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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  First time Subaruer - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By The Katster - July 24 - 2:00 am

  The height of the vehicle is great to get in and out of the vehicle. I find the get up and go a little sluggish, especially on a fresh start/pull out. The feel of driving is fun and enjoyable on long trips. The cargo area is extremely handy in comparison to a standard car with a trunk.

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  2003 Subaru Legacy - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By RJDouglas - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I am the mother of three boys and I also work full time. I live in a rural area where the roads can be very hard to drive on in snowy or rainy conditions. This car has yet to fail me. It goes in the snow or rain like a dream. It is the dependable family car, but also is very nice in apperance. It comes with two moon roofs and a very nice CD player-stereo system. It is very comfortable to ride in on long trips and gets excellent gas mileage, especially on the highway. Also, being the parent of three kids, I needed something affordable and I found all of what I needed with the Subaru Legacy. I love this car!

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  Lots of touble - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Tomasz - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Since the very beginnig we had trouble with this vehicle. First- brakes: car went to dealer twice ending with complete replacmnet of rotors and pads.Then computer needed to be reprogrammed.After this another two repairs of engine(crazy rpms).At the end complete clutch replacment.What else will I have to repair? I will never recommend this car to anybody.

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  Happy Days with My Subaru Baja - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By PARA 958 - July 23 - 1:06 pm

  Have had 3 other Subarus but this is the first Baja. Love the looks of this car, the comfort of the well designed seats, and the fuel economy (20 city, 28 hwy). Love the comments I receive from people and the ability to haul light items in the bed. The bed extender was a nice touch. Looked at the Turbo model but decided against it because of having to use premium fuel. For those who need a car to zip here and there on errands, this car meets those needs. Back seats are comfortable and up above the front. Backseat passengers love it. Wish the rear window would raise up. But other than that, no complaints about my Baja.

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  Ultimate cold weather machine! - 2011 Subaru Legacy
  By budbrewer - July 23 - 3:45 am

  After buying Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans since 1980 we decided to give Subaru a try. Sure glad we did. Fit and finish are excellent. Gas mileage is good at 28 mpg average. Heated cloth seats and HK stereo are fantastic. Parking brake is a joke (someone really is trying to out think themselves). OEM Bridgestone tires were terrible in the first snow storm encountered so replaced them with Michelin MXV4. Now its hard to get the tires to slip. This is an overall great car for Colorado or northern climates and would highly recommend to anyone. Plus it is assembled in the US.

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  Think Again - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Trading It In! - July 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is not what it is what I would call a family friendly car. At best at 3200 miles it gets 20 mpg on the highway and 17 in the city. It appears Subaru went cheap and is riding on their reputation rather than giving us a safe car. It is designed so that you have to take your eyes off the road to check if you are in cruise, the windshield heater is on or off, if the wheel is tilted the slightest you cannot see the turn signal indicators. There is no safety hooks for the middle seat for a child restraint system. Only on the outboard. An unsafe vehicle for this reason. It mpg is not much better than a Ford Explorer.

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  what a blast to drive & own - 6,500 mile review - 2015 Subaru WRX
  By subaru_colorad - July 21 - 9:36 pm

  Purchased the WRX after test-drive & reading reviews of WRX and WRX STI - I liked the STIs acceleration, handling, and in particular the brakes, but did not care for the appearance of fin or stiffness. As a 40+ yr old, I was looking for a car that was fun, but non-descript in a corporate parking lot and comfortable as a commuter/pick up the kids vehicle. Ive driven the WRX 6K+ miles, and live in the Colorado foothills, windy road. It is a blast! Took awhile to get used to timing (turbo lag) and too many RPMs while shifting does release a horrible smell, but this only occurs when not careful. The car is very light; braking and acceleration = very responsive. Im 62 200 lbs.

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  Over achiever - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By 340beeper72 - July 21 - 5:26 am

  Had our Outback three years now. Piled up almost 20K miles per year. No serious complaints. Does a great job hauling around our family of four plus two dogs. Around town fuel economy is really good. Never gets below 20 mpg. Performance is surprisingly good considering the modest 175 hp rating. The CVT transmission does a good job getting the most from the engines without revving the snot out of it. Typically gets high 20s mpg on the highway, and occasionally low 30s through flat terrain. AWD works as well as youd expect in the winter. Pretty much unstoppable. One thing sorely missing on this vehicle is an auto lift gate.

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  STI - 2011 Subaru Impreza
  By amt426 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Coming from a G35. Wanted a car more performance oriented. I got that with the new STI. It doesnt have the nice luxury amenities but makes up for it in performance. Very fun to drive.

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  Early Impressions - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By baddad303 - July 20 - 11:03 am

  Love the vehicle but.... Resonance vibrations when holding ~30 mph. BAD buffeting when the rear windows only are down – and I do mean discomfort to the eardrums type buffeting! CD player has already failed – mechanical failure message displays (mechanical error) not noted in the manual! Dealer told us not to slam the back gate - it would break a cheap plastic latch - this was told to us after the purchase as we were leaving . :-/ Note that all the doors do shut with grace, very easily with little noise, just a little thing but another example of the inconsistent quality of components. Weak radio of Wal-Mart quality - not a boomer by no stretch of the imagination.