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:

• 

  Nice car - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By Dutch - October 10 - 2:00 am

  My first Subaru , and I am impressed. Nice smooth ride, good milage. Got the leather seats etc. paid $ 25925. 4 cyl provides plenty of power.

• 

  Love this car! - 2009 Subaru Impreza
  By Meghan - October 9 - 9:46 am

  First "new" car I ever purchased for myself and I absolutely love it! I bought this car mainly for the AWD feature. This car can drive through anything! Its great in the snow. I feel totally safe! Fun to drive, looks sharp, comfortable and roomy. The sound system is awesome! I get a lot of compliments. I have the Dark gray metallic with spoiler.

• 

  Best car I have ever owned - 2008 Subaru Legacy
  By Tommyo - October 8 - 11:40 pm

  I purchased my Legacy with 6400 miles on it. The dealer told me it was a program car and that an executive from Subaru headquarters in Mass drove it. Come to find out it was a rental car. I bought this car because its safety, style, comfort, AWD, and because I did not want to be another guy driving in a cookie cutter car (Camry, Accord). This car has good pick up same as Camry, Accord. Same MPG too darn good for AWD. The Subie suspension is great. Nice balance of ride and handling. The boxer engine also is silky smooth and sounds good too. A boxer engine the pistons are horizontally opposed. Same as Porsche boxer design has lower center of gravity better handling, best value for its class.

• 

  I love, no LOVE my Subaru - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By SCM - October 8 - 2:21 am

  I have generally thought that Subarus were good cars but if Im honest they have been at best just ok to look at and more often than not kind of ugly. Growing up in a ski resort many people drove Subarus because they are good in the snow and affordable. I was needing a car that would allow me to haul around dog crates and signs I use in my Real Estate business. I looked at many SUVs and found that most of them were just OK. I didnt even look at Subaru because of my perception of the looks of the car. Then I saw the new Outback and thought "It still looks like a Subaru but it is much nicer looking". It was like knowing a girl who is plain and then meeting her sister who has the family resemblance but is a knock out. I did a great deal of research on this car and in terms of safety, reliability and performance it looked like it could not be beat. I then went for a test drive and was expecting the car to be a bit sluggish but to my surprise I was happy with the acceleration. I drove the 6 cylinder and although acceleration was better you took a big hit in the MPG. The interior fit and finish of this car is top notch with leather and soft to the touch finishes everywhere. Most of the other cars I looked at looked like Tupperware had done the interiors with all the hard plastic everywhere. The eyesight system ROCKS! This car will keep you in your lane, apply braking in an emergency and has adaptive cruse control. The car is quite with a bit of a stiff ride which gives you the ability to use the car off road. I really like that the car sits up high so it is easy to get in and out of. The mileage is amazing being that the car is large and four wheel drive. I am getting about 29 in town and 34 on the highway. Not bad as it is rated at 26/33. Absolutely everything about this car functions well. rear seats fold easily, rear hatch opens electronically. seat comfortable and adjustable. Really good infotainment center as well. To be fair there are a few minor things I would change. I wish the doors would lock when the car is put in gear and I wish the passenger seat had a height adjustment but if that is the extent of my wish list for a car I think that is pretty short. In my work, I often have people in my car. I get lots of comments like "What kind of car is this" and "This is nicer than I thought Subarus were." I showed this car to my mother who liked it so much that she bought the identical car a month later. I think what sold her is that were she lives they had a snow storm that was the biggest in something like a hundred years. They did not have enough snow plows to do the streets and even people with four wheel drive trucks were having difficulty getting around. My Subaru did so well that I ended up driving her neighbors to the grocery store as none of them could get out of their drive way. If something happened to this car I would go out and buy it all over again. My research tell me that Im not alone in this. The car is #1 in brand loyalty, Owners keep their Subarus longer than any other brand and they have the highest resale value as well. I guess we all love our Subarus This is my favorite car I have ever owned.

• 

  Surprise Surprise - 2010 Subaru Impreza
  By Phillip - October 7 - 8:20 pm

  Just bought the imprezza yesterday (7- 19-10), drove it back home , and was really surprised the road manners , and just that it hauls, really like the feel of the interior. even for a standard imprezza , you get the boxer engine like a Porsche the infamous AWD of Subaru, had to steer the car from going off the road cause it just looks for its next conquest! Same price would have bought me a corolla , what fun is that? So glad I bought this awd inprezza which the awd is standard, acceleration very good, this car will be in our family for a long time, unlimited performance upgrades, that I can push the limits on the car, great rally inspired Subaru awd! . Thanks Subaru!

• 

  Great Wagon - 2008 Subaru Outback
  By eonrac - October 6 - 5:50 pm

  Have owned this 2.5i for 2 years without any problems. Bought new and has only been to dealer for maintenance checks (oil change, tire rotation). Fun to drive. Back seat passengers are a little cramped, though front seats are very comfortable. Mileage is better than EPA. Gets at at least 20mpg in town and 29 on the highway. Cargo area is wide and long. Have hauled a Hoosier cabinet and a large entertainment center. Would be nice if hidden side storage compartment doors would stay on (only thing on OB that is flimsy). Love my Outback. Best decision ever made! My OB 2.5i is a PZEV and it is not loud. In fact, my neighbors call it the stealth car because it is so quiet.

• 

  DECIDED ON A FORESTER - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By DAVID STETTLER - October 5 - 1:19 pm

  It was an exhaustive search. It boiled down to a Forester, Jeep Cherokee, or Mazda CX-5. All wheel drive is an extra option on both the Mazda and the Jeep. The jeep was out first based on cost with options and the extremely poor reliability rating at Consumer Reports. The Mazda drove like a sports car, but the cost added up fast with options and I didnt like not being able to get heated mirrors unless you stepped up to the top of the line trim level which put you in the low 30k cost area and added options I didnt want. The Mazda had a lot of great electronics, but lets face it, in 5 years they are all going to be like like in-dash VCRs. The Mazdas reliability rating was way below the Subaru, the Mazda was harder to see out of, and since the only traction tests I saw on line were Mazda productions and the only thing they highlighted on was acceleration on a snowy hill from a dead stop and the wheels always turned to the right, I was skeptic about the drive system as well. That and in the test the Subaru driver always seem to be pushing the accelerator hard to make a slip. The only test I would believe is if they chained them both together on a snowy field and did a tug-of-war. I went with the Subaru since I wasnt in the market for a sports car and needed something that would deal well with a Minnesota winter. I got what I wanted for 26k, a time proven all wheel drive system, heated seats, heated mirrors, rear defrost and wiper, and easy to see out of when snow clouds your view and it comes standard with a nice power moonroof which was an extra option on the Mazda. I still have bluetooth, sat radio, and a bunch of entertainment features I dont even care about.

• 

  WRX RUlz - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By giants2003 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  This car is fantastic. The first time I saw this car in person I was simply amazed. From front to back, top to bottom this car screams DRIVE ME...AND FAST.

• 

  Stealth bomber - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By 04WRXwagonowner - October 5 - 10:00 am

  In silver the sport wagon attracts little of the attention the WR Blue vehicles do. Very enjoyable from 75 to 110 in fourth gear. All wheel drive is excellent in changing conditions (dirt,gravel,rain,slush, etc.). Once moving, it has the go of my V8 Mustang, but is more stable at high speed and MUCH safer in the wet.

• 

  Perfect! - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By D.K. Phillips - October 3 - 1:51 pm

  The Subaru Outback is a great value. Safety features, in dash electronics, road stability, reliability...well, I could go on and on. We now have five Subaru Outbacks in our family, from a 2011 to a 2016. All have been outstanding with no repairs. Regular maintenance is all that has been required. Comfortable for long trips. Useful for in town driving. Just get one and be happy for years to come.