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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  2016 Subaru Forester a Disappointment - 2016 Subaru Forester
  By Vicki S. - July 24 - 4:47 am

  The new Subaru Forester is not an improvement over previous year models. I had this as a courtesy car for 3 days, so it went on my 45 mile each way work commute which takes me across small neighborhood roads as well as the majors and the turnpike, so all kinds of driving. I noticed right away that the interior has some line of sight problems. The side windows are junked up with fake little triangle windows near the front corners, so that the reflection of the interior is plainly visible in the window when you are trying to look at the side rear view mirrors. When trying to adjust the rear view mirror to see out the back and sides of the vehicle I accidently hit the on-star emergency button and was promptly given a call. These small 911 butons turned out to be right above where I put my hand to bring the RW mirror to my height, so rotating the mirror down brought my knuckles into contact witthe call buttons. Behind me, in the way of seeing to traffic, were the seat belt line from the back cargo area to the center back seat, and all 3 headrests also blocked my view. The back of the car supplies large corner blind spots so that there is no adjustment that lets you see cars coming from behind you right or left. I never achieved a position that alieviated the sight problems, and could not find the knob to adjust the outside view mirrors. The seats are made of a shiny cover material so I was unsteady and sliding off them, these are "cloth" seats, I think, that also had a heated feature with controls front and down on the center console. The seats are supposed to be buckets, but are so uncomfortable, stiff and slippery that it was more like a personal bench seat. The dials and knobs on the radio and heat are cheap shiny silver plastic that really feel and look rather low class. The dashboard is still the sticky soft fake leather that I had in my 2008 Outback and already sported a layer of fuzz and dust that I know from experience cannot be removed. The feel of the ride, compared to my old Outback that needs struts, was just as bouncy and all over the road as my 08, so maybe I dont need that strut job afterall. The Forester has LOTS of headroom, and a moonroof, but the front dash seemed all wrong, nothing was near enough for me to be able to use it easily or without stretching and craning. Acceleration was awful in that it jerked around, although I am willing to say that maybe that was me not being able to find a comfortable seating position. In slow and go traffic I had trouble keeping it completely straight on, and there was a little audio buzzer on the dash to tell me each time I strayed close to my lane line and yet nothing to tell me when other people were coming into my lane. Climate controls were hard to figure out -- remember this coming from an Outback owner. Maybe a larger person than myself would appreciate the shape of this car, but for someone 5 feet 5" this car was too big and uncomfortable. When it comes time to replace my 08 Outback I will be looking at something that does not put me in a 4 wheel skyscraper. I thought it was good on gas, maybe because it has a larger tank than my Outback. But it would also be too tall for me to load my kayak as I am used to doing.

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  Garbage Garbage Garbage! - 2009 Subaru Outback
  By Kelly - July 19 - 3:56 pm

  OMG! What a piece of garbage...Car rattles and is unusually loud...couldnt fit my infant sons carseat behind driver without being "Jacked Up" to the dashboard! If you are a tall or heavy-set person (I am not) than forget it! Plastic garbage.

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  Ours is a LEMON! - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By efsevers - June 26 - 10:00 am

  I dont know if we got a lemon or what, but we have had nothing but problems with our 2001 Forester S+. Every time we take it in with a complaint, the Subaru rep says thats standard for this vehicle...which leads us to believe their products are garbage. We WILL be trading it in within the next month or two.

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  Disappointed - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By bellet98 - June 23 - 12:12 pm

  I went from a 2006 Altima to a Subaru Outback wagon. I loved my altima, hate the subaru. The ride is horrible. I recently went on a 2 hour trip and my leg cramped up trying to keep my foot on the gas pedal. The gas pedal is extremely tiny and high and very hard to depress. I cant seem to get the seat adjusted to be comfortable and still be able to reach the pedal. The hard button is smack dab in the middle of the console so you accidently hit it all the time. Radio controls are also not very user friendly. My biggest complaint tho is how uncomfortable this car is to drive, especially on long trips.

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  Transmission Issues after 12,000 Miles - 2017 Subaru WRX
  By Emily Hamblen - June 6 - 3:16 pm

  In July 2016 I bought my first new car, a 2017 Subaru WRX. In March 2017, after 12,000 miles, I noticed a vibration in 4th gear. I brought the car to Patriot Subaru where they pulled the transmission to correct the issue under warranty. A week later the transmission started to whine when accelerating. I brought the car back to the dealership where it was determined that the majority of my transmission needed to be replaced. This occurred on April 25th. Now a month later the car is still sitting at the dealership because parts are backordered. I contacted Subaru and was put in contact with Grant Noble. For two weeks Grant has been unable to address the issue or expedite the parts. I am extremely dissatisfied with this product.

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  Not a happy Subaru owner - 2017 Subaru Legacy
  By Subaru Sufferer - May 25 - 8:18 pm

  I bought this car hoping for years of good service. The first clue should have been the expensive “official Subaru” extra mechanical warranty. The car clatters when it starts, rides rough, has wind and road noise issues, came with defective foam in rear arm rest, seat, and the cloth is terrible- horrible to keep clean. Oh and have already gotten to replace all four tires since they were to old to just buy one when it lost a tire due to a stick- it broke a cord in the low budget factory tire. As far as support from Subaru? Forget about it. This is a train wreck of depreciation to boot, so I will get to hate on this car for years! I hate this car!

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  Very Disappointed - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By greg1971 - May 21 - 5:34 am

  I purchased my car in February of 2012. Like a lot of other users I noted that my oil usage was terrible. On January 6, 2015 I was in a serious car accident in which I struck the rear end of a truck. My airbags did not deploy and the vehicle immediately caught fire after impact. I am very lucky to be alive, but cannot get any kind of straight answer from Subaru as to why the airbags failed and why a fire started, nor have they expressed any interest in examining the car further.

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  Worst car ever owned!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By BHOW - May 4 - 3:20 am

  DO NOT BUY!!!! I had my computer go haywire, and it said that the engine was overheating, when it wasnt even close, and it wasnt even a hot day! The daytime lights went out twice. It is underpowered, and I wasted $30,000 hard earned dollars. DO NOT BUY!!!!!!

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  Bad Clutch and blown head gasket - 2000 Subaru Outback
  By Bob Rian - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Clutch has shudder and rotten egg smell from day one and dealer will do nothing about it. Blown head gasket at 34,100 miles. Service Bulletin says put in special conditioning coolant to prevent leakeage. Wheel wells quickly build up with ice in winter conditions. When new the check engine light resulted in 4 trips to the dealer. Factory Firestone tires are poor in snow.

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  Sorry I bought a Subaru - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By susancolorado - March 31 - 2:23 am

  This is my first and last Subaru. I bought it because of its reputation and the new design. Ive been driving it 5 months and as much as I try to love it, I do not like it at all. The road noise is excessive, I already have several rattles. You sit very low to the ground, even lower than some cars so if you are used to sitting higher up, beware. The acceleration is slower than I had hoped for. Also, the mpg isnt as good as expected either. The gas tank is small so I am always filling up... at least it doesnt cost too much to fill up.