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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  My favorite car so far! - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By G. Martin - May 26 - 10:00 am

  My Baja has been very reliable so far. I have put many miles on it in my first year of owning it, due greatly to how fun it is to drive. It gets good gas mileage. So far the only thing I wasnt able to haul in it were sheets of 4x8 plywood. This vehicle was exactly what I wanted, the functionality of a truck with the feel of a car.

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  Were Very Happy - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By Canuck - May 25 - 6:23 am

  We bought a Legacy partly because everyone has an Outback, partly because it cost less than an Outback, and partly because its cleaner looking than an Outback. People say it looks like an Audi. We havent been a bit disappointed. Because it is 2.5" lower than an Outback our Legacy corners great on curvy roads and provides as much as 30 mpg on the highway.

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  Updated Review - 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
  By rivernsnow - May 25 - 3:10 am

  20 months in (review Feb 2013) Im loving my XV. The jittery steering calmed down after 1-2 months. Handles great in rain downpours. Driving onto beaches to launch kayaks has been easy when other cars spin wheels. Had enough power at altitude (8,000 Ft.) Front seats very comfortable. Mileage still not as advertised. 26+ MPG on 89 Octane. Minus are still that power locking automatically actives alarm and paint scratches much too easily. and rear seats need to be more comfortable

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  WOW!!! - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By johnnie2 - May 24 - 1:06 am

  Traded in the wifes 98 Outback wagon for the new 2010. What a difference!! Looked at other brands for a replacement but she came back to the fold. Im glad she did as the price was right, Its roomier and the transmission and engine has made great strides in the past 11 years, No wonder people keep coming back to the brand. Comfortable and a lot of looks and praises. Subaru for life!!!! Im thinking of the sedan, which is a very nice vehicle also, for myself.

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  500 miles so far so good - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By erickrocks - May 24 - 12:00 am

  Needed a kid-carrier and traded in our Camry Hybrid, making us a Subie family (other car is an 07 STi). What I like: AWD, height of an SUV, smooth ride quality, comfy interior, great looks, more space (than Camry--esp for car seat/trunk) and for a gas-only engine, good gas mileage. What I wish were better: leather seems "loose"-- will have to watch for bunching up later, change out MPG gauge for something useful, not sure I like the electronic parking brake, would like a bit more grunt from the motor (yes, I know I have the 4 cyl), would have liked rear passenger vents. Those are nit picky things though. Overall, this is an outstanding car that suits the needs of a small family.

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  I love it!! - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By mkerrigan - May 23 - 2:46 pm

  This is my first Subie! I love it! Its the manual turbo with heated cloth seats. The interior is simple and nice. Exterior is sharp looking. Pickup and go is awesome! Great interior room and ride is quiet and solid. Gas mileage has been approx. 20 mpg, not bad. I am very happy.

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  Apri 9-2014 - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By htrivedi - May 23 - 6:20 am

  I bought this car on 3/21/14 after a lot of research and I am little bit disappointed. The ride is annoying what I mean by this is when you drive on an intelligent mode, you feel every bump or uneven surfaces. When you start the car, engine shakes so does my left feet. I have a back problem and this is not good for my back. Seat is not big for comfort. I hope I better get use to this or I might have to sell this car. Driving in "S" mode is ok but uses lot of gas. I might have to do second review after 5k miles...still confused about this car. Please rent this car for 1 week and then buy. I highly recommend.

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  First year with first Subaru - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By MNJ - May 23 - 2:36 am

  Ive had my Impreza for a year. Its been through rural blizzard-prone Minnesota winter and has performed well. Very fun to drive in snow and has good grip on snow and ice. Seems to be able to go through deeper snow as well, but clutch starts to smell hot. I get about 31-33 MPG in the summer on the highway (havent driven much in metro traffic.) Winter MPG drops off sharply to 17 in town/short trips and 25 on the highway. Only problems are a faulty tire pressure sensor (covered by warranty) and about 1 out of every 3 times when anti-lock brakes kick in on ice in below 0 temps, vehicle dynamics control and ABS goes out and wont work. Shutting car off and re-starting seems to fix it.

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  Upgraded my ride from Honda to Subaru - 2017 Subaru Forester
  By Fred H. - May 23 - 2:27 am

  After driving a Honda Element for over 12 years and 200k miles, it was time to upgrade to something nicer. A certain magazine raved about the Forester, and I whittled down my list to the Forester or a Mazda CX5. I chose the Forester because I was just more comfortable in the Forester. Im a large fellow (horizontally challenged), and have plenty of driver seat room, with a huge amount of space in front of me to adjust the steering wheel to my liking. The back seats have a lot of room for the kids - not as much as the Element, but more than most cars, even higher end cars. The gas mileage has been great - 80% of my commute is on the highway, and I easily get over 30MPG. The weekends when I run errands nearby, no so much... often under 20. My average so far is around 28. Acceleration feels very odd to me, coming from a four speed transmission. The CVT can be jerky, especially under stress (uphill grades or with the AC turned on); its hard to get smooth acceleration, but when youre at speed, it seems to work really well when you make minor adjustments to speed. Right now I have only two minor criticisms. One, the gas cap is on the wrong side. It will take some getting used to having the gas cap on the passenger side, especially when people are actually following the general rule to pull forward to the farthest pump you can use to make room for others.... and youre going the other way. The other thing is that I wish I could just turn off the screen for the infotainment system. You can turn off the screen under settings, but it comes right back on again every time you start the car. Look - sometimes I just dont want to listen to anything. And it always wants to restart Pandora in shuffle mode. Aside from those minor issues, Im really enjoying the Forester; its very comfortable, with a great ride position and great visibility.

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  Second Subaru - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Happy in Ohio - May 22 - 10:20 pm

  This is our 2nd Subaru and we couldnt be happier. Our first was a 2003 Forester, which is still running strong and soon to become the kids car. You just cant beat Subaru when it comes to safety and dealing with snow, rain, or ice. Oh yeah almost forgot they are also fun to drive. People at work are almost always surprised to hear that our Tribeca is a Subaru. The exterior is as nice and the interior nicer then the couple Acura MDXs I park beside everyday at work. The best part thanks to the price we can still afford to take ours on a road trip when we feel like it. We are just starting to look for my wife a new car and the 2009 Forester is looking like the front runner.