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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  2.5 RS - 2001 Subaru Impreza
  By Amy - February 23 - 8:16 am

  Ive owned this car since the fall of 2000. I preferred the "Old School" style and wasnt really interested in waiting for the new WRX to come out. I was a previous owner of an Outback Sport (98) and loved that. The RS with the leather interior that I upgraded to made me love the Impreza even more. I use it as my daily driver, drop my toddler off to preschool (the 4 doors are a bonus for this over the coupe). The trunk is large enough to fit a full size hockey bag-but one drawback of the 01 is that the seats dont fold down. Never had an issue with anything mechanical. Now with 97,-000 miles on it, its still going strong. Excellent in the snow. I would highly recommend this car.

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  worth every penny! - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By G-pong - February 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive had so much fun with this vehicle- my previous car was an 2001 Integra Type-R. Although I did love my Type-R, the WRX has the same fun factor and I can take my friends along. I have been driving it hard over the past year and Im still giddy every time I go for a drive.

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  2006 finally Makes the Grade All Around - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By b1 - February 18 - 9:33 am

  This replaced our 1995 Legacy 4WD LS wagon, which still looks good but recently had to have its transmission rebuilt, and axles and driveshaft replaced. The new i LTD wagon is gorgeous and a great value. The engine is the new 175 hp model - a big improvement over the old one, and over the 168 hp 2005, which had seemed slower than the 1995 model. You can feel the power and supercharger is not missed. It handles exceptionally well and has outstanding visibility. The Gold Award from the IIHS sealed the deal - the 2005 had done poorly in the crash test. The ride is a great improvement - taut and responsive. The automatic shifter is weird and awkward but versatile. No manual option on the LTD.

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  Great Car - 2013 Subaru Legacy
  By ohio441 - February 18 - 7:06 am

  Ive had the 2013 4-cyl. Legacy Premium for about 7 months now, and love the car. Picked it up for $22k including the all-weather mats (recommended). The main reason I bought it was the AWD, since I live where it snows a lot. The car is a beast in the snow, even with the regular tires. It was 11 degrees today with the car sitting outside, and it started without a hitch and plowed through about 5 inches of snow on the driveway to get to the street. It has plenty of room - its larger on the inside than it seems from the outside, and the trunk is large too. Its comfortable, solid and well-handling to drive.

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  Good Value - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By hokie_dad - February 18 - 5:56 am

  Our Outback is now 2 years old and has been a great vehicle. Its big enough for trips around town, yet fits in the garage. It has more than enough leg room in the rear seat and still have plenty of cargo room. The CVT transmission takes a little getting used to, but overall has been great. Itll take a second to build revs when you hit the gas, but a normal transmission would take a second to downshift too, so its about the same. Child seat is easy to install and remove. Our Outback has been averaging 28 mpg with mostly intown driving. On a recent trip, the highway MPG was averaging 34. Ive seen a lot of complaints about steering issues. I havent experienced any, ours does fine.

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  Great Utility Vehicle - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By Radar1 - February 16 - 9:20 pm

  This is a comfortable and well performing car. I use it to tow my pop-up camper and kayaks and its one of the few 4 cylinder cars with a high enough tow rating to do this. The AWD comes in handy in some state parks when trying to maneuver in campsites and gives a solid feeling while driving in heavy rain and snow. My gas mileage is higher than the EPA numbers which makes me happy. The load floor is long enough to swallow a lot of cargo for our family visits.

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  New to AWD - 2007 Subaru Legacy
  By SubieNewbie - February 16 - 6:46 pm

  Ive had this car a year now, and like all cars it has is good and bad points. Good things are the engine has a lot of pep for a non-turbo 4-cyl, and it grips the road nicely. Winter driving is great. Good ergonomics. good front passenger room. Some bad things i found was that the plastic seems cheap. It makes noises from cold weather. And the plastic scratches easily. The passenger compartment could be bigger. heated rear view mirrors should be standard, I never had icing up problems on any of my other vehicles as much as this one.

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  Subaru Nailed It! - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By JM94 - February 15 - 11:56 pm

  06 Outback and time for something new, went to test drive a new Outback had to have the Legacy. Finally, a Subaru with an interior big enough for my toddlers carseat! Love the looks inside and out. Yes, the 2.5 engine is not a good selection if you like to drag race. But realistically, it handles every day driving just fine, not a donkey. Gets over 30 mpg on the highway-really good for AWD. It handles exceptionally well, just drove it in a huge rainstorm and the car has nothing but confidence on the road. The CVT has an interesting feel, especially if you are coming from a 4 speed auto, its very quiet and often at a low rpm. For 23k, AWD, moonroof, CVT and paddle shifters, hard to beat.

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  Best Bang For Your Buck! - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By GF - February 15 - 10:26 am

  Needed a 4 door wagon due to the new addition to my family. So I test drove an Audi A4 Avant (2.0T and 3.2 versions) and the Subaru Outback 3.0R was on par with the Audi Avant 3.2. Went with Subaru and saved $14K over the Audi. Also, plan to do a lot of outdoor family stuff (biking, camping, etc) so the additional ride height with the Outback made sense. I still have yet to open it up cause its still in the break-in period, but this an excellent overall value. This car feels like Im still driving my BMW. Subaru got this Outback right. Cant go wrong with Japanese build quality and a German driving feel at a Japanese price tag.

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  Great New Car - Body Rust after 7 Months - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By cm236 - February 14 - 4:46 pm

  I purchased a new Impreza last November, this is the Canadian Sports Model (similar to the US sold "2.5i with Premium Package, VDC". A great car to drive, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a severe winter that had snow on the ground over a 6 month period - and this is definitely a fantastic car for these conditions. Only negative was when I noticed rust on the rear panel (around the license plate) in a number of spots in June. The dealer has been very helpful and concurred that yes, this is rust, and this should not happen.