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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  Oil Consumption - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By csl12 - December 5 - 4:26 pm

  We bought the 2012 Impreza after our 2004 was totaled. We also own a Forester and have owned 3 others. We have had check engine, oil pressure, and low oil warnings 7 times in two years. In particular, weve had low oil 5 times within the past 7 months and only 7,000 miles. The car is definitely burning oil. Dealer agrees its burning oil and is not leaking. It doesnt leak "enough" and is considered to be "normal" by the service manager. As a 25 year Subie owner, I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in the vehicle and Subarus inaction. I doubt well be another Subie- but I do LOVE my 2010 Forester (before the engine change!!!)

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  Head Gasket Issues - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By Ann Capshaw - November 3 - 10:27 am

  Had to get head gaskets machines at 75,000 miles and it was downhill maintenance wise from there. We were lucky that we had the warranty to 100,000 miles but we used it so much for other things that were breaking that we decided to get rid of the car before the warranty expired. The dealership was awesome in always checking to make sure repairs were covered under warranty too. The cloth interior showed wear and stains quite rapidly which was disappointing considering we are the perfect people they market the car to (outdoorsy family with kids and dogs). Spacious interior was nice. Sadly I’m off Subies until they can resolve the head gasket - my brother in law experienced the same on his ‘09 Forester and unfortunately it was past his warranty. Just can’t take the chance.

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  Wont buy another! - 2004 Subaru Outback
  By Snubby - October 11 - 10:00 am

  I bought a new Subaru Outback Model 2004, While a very pretty car to look at, I am disapointed with many features. It is impossible to not have the car jerk when stopping or starting from a dead stop. The seats (and I put in Leather...paid extra) Are the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. They are causing problems with my back and hips....big time....my wife is also experiencing the same. You have to be an acrobat just to step in and out of the car...you just can step in like any other normal car..I have to twist and turn and do the hokey pokey just to enter the darn thing. Its only a couple of months old but I plan to trade it in ASAP.

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  Worst Car Ive Ever Owned - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By Car Professor - October 9 - 10:53 pm

  This is the worst car Ive ever owned. In less than 3500 miles, its been in for service on five separate occasions. I’m not sure whether Subaru needs to redesign this vehicle, improve assembly procedures/training, or conduct more thorough testing, but I do know that somewhere along the way, Subaru lost sight of its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. I will never purchase another Subaru and would never recommend one, as I feel that I simply can’t rely on this vehicle. Where’s the ‘love’, Subaru? P.S. - Subaru Customer Service more hindrance than help. They simply dont care.

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  2017 2.5i Outback - Terrible Car! - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By BobbyR - September 5 - 11:36 pm

  I purchased this car in September 2016 and totally regret not looking at other cars before purchasing. This car only has 175hp and it is severely lacking in a car this size/weight (and forget it if you have it loaded up!). To compound it Subaru uses a CVT transmission which again is very lacking. Subaru gets great gas mileage because of it but for performance of any kind, look elsewhere (Im surprised their logo isnt a snail). It takes forever to accelerate to freeway speeds and forget about "speeding" up or trying to get ahead of the next guy because this car has ZERO performance for even routine acceleration/maneuvers. Fit and finish is acceptable and while I have the leather seating for some reason there is an issue with the driver seat - it kills my lower back no matter how the seat is adjusted (Im of average height/weight) and it is thought the heated seat elements might be to blame. Bought a cushion and that helps but now my head hits the ceiling, so not much of a great improvement. The following deficiencies are pretty petty, but they are issues. 1) door locks are fresh from 1970. Not programmable in any manner and you either drive with the door locked by manually locking them or they stay unlocked which is most of the time. Personally I think this is a huge safety issue. Also the passenger side door lock button is not illuminated at night (the window switch is), and so it is that much harder to lock the doors in the dark with black buttons. 2) the child lockout button works great except it also locks out the driver! When activated, no switch, not even the driver switches work - on other cars the driver switches still work, so this is really frustrating as well. 3) you cant globally turn on the interior lights using any interior switch. If you want all the lights on in the car, you have to open a door! Again this is very frustrating when you have kids and you need the lights on. 4) Now that its winter I notice that the interior windows fog up constantly (and I live in a very dry climate), so you have to leave the defroster on all the time and I think the climate system doesnt work right, but wont really know until the summer time for complete testing. 5) For a car that is as electronically advanced as this one with the EyeSight and keyless entry youd think that it would have auto start. Nope! Not even an option which is just crazy for a car in 2017. 6) The Subaru Starlink touch screen and "apps" are very confusing and very convoluted. Ive had other cars with similar issues, but the Subaru takes the cake in touchscreen madness. The other safety issue I have with this car is that it wont stay put in its lane. It has a lane assist feature in which you can make it automatically stay in the lane but it is clunky and makes you look like you are driving drunk if you actually use it. When it is off, the car drifts constantly and you need to keep turning the wheel to stay in the lane. I believe it is an issue with the lane assist and EyeSight system, but Subaru will never admit it. This car has many annoyance reminder/alarms, especially if you have the EysSight system. You constantly get lane departure warnings, and on curves the accident avoidance warning goes off if it sees another car in a different lane and the lane assist alarm goes off telling you to put your hands on the wheel when they are already there. Over all for the cost of this car and the feature set, you could do much better with a different manufacturer. As soon as I can Im getting rid of this car because honestly any car with all wheel drive is just as superior and what was once Subarus niche, pretty much everyone else does now anyway - without the annoyance factor. Id totally pass on this car and if you can, take it for a LONG test drive before you buy and test all this stuff out because Im totally sorry I didnt!

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  Okay car - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By koalapeck2 - August 27 - 1:20 am

  The drive is great. But the fun stops there. This car is good at one thing only: Rally driving. Couldnt really feel the turbo.

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  NoMoreSubi - 2001 Subaru Impreza
  By nomoresubi - July 25 - 1:19 am

  I wish I could write a great review of the Three SubiÂ’s IÂ’ve owned however, per my experience IÂ’m not able to. Subaru has major major major design, engineering, assembly, and supplier parts quality issues. Here is my experience. 1999 Outback about 40,000 miles head gaskets blow. Several thousand for a new engine (yea sometimes the heads and block will warp when the head gaskets blow) car totaled. 2001 about 500 miles head gaskets blow. Another engine about 40,000 miles spun bearing. Run only Mobil 1 every 3-5,000 miles oil change. Car totaled. 1997 outback 20 miles yep 20 miles head gaskets blow. All Three were the EJ25 4 cyl engine.

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  Disappointed - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By SS - July 23 - 1:16 am

  I purchased this car two months ago. The navigation did not work the first time I tried to use it. The dealer replaced it under warranty. The engine noise is unbearable especially when it is a cold start. It sounds like a garbage truck. Accelaration is awful. I am getting 20 mpg average which is very disappointing. The fact that the gas fill cap is on the right caused me to scrap the the side of my car on a low planter at a gas station. I never had this issue when in my previous car which had the gas fill cap on the left. I truly cannot wait to get rid of this car. After doing further research, I found a lot of consumers are complaining about the engine noise issue in other online forums. What I do not understand is how this car is getting very positive rating on Edmunds and other mainstream car review websites. Here is my honest opinion for anyone who is thinking about buying or leasing this car: Go somewhere else. DONT BUY THIS CAR.

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  Never Again - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Rachael - June 24 - 10:03 am

  I bought my Subaru with 40k miles on it 2 years ago, and this January it became a MONEY PIT...had a strong fuel smell and had dealer tighten plugs two times...the smell continued. I had my 60,000 tune up. Still smelled it. Found out my coolant was leaking, so I went in twice to have them put something in the car that would seal any leaks from the inside. Didnt work. Replaced my head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, the whole bit. NOW, Im burning 1 quart of oil every two weeks, and replaced 2 wheel bearings. Heated windshield broke windshield both winters. Seats uncomfortable for long trips. LOVE THE CARGO SPACE!

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  2011 Outback Noise Problem - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By muldrid - May 2 - 12:48 am

  Heres the 2011 Subaru Outback with the noise that car buyers are complaining about. Loud inside the car and out. Occurs in park, neutral and drive. Starts at about 1100 RPM. Dealers will tell you this is normal. THIS IS A NEW CAR....two weeks old....this is not normal and Subaru should repair / recall this car to fix this problem. View and listen to this defect at youtube.com and look up user mudridx. See and listen to the subaru_outback.mov for yourself. Visit the Subaru forums and read the many complaints about the Outback "chirping". Google "Outback chirping" and read for yourself. It is not acceptable that Subaru is not addressing this problem.