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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  At this price - what else compares? - 2000 Subaru Legacy
  By wpoulos - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This car is able to haul loads of stuff, has AWD, looks agressive, handles well, and is overall a fun car to drive (especially with the 5 speed). At this price point, there is not much that even comes close if those things are important to you. Audi A4 avant, BMW 325ix wagon, etc... are more $$$.

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  Darn wheel bearings - 1999 Subaru Forester
  By BillMopar - July 19 - 11:30 am

  I love the car, had it since 1999, but I have replaced the wheel bearings six times now. Sometime the car will not engage into drive from park. That normally happens every 30 thousand miles. How I correct this problem is by changing trans. fluid and filter.

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  Such a love/hate relationship - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By Cameron - July 18 - 7:51 pm

  First off, we love our subie. She gets us where we need to go. Never complains and never fails to do so. Ill admit, I graduated from the Subaru class of the early 2000s when the engines were crap and I wanted to drive the car off a cliff for the insurance money. I was hesitant to get anther but my wife insisted that we get something safe and reliable. Alas, we settled on a 2013 certified pre-owned and have been more than pleased. Sure, it has its quirks. MPG is not the greatest but we live in the city. On the highway she purrs like a kitten and gets us roughly 30-32 MPG. Bear in mind that we use non-ethanol gas. We had a funky issue with a brake light sensor going out and it totally confused the brain of the car and wouldnt let us shift out of park. However, I took it to the dealership and they knew right away what the issue was and resolved quickly. There could definitely be more legroom for a 61" 250lb dude but my wife fits in perfectly. It does blow my mind there is no cargo light in the trunk. The hate part is that their expensive to maintain. Will be buy another crosstrek? bet your [non-permissible content removed] we will. The 2018s are good lookin. For now, were not ready to retire 2013. Shes got 75,000 miles and still runnin like a champ.

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  One week - 2007 Subaru Forester
  By Linda Lee - July 16 - 1:23 pm

  I like the "evenness" or the ride and the feeling of good control. It went off the road (2 tires on pavement, 2 on dirt) to avoid a head-on collision with no loss or compromise of control. I especially like the moonroof feature - perhaps I noticed this because it is summer and it hasnt rained yet. I like the built in audio aux jack.

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  Subaru blows thru snow! - 2006 Subaru Forester
  By April Oliveira - July 14 - 6:56 am

  Great car overall, sunroof problem but was replaced @ no cost, just my time. Wonderful in the snow as with good tires, drives thur deep snow better than my ex-suv.

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  Not as reliable as you think - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By Gene - July 14 - 1:20 am

  Ive been an owner of the 07 limited for almost 2 weeks and its been in the shop more than in my driveway. There are several issues with the 07 sti models that people need to be aware of. Huge throttle response issues and some hesitation issues during acceleration. When I purchased this vehicle it was a rocket but after 3 days of fun it went into the shop for a check engine light. The dealer fixed the issue and now theres another problem. HORRIBLE throttle response! You will have problems with this car.

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  I love my Forester, but - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Tirzah - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Love driving the Forester...the AWD is a life-saver in winter. But mine is plagued by reliability problems. Four times we had to replace wheel bearings, starting at 15K miles, last at 104K miles. Had bad spark plug wires at 40K. Catalytic converter went at 96K. Now my radio-6-CD player started to burn up at 106K, and I needed new engine gaskets and valve seals. This isnt what I expected of Subaru. This is my 3rd Subaru...previously kept a Loyale wagon until 239K miles...I dont think this Forester will last that long. I just bought a Toyota Highlander to make sure I had a more reliable car. Well hold on to the Forester as a second car, until we can afford a replacement.

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  Get out of the van! - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By Justin Wolfe - July 10 - 11:50 pm

  If gas, safety, and all wheel drive are concerns for you then Subaru has vehicles to consider. The 2017 Forester is great on gas, has an awesome safety rating and is all-wheel drive so when it came time to get out of that old mini van, the choice was easy!

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  A great vehicle but a hacker is needed to improve - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By alton briggs - July 8 - 10:14 pm

  Whenever the car is started the display immediately shows the "lawyer screen" dealing with safety. That is a fixed feature which cannot be changed. OK, I reluctantlyunderstand the manufacturers defensive choice there, and the screen disappears in a few seconds. A regrettable fact but acceptable. Its what happens next that is really dumb, and arrogant, forcing presentation of a screen which many drivers would not want. That screen is for audio. It is not the menu screen. The menu screen logically should be presented immediately after the "lawyer" screen because it allows touch selection of screens which more likely would be of interest than the audio screen. OK, Ill admit that this complaint is subjective and the problem is not major, and Ill reiterate that the vehicle otherwise is great. But why would Subaru designers do such an unnecessarily dumb thing?

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  Fits the Bill! - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By tinycadon - July 6 - 8:39 am

  bought the cvt premium with moonroof 12/22/12, waited until Mayan apocalypse was over! Im 64" and have plenty of legroom & even with the moonroof still had enough headroom. not the fastest vehicle on the road, but plenty of power to get it moving, merging or passing on the highway, just need to punch it. road noise isnt as bad as consumer reports describes, not sure what theyre comparing it to? gas mileage pretty good right out the gate, 28mpgs on 380mi trip doing 70-80 with fully loaded car and only 100 miles on it at start. pretty impressed so far.