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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  Huge Disappointment! - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Unhappy - September 15 - 2:06 pm

  Boy, am I disappointed and angry. This B9 started breaking down at approximately 40,000 miles and has not run properly since, despite four trips to the dealership. I lost all compression and had to have 2 Valve intakes, 2 valve exchanges, 13 o rings, and several gaskets replaced. It took two breakdowns to get this fixed. Now, one cylinder is not functioning. The dealership is not wanting to admit that this is a lemon and replace it as they should. I have contacted the national Subaru corporation for all the good it will do me. Be careful if you buy this auto. You too could get stuck with a lemon.

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  Lew - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Love to drive - September 15 - 1:53 am

  I owned a Ford Ranger before this and I wanted one that was more fuel efficient. In city I have been averaging 25-26 and on the highway over 31 MPG. And I improved my comfort as it rides great and I love the sun roof and everything about it.

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  Loving My Legacy - 2011 Subaru Legacy
  By kmarkell1 - September 14 - 9:44 pm

  I recently purchased a Subaru Legacy Premium with the All Weather Package. I am a college student (who needed AWD) and I absolutely love my new car. I visited the Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Subaru dealerships no less than 3 times each before finally picking the Legacy and I have no regrets. It is a great value and performs nicely. Good handling, very comfortable, decent acceleration for the engine size, very quiet going down the road and I have yet to experience the AC/Heater and "shimmy" problems that some of the other people have written about. However, I have experienced a little rough shifting in the automatic mode but its not horribly noticeable or overly concerning. I LOVE this car!

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  My first new car - 2010 Subaru Legacy
  By easypar - September 14 - 1:00 pm

  Ive put 3800 miles on mine in 4 months, a fair amount of that on the highway, and Ive been pretty impressed. Weve had an above average year for snow and the AWD has performed as advertised. I considered BMW and Infinity before settling on the Legacy, I just could not justify that high price for a car. I felt the Subie offered excellent value for the price paid. My wife was concerned that due to my history with bigger, torqueier engines that I might feel this one was underpowered but experience has not borne that out. I chose the black exterior because I hadnt owned a black car in 25 years and think they look nice WHEN CLEAN.

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  Exhaustive comparison - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Bobby W - September 14 - 2:26 am

  My wife and I did an exhaustive comparison between the Outback Limited, KIA Sorrento, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Rav 4. We test drove each of the models above -some of them two or three times. We compared features, poured over projected reliability data and read countless forums about each model. I even contacted the Service Managers at each dealership in an attempt to gleen information about common problems. In the end, the Subaru Outback excelled in every category, including advanced safety features like the Eyesight technology. Moreover, the ride of the Outback handled better and seemed more comfortable, as well as more responsive in our test drive than the other models. Subarus Symmetrical All Wheel Drive was also a key factor in our decision. It is a superior system and due to the design, eliminates torque steer due to engine weight displacement during emergency handling. Less important features, like the self-storing roof crossbars, which eliminate drag and wind noise, pointed to the overall intelligent engineering of the vehicle. Little details like that are indications of practical design that I believe extend throughout the car. The comfort and convenience features are as nice as any $40-50,000 car. I should point out that choosing a new car in this category was not easy. Some of the other manufacturers have very competitive cars with outstanding feautures. But in the end, after literally months of research, we chose the 2017 Subaru Outback Limited because it seemed superior and met our needs. We are extremely happy with our decision.

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  ZZzzooooommmmmm! - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By LYLETN - September 13 - 9:00 am

  This car is really FUN!! Im using it as my highway traveler & its a real kick to drive. This is my 3rd Impreza wagon upping the horsepower every time. This car is much more refined than the 06 WRX it replaces. It has a great ride & is faster, & handles better. Ive had no problems with rattles, the overall fit & finish kicks my former WRX square in the back end! There is no comparison.

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  Why buy a G35, TL, A4, or 330i? - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By ekarno - September 13 - 7:16 am

  You sacrifice a few irrelevant items (real wood, 6th gear, stability traction -- its got 4 wheel drive) in order to obtain a car that otherwise competes favorably in terms of pure performance with any A6, 545i, M35,TL etc., at 40% or more less cost. Only one word of advice; change the horrible Potenza RE 92s immediately for something decent such as Fuzion ZR1s or Avon MTech 500s. Brakes could use a bit of upgrading, but I havent looked into that yet. Everything else is about nigh perfect, even the faux wood and brushed aluminum.

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  THE GREATEST CAR EVAR! - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By djxphact0r - September 13 - 1:36 am

  In my honest opinion I think this car tops all cars right now on the market, its sleek, its fast, its great looking too. Doesnt make you feel like an old fogey driving a family car. This car can be either one to race, or one for a family, I use mine for family, and my family loves it!

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  Dependable workhorse - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By ctac - September 13 - 1:23 am

  Our family has been running this Outback for almost four years. We put a little over 50K miles on it, with probably 30K of daily commute and 10K of annual ski trips. Subarus are usually praised for their AWD, but in the first couple of winters I had some skidding incidents (shouldnt have pressed the gas pedal so carelessly on tight turns! This is a manual transmission car, so not all of the fancy electronic stabilization systems are available). Once that has been figured out, we found ourselves working as a snow taxi for our friends in a small Midwestern town. I was disappointed with the fuel economy at first (it was clearly below the nominal rating), but then it somehow got better.

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  My First Subi - 2007 Subaru Outback
  By Steve - September 12 - 9:30 pm

  This is my first time buying a non-GM car. Have only driven 300 miles. No problems yet. Love the way this car handles. Great acceleration and smooth ride. Was perfect to drive during a recent snowfall. Looking forward to taking this car on next backwoods camping trip. So far no regrets I didnt buy GM.