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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  Hot Sport Wagon - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By Subywagonguy - July 28 - 12:33 am

  The GT Limited accelerates like a hot sports sedan and handles reasonably well. The front seats are very comfortable and theres plenty of room in the back seat. Both rear seat legroom and cargo space is much better than our 99 Audi A4. The stock Bridgestone RE-92 all-season tires are a weak point. Too much initial understeer and poor on-center response. Replaced them with a set of Goodyear F-1 GS-D3s which are much better. Factory optional STI shifter is a "must-get." Throws are MUCH shorter and feel is MUCH better in all 5 forward gears, but its a lot harder to get into reverse with the fast shifter. Shocks could be a little firmer-- too much float at high speeds.

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  Swapped manual 2013 BRZ for an automatic 2016 - 2016 Subaru BRZ
  By k holland - July 27 - 9:58 pm

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  Wanting to Love My Car - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By alyonsd - July 27 - 7:06 pm

  I did a lot of research and test drove many cars before settling on the Outback. I liked the reputation Subaru had and the smoothness of the ride was very important for me with some medical issues. The Forester was a little too rough. I took great care of it but brakes went at 30K. Trunk cover/shade broke at 60K despite being gentle and not used much. Headgasket went at 90K. Catalytic converter went at 106K. Im done now with Subaru, as much as I want to believe in them. I spoke with my mechanic about them and he said his experience is that they are either great for you and last, or you end up with one thats not up to par.Im in the later. Sadly, I think this is my last Subaru.

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  Im Imprezed - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Joe R - July 27 - 3:03 pm

  All I needed was practical transportation. Something to get me from point a to point b safely and economcally. I tried the Scion xB, Mazda 3, Rabbit S 4 dr, and the Saturn Astra. I dont think you could go wrong with any of them. But, when you factored in what you can buy them for they were dealing on the Subaru plus you get AWD which was a huge selling point. The VW is supposed to be the gold standard at this price point, but the Subie was IMHO less plasticky. I needed the versatility of a hatchback, hence the 5 door. I must admit though the xB looked huge on the inside. But I got more car for the money.

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  Ummmm... - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By rachelspop - July 27 - 10:00 am

  Ummm.....WOW. Just a complete blast to drive. Only wish is for more low end torque. Its a scream to flatten the accelerator at 3000 revs in the wet (lets pick 2nd gear for this). Tires scrabble for grip, tail gets a little happy if youre not pointed straight. All very controllable, all very fun. Get one!!

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  Really Fun Car! - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By sunny - July 26 - 4:20 am

  This car is really fun to drive.

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  Does the job! - 2012 Subaru Forester
  By sciencwriter - July 24 - 6:09 pm

  I leased it about 2 1/2 years ago and just bought out the lease. It is not beautiful nor is it elegant, but it does the job. I live at the end of a dirt road in Vermont with a daily round-trip commute of about 50 miles. It always starts and it makes it through the deep snow, better than our Toyota 4Runner. Even with my canoe on top, it handles okay--not as well as my old Morgan +4 but that wouldnt have made the grade in Vermont. Runs much better with a little extra air in the tires. All in all, I find it practical, serviceable, and reliable. This is contrary to some of the other reviews but maybe I just got a good one--or they got bad ones.

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  Sharp and nimble - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Douglas Swinford - July 23 - 4:30 pm

  I have a lot of experience with driving cars, trucks, commercial vehicles. This is a find piece of machinery. In comparing with the competitors I liked the Mazda CX-5 and its snappy little motor. The Skyactive engine they have has a little more snap than the normally aspirated Touring, but I love the flat four and the balance and proven reliability of this set up. If you live in a climate where you have snow and bad roads and want all wheel drive they seem to have an edge on the comp too. Plus, when pricing its as if you dont pay extra for it (AWD) like you do on other vehicles. We liked the Hyundai Tuscon as its really sharp but I didnt want a turbo motor and all the ones we liked had their new 1.6 Turbo. I think Hondas are great but the front seats were lacking and did not have the wonderful seating position and view out of the windshield that the Forester does. Forester manages to have a nice back window you can see out of and still be nicely styled. My wife and I are both shorter drivers (under 510") and we had the best visibility out of the Forester. Now to particulars... I like the Eyesight system it works well but can be quirky occasionally and kick itself off. Its not annoying though when it mildly scolds you for getting out of your lane. Given that this is a high end model I would have thought I would have more gauges, i.e. temp / oil pressure / volts. But you get a blue light to tell you when the motor is cold, duh, and thats it. It does not have quite the ride that my 2003 Dodge Caravan does, but of course that has a longer wheelbase and it is a two wheel drive and cant handle much off the pavement. Ive only had this car off the road for a short distance once on some un even ground and she was like "lets go!" My wife really likes the tight turning radius compared to our van and she can get the power seat set so she doesnt need a pillow like with most cars. She loves to sit up hight and see out. So far the gas mileage has been very very good. My worst tank early on averaged 26 and the current one is at 30 for 100 miles. It will probably level out 27 or so. If there is road construction and you are held down in speed the mileage keeps shooting up. Driving 70-75 steady will put you at about 26 which is still good. Ive only got 1600 miles on it. Thats all I can think of for now. Im the kind of person who spends hours and hours studying and reading consumers reviews which I think is one of the best measures of a car. If you are coming down in size it will take a little adjusting but its still comfy for couple of hour trips. Happy shopping

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  suburu blue tooth a joke - 2015 Subaru Forester
  By Linda Tolokonsky - July 23 - 3:54 pm

  not being able to pair my phone has really turned me off. it is to difficcult to manually put your numbers in. the salesman could not get one in. had more excuses and then said we had to have had gps for it to work correctly. suburu is way behind technology that has been arou nd for years. my last 4 cars had no problem pairing my phone. this is a neccessity for me i work in my car. when they sell the car they need to be specific npt when your picking it up.

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  13000 miles and no problems - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By Chris - July 22 - 3:56 pm

  I had a 2000 Audi A6 Biturbo and then upgraded to a 2003 Allroad, before I finally got smart and got the Subaru GT. It is just as quick as the Audis, with more road nose, while the interior materials and finishes are 80% of the Audis. The Subaru does not handle nearly as well as the Audi, but there are no mystery 45 MPH wobble, dont have to have the brakes replaced every 5,000 miles, and no electrical problems. (all of which plagued both my Audi’s) As a consumer I would say that Subaru took the A4 – A6 and copied as much as they could to make an inexpensive version that is much more reliable. All in all the Subaru GT has been a great choice for my family, but I do miss the A6 Biturbo