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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  Great Car - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By ksr - October 19 - 2:00 am

  After riding in a Forester with my partner for the last four years, I decided to buy my own. I love it for its comfort and driving nature, but also for its fuel efficiency. I actually got 32mpg on my last tank. This is really a smartly designed car!

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  One Great Car - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By David Sander - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I purchesed this car after my 2000 Outback Limited was hit head on at a high rate of speed by a Honda Accord. I walked away, she didnt. Safety sold me on the car. The H6 is an awsome engine. Gobbs of power and torque. I love this car!

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  A good solid vehicle - 2004 Subaru Outback
  By Lrac - October 19 - 2:00 am

  A generally smooth driving, fuel economic vehicle. Some wind noise over 60MPH. I find the drivers seat to be a bit uncomfortable ( pressure on right buttock), and cant get rid of it with the seat adjustment. The sound system (McIntosh) is great. Fit and finishare OK, but there was a scratch on the windshield from the wiper blade from the start.

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  What a wonderful car - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By David - October 18 - 3:20 am

  I love this car. Its easily the best car Ive ever owned.

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  Wonderful Car! - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By B. - October 17 - 11:40 pm

  I love this car. We bought this car used and it worked fine, about 1 year later the tailgates wiper stopped working. The ball bearing went on 1 tire and is now going again. The light behind the speedometer and on the shifter do not work anymore and the clock died. The lining on every door is falling off. With all these problems I still love the car and would gladly buy one again. The car is perfect for winter driving and on dirt roads. I drive this car about 60 miles a day. Of all our cars this one gets the best mileage. I am very mean to my car and drive it on very rough terrain too. I have bent a strut, dented the oil pan, etc. but the car is still very reliable.

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  Love it - 2011 Subaru Outback
  By VERY HAPPY - October 17 - 8:10 pm

  Had an awful experience with the Hyundai elantra touring which we purchased new, didnt even have it a year, another story, another time. Went back out on the market for a car, it had to have space as my wife drives it for her cleaning business. Looked @ mazda5, Honda CR-V and then started looking @ the Forester. We had decided to buy the Forester on a Saturday, but wanted to think it over until Monday. Went back Sunday to look @ the forester on Sunday when know one was around and thats when we noticed the 2011 outback. So, we had to come back Monday and drive it, then drive the forester. We decided on the outback. We love it. Great smooth ride, quiet inside. My wife loves it.

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  Little Red Wagon of Fun - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By WRX03 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I did some pulls to seat the rings when I first got the car and now Im babing the engine until the recommended 1000. Seating the rings was a teaser of the potential of this peppy little wagon. The misses jumped on me because I surpassed the 4k max rpm for breakend when I had to pull out in heavy traffic Even at 3/4 throttle the car and rpms jump when you reach 3k rpm. Unfortunatly I see that you really need to either slip the clutch or drop the clutch if you really want a fast takeoff. But in turn its a nice little car to putt around at gas saving speeds. There is enough power at low rpms for everyday around town driving.

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  Poor mileage - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Barbara Rueckert - October 17 - 12:33 am

  In stop and start driving I get 15.8 to 16.2 mileage. Received message that my tires were low, they were not. Message went off when I hit cruise control. Computer problem?

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  Lots-a-fun - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By lvnwntr - October 16 - 8:20 am

  This is my 7th Subaru. All except the 98 RS coupe got to 200k miles. VERY tossable. Now we have 30k on it and only a few mods. Silencer removal, Prodrive 17s with M3s, K&N, front and rear braces. Future mods on order include braided lines, Hawk HPS pads, front & rear skid-plates from Primitive Racing, and full synthetic Redline conversion. Went playing in 12" of unplowed wet snow for 1.5 hours. Took 4 hrs to get the snow off it. Worth the work! Buy it -Have fun.

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  A fun car to drive - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Dima - October 15 - 3:26 pm

  Having recently purchased an Outback, I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun this car is - sporty handling, nice balance, very good 5-speed shifter. It has much sportier character than one would expect from a wagon. Recently, I had spent some time driving on semi-paved country roads, and was impressed with the suspension that made driving over the potholes and washed- out portions of the road bearable. Although I do not get good mileage in the city, barely 20 mpg, it probably has more to do with my driving style. On the highway, I am consistently in the 26-28 mpg range.