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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  GTI, Mazdaspeed3 - no comparison - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By Car Aficionado - October 16 - 4:13 pm

  The WRX is a phenomenal car. Not only because of its price tag but also because of its performance, reliability, and its rally breed uniqueness. This is the car that forged the way for the likes of the other AWD performance cars - i.e., the Mazdaspeed6, Audi A3, R32 etc... however its quite a bit cheaper. It still baffles me why the R32 is compared performance wise to the STI - its acceleration is not better than the stock WRX. The GTI is not in the same league. The Mazda3speed is a great car. If youre not interested in AWD its a great choice. I do like the front 2004 & 2005 front fascia better than the 2006 & 2007. The stock 17" rims should have been offered from the very beginning.

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  Love It - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By Bnaim - October 15 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has plenty of room,runs beautifully,and id fun to drive.

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  Practical and Fun!!! - 2009 Subaru Impreza
  By Ron Beach - October 14 - 12:30 am

  Whats amazing about this 2.5 all wheeler is the fact that on a trip from Colorado to South Dakota in my first month of ownership, I averaged 33 mpg highway and 28 mpg city. For all wheel drive, this is spectacular mileage in a quality vehicle. No rattles, very little wind noise, all the bells whistles I need and then some.

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  Take a deep breath! - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Bill.Tarkulich - October 13 - 3:25 pm

  It would be nice if reviewers stated what kind of driver they are and what expectations they had going into this. For these purposes, Im a fairly laid back driver. I drive about 5mph over the speed limit, under limit when conditions are poor, and just like to enjoy the ride. Im short (56"). Im not a road warrior, dont weave in and out and use my directional. In terms of expectations its how I get from one place to another. No expectations about style or performance. Im an advocate from a "keep it simple stupid" school. I do expect to be able to drive capably and safely on the highways, about 80% of the time. I need it to be my "go to" car for my passions , hiking and skiing. It must be competent on forest roads, logging roads, unmaintained roads, generally what I call "soft roading". It must be capable of handling deep snow, icy, slushy and cruddy roads in the depths of the winter. It must be capable of hauling all my trail maintenance tools (I volunteer with the US Forest Service). It must be capable of jamming my skis and gear into it. It must be comfortable to drive in the depth of the winter colds. That means heated seats and a good defroster. It must be able to navigate through heavy snow, which means fog lights. It must be able to drive through 8" of mud on dirt roads in the spring. It must have enough drivers visibility to peer over the heights of land on old forest roads. It must be "maximum man, minimum machine". It means being close to nature, with great visibility and terrific sun roof, all year. It means great fuel economy and lower maintenance costs. It means the longevity of 200K miles or 10 years. I came from an Audi Quattro with far too many gadgets and features. Very capable in the winter, with AWD and snow tires. Problem is, something is always breaking and each repair is costly. Problem is too low a ground clearance, too great fuel (and oil) consumption. My first and last Subaru was a 1981 GL with real 4WD, up/low. Ive taken the Forester down the forest roads, used the Xmode and been quite pleased with how it handles the steeps. I love being able to put the seat up as high as I can and seeing great distances. This is very helpful not just on dirt roads, but in seeing wildlife and anticipating the terrain ahead. Im no longer fearful of road construction portrudences. Im quite fine with CVT. Its worked quite well under all conditions. I cant wait to get it in the snow in three months. Its a car I dont mind getting dirty. Im an empty nester, usually hauling only myself around with my gear. Sometimes one other person. I would not consider this as a family car. Id be looking at an Outback or something else. While I love Jeeps, I have no need for a larger engine or towing capacity or lower reliability. Didnt care for the RAV4, CR5 or other competitors for one reason or another. For me, the non negotiables were sun roof, heated seats. I dont understand the whining about the rubber mats is all about. I put dirt-laden picks, axes, saws and other tools in back. Im always tracking gravel, dirt, mud and snow into the car. They are just fine. If you want a city car with lots of luxury, there are plenty of choices for you. Just go for the LandRover if thats your style. I could care less about passenger seat adjustments or a lighted vanity mirror. What dont Iike? Mostly small things like more storage compartments, a better stereo (I wil change that out some day), more trunk lighting (I can fix that myself) and a full size spare tire.) Im glad it has the roof racks for hauling things like a canoe. I like the rear spoiler, but it makes putting a bike rack on the back near impossible. I love the ground clearance. I love that its pretty narrow, which makes city driving and parking a breeze. BTW , I disabled all those beeps and light flashes when the car is locked and unlocked. No need to draw attention to myself. Ive noticed that trying to stream music via bluetooth in the car results in poor audio fidelity. Connecting it by wire give much better sound. For the record, I get 34mpg on trips if I keep it at 60mph. At 70mph, the mileage gets down to 28, which is about my city driving average. Ive got my snow tires and am ready to rock. Until then, Ill be on forest roads and highways.

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  2005 STIBABY - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By Gouy - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Is the most fun car Ive ever owned. I tread my 03 350Z Track and 04 BMW M3 in for this car.

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  WRX Sti Is a Serious Performer - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By George Pulido - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Over the years I have owned and driven a few cars. The WRX STi rates the highest in its class. The power in this car comes on smoothly and the handling and brakes are superb. The exterior styling is subtle yet agressive enough to give it a race car look. The interior feels and looks like a true sports vehicle. The seats are confortable and the controls are well laid out for proper reading and operation. Before purchasing my STi, I researched it for a year and compared it to the EVO, RX-8 and Nissan 350Z. All these cars were truly amazing in their own right but the STi just seemed to have better quality finish and construction with higher grade interior materials. This is a fun car.

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  We love SUBARU - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By RUDY - October 11 - 4:49 pm

  If you are looking for peppy acceleration and quite cabin interior... Then, you need to look elsewhere. We love Subaru for its functionality and peace of mind it give us knowing that the car will take care of us through our journey - pavement jungle or the real jungle. This is our 5th Subaru.

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  Small and big enough.... - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By kurtataltos - October 11 - 1:47 am

  Debated between an Outlook and a 4Runner. In the end the Outlook just made more sense. Debated between the 4 and 6 cylinder. Went with the 6 as I make frequent trips to the mountains and snow. The 6 is smoooooth... much more than my daughters 4 cylinder Forester... and I still get decent mileage, currently averaging around 30. If you need more power than this 6 then you are at a race track. There is plenty of room in the car. Nothing negative to say after 7500 miles except... for the StarLink/entertainment system. The voice/map interface is worthless and the voice recognition is horrible. The overall user interface must have been written by a 5 year old. Very poorly done. Subaru needs to offer current owners a refreshed and updated user interface. Overall, still very satisfied with the only exception being the radio/entertainment/Sirius XM system. Would I buy this vehicle again.... absolutely.

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  fast, powerful, fun and easy to control - 2014 Subaru Outback
  By outbacker3 - October 10 - 2:22 am

  I have my 3.6R 6 weeks now, and love it. I sold my Sporty coup AUDI TT and Safari van when bought this one. so far Im loving it! the combination of having sporty car like and be able to have so much room for passengers and cargo, make it my favorite car. I test drove so many other SUVs and crossovers when I came to the point that outback is the best choice for me. AUDI Q5 was closest option for performance and handling, but it had less cargo and passenger space and $18000 more money.

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  nice car!! - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By tcooper - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Just bought the legacy special edition. with only a thousand miles on it, too early to tell about reliability. I bought the car presidents day weekend for $18,200. The invoice was about that before destination charges. I believe I got a good deal. The amazing thing to me is that I purchased this subaru for only $500 more than my wifes Legacy sedan (L) in 1998!!! Look how much more I got! bigger engine, sun roof, leather wheel and shift etc.. I like the handling very much. I am getting about 25mpg right now, hoping for a little more after it is broken in.