak, a canoe or anything longer than a small whitewater kayak (a play boat) on the rack. What a waste of an otherwise quality car!

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  Exceptional Value - 2009 Subaru Legacy
  By cpuuri - February 6 - 4:10 am

  I love this car! I spent 5+ years researching cars (hobby). I poured over reviews here, on the NHTSA complaints database and several other sites. The only serious complaint I read was about MPG. If you want MPG, dont get an AWD car. I challenge you to find a true AWD car with better MPG than this car. The AWD system is amazing now that they have VDC on it! I test drove an Audi A3 and A4, a Lexus IS 250 AWD, an Acura RL SH-AWD, a Volvo S40 AWD, and a Mercury Milan AWD. In winter driving, all of them had trouble engaging AWD fast enough on a packed snow turn and all struggled in fresh wet snow. The Legacy (and the new Impreza) had no problem. Love this car!

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  Welcome to the Subaru family! - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Naomi Milligan - February 6 - 1:35 am

  Alright guys, I am not one to sugar coat my opinions on vehicles, Im coming out of a 2006 Pontiac Torrent (wrote a review for that no better than scrap metal vehicle!) let me address the controls first: those that get new vehicles frequently and are up on the newest and hottest in vehicle entertainment systems may find Subarus some what simplistic design lacking, I have always upgraded my vehicles with touch screen radios etc and the transition wasnt bad coming in to the forester. My advice is to sit and play with the controls for awhile if youre having trouble, once you figure it out I think you will appreciate how easy it is to use while driving. The controls on the wheel did intimidate me for a minute but having the accessibility at my fingertips is nice! And when it comes to setting the clock (saw some frustration on a couple reviews) its not really that difficult, again, play with your controls while youre sitting in park and youll figure it out. The manual did suck when explaining these features so I do not recommend trying to figure it out with that. Interior materials: Ive seen a few complaints about the interior feeling cheap due to the use of hard plastic materials, to me this makes perfect sense. I am new to the Subaru family but plastic is long lasting and easy to clean, when thinking about Subaru and how their consumers love the off road capabilities it makes sense as to why they used the materials they did. This is not an Audi or a Mercedes, they pretty much think youre going to be rough with it and planned ahead with the materials used. The seats are a bit firm, but theyre also new and firmness can be adjusted! I recommend the all weather package if you live anywhere that gets cold, heated seats are an awesome option and since I prefer cloth, not many companies cater to that desire. I saw some mild dissapointment when it comes to the placement of the USB and AUX ports, as I said previously, I usually install new radios on my vehicles so the ports are on the radio, Subaru places theirs in the center console and I actually LOVE that placement as you dont have wires coming out of the front of the vehicle getting tangled in the shifter etc, there are 2 cut outs for the wires so you can safely close the arm rest and still have your phone plugged in. I absolutely love that, but personal preference I suppose. Some reviewers mentioned the fact that the doors do not lock when you put the vehicle in drive, this is not an issue for me as I do not have children and typically only have people over 21 in my vehicle, they should know at that age not to open the doors while the vehicle is in motion but I can see how that could become a mild annoyance to those that have to remember to lock the vehicle every time they drive it so just make note of that if you have children. I have only had this vehicle 24 hours so I cannot comment on reliability, once Ive broken it in I will update on that. My package included the first 2 years of scheduled maintenance, which I would recommend as they take synthetic oil and I am told the air filters can also become extremely costly. If you can swing it in your deal, try to get this included. The CVT transmission did take about 10 minutes to get used to and when the vehicle cold starts it is a bit noisey for a vehicle that has a hundred miles on it. Not a deal breaker though. Im not a big fan of the Aha radio that comes installed on the radio, it seems to take too long to load but then again, I have only played with it once so that opinion may change. So far it drives over potholes, bumps, and other annoying road obstacles like cream cheese on a bagle. I opted to not get the eye sight technology as I thought it may become annoying, the back up camera and (huge) moon roof that come standard are both nice surprises. Im still figuring out little quirks and havent yet had the chance to test it in bad weather conditions (although its snowing now!) and I do plan to take it in to some mild off road conditions so these are all things I will review later in time. I opted for a lease and plan to switch it once my credit is built up a bit, but so far, I do not see any major complaints in the foreseeable future. They also have roadside assistance at no cost to you, which is also a nice feature! Cant wait to update for you guys!

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  Im loving it - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By KYLE MARCRUM - February 5 - 10:13 pm

  I love this car. Its quick, absorbs bumps like crazy and it turns heads. Hauling and payload are minimal but if you want that youll buy a real truck. I camp and paintball a lot. Its perfect to just throw all the dirty stuff in back and keep your interior clean. Maintenance is simple to do. The versatility is amazing for something that looks so small. I would recommend for anybody.

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  Everything I was looking for - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By redherring1 - February 5 - 6:23 pm

  Have had my XT Limited for almost a month and couldnt be happier with it; Im 64" and was having trouble finding a small SUV that fit--RAV4 wasnt even close (knees jammed into the dash), CRV was tight on the right knee (and Ive owned the 2 previous generation CRVs that were fine in that respect) and too slow; drivers seat in the Acura RDX was ok, but the passenger seat didnt go back as far and again jammed my knees into the dash--Im not going to buy a car I cant ride in as a passenger. The Forester has cavernous headroom, plenty of legroom, a better designed and more useful cargo area than the CRV, and is quicker, cheaper and has a much more comfortable ride than the RDX.

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  Safety First - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Paul Bordegaray - February 3 - 8:06 pm

  We traded in a new Civic when we decided we wanted a safer vehicle for our toddler. Our choice was validated the following winter when we were involved in a near head on crash. No one injured andthe car performed magnificently! And still does!

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  Safety First - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Paul Bordegaray - February 3 - 1:26 pm

  We traded in a new Civic when we decided we wanted a safer vehicle for our toddler, Our choice was validated the following winter when we were involved in a near head on crash. No one injured - the car performed magnificently! And still does!