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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  Sweet - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Big Purple - March 21 - 3:43 pm

  Having driven many of the Subaru wagons I thought Id try this shorter version. Boy does it go. I think the AWD couple with the excellent handling will prove this model to be the best I have driven. Bring on the rain or snow.

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  Very Pleased - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By jeffm55 - March 20 - 12:23 am

  Weve had this car for about 3 weeks. We took a 900 mile trip last week & are very happy. Got 29.5 MPG doing about 65 MPH. Like the CVT. There is enough power to pass, go up hills, etc. Drivers seat comfort is very good. Good also in the back. Smooth, quiet ride on most roads. Fit & finish are very good. Has a feeling of quality to it. Good front & side visibility. Not so great in rear, but we got the NAV with the backup camera, so that helps greatly. Bluetooth & iPod connection work well. On the down side, over assisted steering feel at highway speeds. Passengers seat can not be adjusted for height. Choppy ride on rough roads.

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  Coarse engine spoils otherwise great pac - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By ntk1 - March 19 - 7:20 pm

  The overall concept and package is excellent. The handling dynamics are about as good as you can get in a compliant riding sedan. The punch from the turbo engine means that you can really achieve some quick pace in the twisty roads. The downside is the coarse behaviour of the engine during moderate acceleration with a stuttering type response until you get past 5k rpm. This is not turbo lag but feels more like a fault in the engine management system. The dealer indicates the car behaves normally, however everyone who travels in the car comments on it

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  Mountain moma - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By noku - March 19 - 6:48 pm

  I have had the marine blue Impreza sport limited with moonroof for 10 days. We have a cabin in the NC mountains and drove up there for the first time last weekend. This car is a blast to drive. I used the paddle-shifters on the CVT to precisely control the power up and down the twisting mountain roads. The car performed beautifully...power when needed, engine-braking when required....excellent overall control. I was leery of the CVT but went with it for mpg....glad I did. The car is very well-built..bodes well for reliabilty...this is my first Subaru but friends tell me theyre bullet-proof. It is good-looking too....IMHO much better than the overstyled Hundai/Ford offerings

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  Best car ever made!! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Subie Specialist - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Subaru has done it again. I Was so impressed by the WRX. But the WRX STi is a true Drivers Car! Amazing! If you like fast cars you will love WRX STi! POWER, HANDLING, SAFETY, AWD, what else would you need! It is a MUST BUY!

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  The Beast is here! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By Scooby555 - March 19 - 10:00 am

  If youre looking for a no compromise performance car and cant yet afford a 911 turbo than the STi is worth a look. The STi is total function over fanfare and one spin through your favorite twisty road will prove it to you. Power is stout over 3,500RPM handling is crisp after you get a proper wheel alignment and the tires are as close to race rubber you can get for street use. The boxer engine makes a sweet exhaust note and the styling turns heads. I have never seen so many thumbs up while driving a showroom stock car.

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  A Keeper! - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By MidnightSTi - March 19 - 10:00 am

  After driving the car for a few days, I can honestly tell you that theres not another car in the world like the STi. With no turbo lag, the car pushes you back into your seat even when starting from a dead stop! The car is great on the inside and out and is packed with gadgets and goodies for all kinds of people. Unfortunately, youll be lucky to get 270 miles to the tank. All in all, this car is perfect for anyone who loves to drive and doesnt mind spending the extra time and money for upkeep.

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  Awesome car but hjkhl is mistaken - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By SnowbordrWRX - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I cant believe how fast this car is. Virtually no turbo lag and grips like flypaper! But there is no way anyone can do the quarter mile in 8.7...hjkhl is mistaken, unless he did some heavy modifications. Maybe he meant the 1/8 mile?

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  Hate this car - 2005 Subaru Legacy
  By KC - March 19 - 7:46 am

  I got this car as an alternative to a "real" car because it was a practical alternative to a gas guzzling SUV or a more expensive Audi or BMW. I thought I needed the wagon for my lifestyle, but I wish Id bitten the bullet and just went for an Audi, got a bike rack and drove on down the road. This car is NOT fun to drive, although it sounded good on paper.

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  Very Disappointed for Many Reasons - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Lisa Smith - March 17 - 11:13 am

  There are so many things that are disappointing to me with this car. Some off them include: after 6 different trips to 2 different dealers I learned that the random hesitation I was experiencing was due to a bad coil pack on a spark plug. The reason it took me more than 15 hours of drive time back and forth to the dealers is because the computer they have running the car randomly decides when it wants to save error codes. For my mechanical issue the engineers who created the computer felt it made sense for it to only hold my error code when the check engine light came on for the exact same reason in 2 consecutive ignitions. My cylinder 1 misfire was impossible to duplicate by the dealer until I made the 6th trip to dealer and I just got lucky because the engineers who created the computer felt it is not necessary to store my previous misfire error codes. Another disappointment is the hatchback. It will not release unless the vehicle is in park and all the doors are unlocked. So, I am guessing the engineers who created this have never dropped a child off at ball practice or been in a slow moving school pick up lane before. If they had they would know you never put your car in park and unlock the auto lock doors before your child jumps out to grab their bags from the back and you quickly get out of the way of the next family dropping off or picking up. I also absolutely hate the keyless FOB. it is my first time owning one and I will never purchase it again. You cannot lock the car with the FOB inside. As a human I should be able to decide when I want my car locked and when I dont regardless if I have a key inside or not. I could elaborate more on this but this may just be a personal preference thing versus an engineering mistake. It is ridiculous to me that this car does not have one dedicated USB for charging a phone when it is not running. Their is no possible way that 1 cell phone can draw enough power to damage a car battery if it is not running. The fuel mileage has been disappointing too. I have never averaged more than 25 mpg regardless if it is combined driving or not. Lastly, the dealership I bought my Subaru from was a joke. Lou Fusz in St. Louis could have cared less about my random misfire problem. They did nothing to help me troubleshoot my random glitch and poor performance and they eventually just blew me off as did Subaru themselves when I called them. They simple said it is covered under warranty but the caveat to that is that it is ONLY covered if they can get the problem to duplicate at the dealer. Finally the second dealership, Webster Groves Subaru in St. Louis helped me to say that I should go to an auto parts store and ask them to do a code reading on it when the check engine light came on given that the car does not store any of the information after I turn the engine off. Needless to say, I do not LOVE. my Subaru....