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:

• 

  Bittersweet - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By dcw2 - August 4 - 9:23 am

  Finally a car with enough headroom without sitting on the ground! Im 65 and I sit with the seat straight up and my head does not hit the ceiling. Wife is 411 and passenger seat is way too low. Before you buy know this, 09 foresters have been consistently having rattling problems. No fix in sight other than tearing out the interior and doing a custom job. By rattling I mean pull your hair out mad that your new car sounds like rattling. Am totally shocked by this but wow the headroom.

• 

  2017 Forester Head Gasket failure at 12 Miles!!!!! - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By Dave - August 3 - 9:26 pm

  Went and bought my wife a brand new 2017 Forester Touring the other day. Picked up the car to bring it home and got 12 miles down the road only to see white smoke pouring out the tailpipe! Pulled it over and called the dealer. They sent a tow truck that took over an hour to get to us. It was close to 100 degrees outside and we had our 10 month old baby in the backseat. It got so hot I had no other choice but to start the car to keep my daughter cool. Dealer said they would fix the car. NO WAY, I want a new car! Subaru is trying to just fix the car......lol. Luckily my wifes cousin is a consumer lawyer. Has already received word that Subaru will write me a check for the car I paid cash for and cover his expenses. Unfortunately, after how we were treated by the dealer and Subaru, we will never buy a vehicle from them again!

• 

  DUMB college kid here... - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By OOPs - August 3 - 7:50 pm

  This little wagon is one tough car. I love the car, drive it sanely (mostly). I took it deep into the woods of western Colorado and ended up 4-wheeling across a field of 9" snow at 40 mph, floored in third the whole time. I then accidentally sailed it right off a seven-foot embankment. There were three people in the car. It landed, HARD, and the whole front end tore off, which we ran over. One front tire exploded, the car swung to the left and rolled onto the pass. side. We escaped, pushed her back over; she started right up. DUMB mistake-but terrifically durable car. On a FLAT she made it outta the field, minus the bumper and badly leaking radiator, then made it 91 miles home on the spare.

• 

  Harmon Kardon USB port - what should it be able to play - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By zeffer51 - August 3 - 10:08 am

  Just bought a brand new 2012 Outback 3.6R Limited with the Harmon Kardon upgraded audio system. I tested the USB port at the dealer with a memory stick that has lots of computer files and few audio files. The audio kept cutting out. Now I own the car so I purchased a new 8GB USB flash drive and copied only a few audio files to it. But its doing the same thing. It plays for about 5 sec then cuts out, then plays a little and then cuts out. It does this sitting in the drive way so it cant be due to bumps. Anyone know if this system is supposed to play files on a regular USB thumb drive? It almost plays them so I figure it was designed to do so.

• 

  Porous engine block - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By totlook - August 2 - 11:10 pm

  I really was enjoying my new car until I found all these oil spots on my driveway. I brought it in figuring loose hose. No, Porous engine block. New engine now. Car is running fine but gas mileage has dropped considerably. They keep telling me to be patient but on a new car that is hard to do. I was getting between 20 and 21 in town and 24 to 26mpg on highway. I have not seen the number 20 since they replaced the engine. The reason I bought the car was for at least 20mpg and now I am stuck. This is my 4th Subaru. I have always been happy but this really makes me angry. Not sure I would buy another. I was going to by a Honda Highlander - I should have.

• 

  Worst car ever owned - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By david338 - August 2 - 4:38 pm

  My 2005 Outback is a money pit. I guess I got a lemon. Does the mfg. replace lemons? Head gaskets need to be replaced (poor design). I have had to replace both front axles, CV joints, hubs right rear and front, bushings bearings, etc...... already put $2000 in and expecting to layout another $2000 (no joke). I would recommend buying a HONDA. Oh yeah my father in law bought a new outback and already had to replace front right CV. At least his was under warranty. Maybe I am the isolated anomaly but it still hurts.

• 

  2009 Forester - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By ra18983967 - August 2 - 12:26 am

  Like most people today we did a lot of on-line comparison shopping looking for a new car. After several weeks we decided on the Subaru Forester and we are more than happy with our choice. The car is ultra quiet. At an idle I could barely make out the engine noise at all. on the road and at speed the Forester is amazing quiet except if you roll a window down. With the automatic fuel consumption/ miles per hour monitor you can see the gas mileage you are getting. We did a side by side comparison of driving with and without the cruise control. We are now big believers in cruise control even for short jaunts. The interior is more than roomy and has lots of over head space for my 64" frame.

• 

  No Regrets - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By TayTay - July 31 - 1:50 pm

  Had the Forester for 1 year and had no complaints. Manual version cannot get stuck in snow. I drove it 60 miles in three feet of snow with the wife and son. only time I stopped was to help a guy in a Jeep (not joking). Others have complained about 23 MPG. Get real, remember its an SUV and its AWD. My wife and I have had 2001 Forester, 2002 Forester, 2001 WRX, 2006 LGT and 2009 Forester. 2009 Forester has twice as much room compared to the 2001- 2002. Great design and made of quality parts.

• 

  I really wish this had been a better car - 2000 Subaru Impreza
  By ImissmyVW - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Well, Ive had this car for two years and its been nothing but a burden. Despite following all care and warranty maintenance schedules. Ive had engine problems with throttle loss. (Chronic) The stainless steel exhaust still got a hole in the mid pipe. I dont drive it hard or lean on the clutch but Ive replaced the clutch at 70,000 KMS and not two days later the engine starts to misfire needs new distributor, leads and spark plugs. The auto window elevators have also left scratches on both driver and passenger window. A slew of other little problems. I had some fun but it wasnt worth the money.

• 

  Its not just a sports sedan, its a WRX - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By GMac - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Being a teenager, I was immediately attracted to this vehicle when I heard about it early 2002. My Mom was seriously considering the most popular car in Vermont, the Subaru Outback wagon. When I heard about the WRX I hounded my parents about it every time a we discussed new cars. After about a year of looking, we found a used 2002 Subaru WRX sedan, black, that my Mom loved. We got it in late March and have been loving it ever since. The WRXs cornering, acceleration, ride, and responsiveness are unparalled by any car in its price range or even those more expensive for that matter.