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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  Outback in the Outhouse - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By rrrust - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Check at 10K miles engine light prompts trip to dealer. Aux. air injection valve (emissions) failure is indicated. This becomes a recurring failure. Valve is replaced once or twice per month for several months. Finally tech rep calls factory and they suggest re- programming cars brain. This fix works, but then car develops severe knocking in valve train (stuck or gummed lifters?). Get rid of this one before warranty expires.

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  woo-woo my subaru! - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By thegreatswamp - July 3 - 10:00 am

  this is a great car to drive,,, really fast (85 mph without any noises, etc),handles great and 25 mpg. i havent gotten that in 8 years - traded in a 96 blazer. lots of room too. i cant wait for the snow to start falling. lots of tie-downs in the rear; thats a nice feature.

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  Buy It - Lease It - GET IT TODAY - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By douglasdubois - July 3 - 2:50 am

  I got my Tribeca Saturday. Monday drove it to FL, phenomenal, my 4th Subaru, somewhat biased? Maybe, but have Audis as well. I leased no money down, taxes rolled in etc. and pay $498.00. Now this does include some excess from my previous VDC which I owned but still owed on! I have the 15,000 miles allowance and a $20,995 buyout. I cannot recommend this car enough. I also test drove everything comparable; the only other serious contenders for me: the hybrid twins from Toyota; the Lexus was too much and the Highlander just not visually exciting. On I-95, it tracked true, its quick enough and 21 mpg! Nav and MP3 are standouts; how did i live without these before? NO disappointments here - recommended.

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  Best in Class Sport Wagon - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By wagagog - July 2 - 10:26 pm

  Currently the best sport wagon available for under $35k. Steering feel is basically perfect. It out-accelerates any of its competitors (and just about everything else, as well). Balance between ride and handling is superb. Interior is neat...subtly upscale with no cheap bits. Safe, reliable, and fun with no major flaws, but only 15-17 MPG in town, 20-24 pure highway. <6 second 0-60 times are valid, but the on-demand turbo acceleration requires keeping the RPMs at 3,000+, so if you dont downshift to the right gear at the right moment, youll miss that extreme power. Smooth, quiet. Plays family wagon and sports car equally well. Standard shifter is too long for sporty driving, but has a decent feel.

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  Awesome in the snow. - 2000 Subaru Outback
  By Loved my outback - July 1 - 12:20 pm

  We had our Subaru Outback since 2000 until my husband totaled it. This is a great car. Not much room to fit a big family, but great in the snow. Great second car. We are thinking about getting another one just because how safe we feel driving this on any type of road conditions. Never had mechanical problems, except regular maintenance,. Great car... I am sorely going to miss ours.

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  Former Forester owner - 1998 Subaru Forester
  By Pip - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Bought this wagon in 04, my senior year of college.. I got a great deal on it. Was 6 years old and had 90k on it. I love the manual transmission. By far the smoothest manual i ever drove. Fantastic in the snow. Just too many problems, radiator, head gasket, tires wear very fast due to the symmetrical all wheel drive. This vehicle broke down 3 straight years on the eve of the biggest snow storm of the year leaving me stranded. I went to a Jeep and havent looked back.

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  Canadian 6 cyl H6 3.0 model wonder! - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By duke_wa - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Our Candian edition model of 3.0 H6 Outback is close to the L.L. Bean model, but doesnt have two-tone leather, it just has the monotone leather and no L.L. Bean logos. Love the cold weather package features. Dont have the Mcintosh stereo, but the upgraded weather band stereo is still pretty decent. Quality throughout and love the power and smoothness from the 6 cylinder engine. This is our second Outback. Our previous one was the 2.5 litre 1998 4- cyl.

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  Fabulous! - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Sasha - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my SiSE for just over 2 years. Gas mileage is over what I expected - 31 hwy and 27 mixed. Had snow in South GA last winter - I was the only one not sliding all over the road! LOVE this CAR!

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  Transmission is Plague - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By designer - July 1 - 7:23 am

  Replaced my 2006 Outback sport with the larger version. Nice upgrade and significant price increase. I liked the AWD and style of the 08. Car handles great. Constant problem since I have owned the car is the transmission. It has been fixed twice, the third time the shop could not "duplicate it" Going in again tomorrow. The transmission shifts hard and clunks, feels like it is slipping. It was really bad the first 2 times. Now it does it under 40 MPH in city traffic. Its driving me nuts, litterally!

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  A Practical Commuter with a Soul - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Mike - June 30 - 8:40 pm

  I have only owned the vehicle for a few days, but it is incredibly solid and quite fun to drive. Going from a Z28 to a four-cylinder was a bit daunting, but the car feels spritely for 170 ponies. Controls are well laid-out and easy to figure out, and the car responds as though it is meant to be driven. After test-driving a few vehicles (Corolla, Civic, etc) the Subaru was by far the most fun and felt like the best value for my dollar, especially with the full-time All Wheel Drive. The stereo is a bit tinny (base model), but can be easily upgraded. Absolutely opt for the auxiliary-input if you get the base model for MP3 connectivity - its a blast!