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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  AWD Awesome! - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By SandMan - November 4 - 10:00 am

  My son has owned 3 Subarus, including the sporty XT6, and sold me on the reliability and engineering of this car. Im very pleased with the handling on mountain curves, and solidness of the body. The engine needed about 10 - 15 extra ponies, which I helped along with a cold air induction kit from Injen. Now, those wanting more power - look for the 2005 turbo! Ths is a fun car to drive, has great interior colors, and is a great engineering piece. Love it!

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  Fun - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Mike - November 4 - 1:30 am

  I wanted new car or pick-up truck, and I was undecided, untill 2006 Subaru Baja. It is everything that I wanted! Drives like a car, and I can pick-up some furniture or other items without paying for deliveries. It is a little bit sluggish, however I was supprised at fuel economy. I am getting around 27 mpg with mixed driving. All I need is cargo cover so I can pick-up kids and go grocery shopping when raining.

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  Good Car for the Money - 2008 Subaru Legacy
  By a4b5 - October 24 - 12:13 pm

  I have owned two Audis and one VW over the last several years and gave up that family due to reliability problems with all three cars. The GT seems like a car with many of the features of the Audi world for less money. Interior is certainly better than most cars in its class, but not quite up to Audi / VW standards. Performance: still unsure about the automatic transmission. This is my first automatic in several years and Im having trouble adjusting. Its nice when stuck in traffic, but it does take some of the fun out of the car. The paddle shifters help make up for some of that; even when in drive you can quickly downshift without having to change into manualmatic mode.

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  Best car I ever owned in 50 years - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By panda - October 23 - 10:40 am

  Solid road car. Great engine, quiet, very good handling, brakes and steering wheel response. Great road shock absorption. Transmission very smooth. The car is tight at the shoulders and could be a little wider. The steering wheel needs to be adjusted higher to clear my knees.

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  Best ride & handling combo - 2004 Subaru Legacy
  By travis j - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I leased a 2000 Legacy GT ( 5 speed ) for four years. All wheel drive with the rear differential proved quite fun when powering out of corners. But that brings up the week point of this car. Not enough power to go with the great suppension tuning and bank vault structual rigidity. Best combination of ride and handling of any car Ive driven. Quiet interior and very comfortable seats.

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  Fun to drive - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By Josh Simer - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Tons of fun to drive. It lives up to its billing - a true modern-day heir to the pony-car tradition. I would not trade this in for a Porsche Boxster even if they were the same price!

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  Enjoying my Impreza Sport - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By jd_24 - October 21 - 8:29 pm

  15 Monthes and 23,000 miles of ownership and no issues. MPG has slowly increased to now over 37mpg on highway trips. Cold weather and short trips do greatly reduce MPG. Have used it for 300+ mile trips wth 2 adults and 3 kids. Back seat is roomy and comfortable for 3 despite the small size.

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  Super Wagon - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By Caleb - October 16 - 3:49 am

  My car is a black Outback 3.6R Limited with Eyesight, rear cross traffic alert, all the front and rear and lower body plastic protective bits, rubber floor mats, cargo and seat back protectors, homelink, and auto-dimming/defrosting mirrors. Some user details: Ive put 6000 miles on this car thus far (purchased mid-october 2017, it is now January 17th). My commute of 25 miles averages 1.25 hours one way through some of the heaviest traffic in the US (Los Angeles), and it handles it perfectly fine, zipping in and out of traffic when I am in a hurry, or safely following the car ahead using Eyesight and nudging me back into lane if I get distracted -although MPG never gets over 20 no matter how I drive. Ive taken one road trip of 700+ miles in it with my family of four, two strollers, food, luggage, etc., and I was impressed with the quiet interior at highway speeds, the ability to pack everything we wanted, comfort of the front seats during long hauls, and the rear bench being able to fit my wife between the two child seats. I am coming to this vehicle from a power and suspension modified BMW 335i, so I find the driving dynamics of this Outback to be less than stellar, but that said, I have to say that for such a big, heavy, high ground clearance car, it handles remarkably well and has adequate acceleration at pretty much any speed. I think I will be adding the 19” rear sway bar to firm up cornering characteristics at some future date, but as it is, it performs very well. The CVT is the best Ive ever used with none of that weird rubber band lag, making it what I would consider acceptable in most situations, although it does have a bit of a wiggle/shake at lower speeds when quickly modulating the gas pedal. The paddle shifters and manual mode are great for keeping the engine from lugging up long ascents and are also good for getting the car into the optimum rpm range before quick passing maneuvers -but simply mashing the pedal does a quick enough job as well. The nav does a passable job with clear directions, and would be perfectly fine to use for small city, long suburban or rural trips, but in a dense traffic city like Los Angeles, it’s ETA’s are always off by 15 minutes, it can be inaccurate with traffic conditions, and it doesn’t usually give you the fastest route. I prefer using waze during my commute. I have Subaru’s ne plus ultra 12 speaker Harmon-Kardon sound system, and while I’ve seen more than a few complaints about it in the Outback forums, I find it to be pretty good for the price. The highs are clear, the mids are clean, and the there is strong bass. I wish the sound field in the driver’s chair were a bit more spread out, but if I want a stellar listening experience I will sit properly centered in an acoustically damped room using a true hi fi system, not wedged into one corner of a car putting out 65+dB of constant noise at highway speeds. Overall the infotainment system is good bordering on great. There can be a few layers to go through to get to an option you think should be one or two button/screen presses, it can be a bit slow to respond at times, and setting up a nav destination is unnecessarily button-pushy. I think pressing “go” once should be enough, not 2-3 times as it gives you more options or wants to make sure you really want to do it. That said, I love having a touchscreen rather than only a bunch of knobs and buttons, and the touchscreen hides or doesn’t collect fingerprints fairly well. The knobs and buttons offered are appropriate and function well, for example, a long press of the right knob will put you into split screen mode (I have mine set up with nav on left, music on right), a short press puts you fully into radio. Nav has its own dedicated button. In conclusion, after having done a ton of research and test driving several other vehicles (Mazda CX-5, CX-9, Honda CRV, Subaru Forester, and BMW X1, X3, X5, 5 & 3 series), I found the Outback to fulfill all my needs at least adequately if not very well, and a few of my wants in the bargain at a very attractive price. It is a roomy, with excellent safety features, decent tech, and good overall driving dynamics. I haven’t taken any dirt roads in it, but from what I’ve read it is a very capable light to moderate off-roader as well, with higher ground clearance than a Jeep Cherokee. After 3 months, I can say without reservation I am very happy with this purchase, and hope it lasts me a long time.

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  Money Pit - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By Disappointed - October 16 - 2:26 am

  We have an 04 Outback Sedan, 100K miles, runs great - and an 05 Outback XT wagon 5 spd that fell apart. We just traded in the 05 wagon with 92K miles on it. Tires must be replaced in pairs and have equal tread or the car pulls hard and rides rough. Plus, it will not tow the weight Subaru claims. Replaced clutch at about 60K miles ($1000) At 92K, car needed the following: rear window wiper ($400) pwr steer pump ($600) and manual tranny ($3500). On the way to trade it in, cruise control broke and check engine light was on. Loved the car but it fell apart and was very expensive.

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  Leak - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By rushtonsb - October 15 - 10:00 am

  While the whole package still is very appealing, I was very much surprised to find a leak from the roof rack in a new car - especially one with a very good reputation for quality like a Forester. Leak was there from the very beginning, and now, after split seam is supposed to have been fixed and lining of roof cleaned and dried, theres a distinct moldy smell. Does anypone have experience with this sort of thing? Can a leak really be fixed reliably, or will this just be a recurring problem?