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 at a Great Price Point! - 2018 Subaru Legacy
  By Justin V - February 5 - 8:58 pm

  If you are looking for a well-optioned, all-wheel drive vehicle with a good amount of technology and safety features for under $30,000, you should seriously consider the Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited with the EyeSight and Navigation package. The safety features are extraordinary as demonstrated by our salesman during the test drive with the forward collision braking and rear brake assist. The options are competitive with higher tier brands plus this model has REAR HEATED seats--not many mid-level luxury brands offer this until you pass the $55k price point.

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  New Impreza outback sport - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By jeremy - February 5 - 7:36 pm

  We have now owned this car for about a month, and have had time to fully evaluate the car aside from the maintenance. All in all, we are very satisfied with the vehicle and get about 23.5 miles to the gallon with 80% city driving. Highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Great little rig - 2001 Subaru Legacy
  By subipharm - February 5 - 1:03 pm

  This has been a great wagon for me so far. I bought it with 145,000 miles on it few months back. It had all scheduled maintenance records and had the head gaskets replaced so it has been running like a champ. -The engine has ample power with the 5 speed, it can zip around town just fine and get up to speed quickly on highways. The car cruises nicely at 70mph. Plenty of head room and leg room for driver and passengers. Overall this car is a great value, reliable, handles great in rain/snow with AWD, and styling still looks good 10 years later! I would highly recommend this vehicle as family car or vehicl for outdoors people.

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  More than I expected! - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Tsong - February 5 - 3:06 am

  I had been looking for a brand new 4 door affordable Japanese performance sedan that offered a 6 speed manual for a while and the only options for me while I was looking were the WRX and the Honda Civic Si. I ended up with the WRX because of the fact that I may be moving somewhere with snow and would like the AWD, although I am skeptical about the reliability of a turbocharged car, this being my first one ever. I know for sure an Si would last a lot longer than the WRX but I was willing to take the leap and so far I am not disappointed. My previous car was a 2008 Hyundai Elantra which I had for the past 8 years since new, and compared to the WRX, the cabin was bigger and the chairs were a little more comfortable, as well as the trunk was bigger, so those are the main differences I notice body wise. The WRX interior quality is high in my book, with me looking at it as a turbocharged AWD Corolla/Civic/Elantra, and compared to my old Elantra as well as our 2011 Corolla S, the leather and metal accents as well as quality plastic make it a lot better than both my Elantra and Corolla, although I do wish there were more compartments. The headliner fabric is really old school with the fuzzy fabric, but they upgraded that on the 2017 to the material they have in most new cars (and on the sun visors for some reason), and I wish the doors would lock automatically after 30 seconds like on my Hyundai as well as if you could just open the door when it is locked in the inside and it would unlock (on the front doors) like on most other Toyotas, Hondas, Hyundais, etc. My main complaint is that the audio system is horrible, being that sound is flat, no bass at all, etc. My stock Hyundai system was as good as my Logitech computer speakers producing rich bass and great treble as well. I had a Costco Executive 50% off discount so I upgraded to the Kicker Speakers (6) for around $300 (including labor) without the sub and it improved it by a bit, but its still only 60% of the sound quality as my Hyundais, although its now bearable. There is only 1 USB port and I plug my USB drive with music into it; it takes about 30 sec-1 min to start playing from when I start the car. The Starlink system overall is not great but it works, since its laggy compared to the system in my 2013 Honda Accord which is faster, with bluetooth taking about 10 seconds to connect too. I drive on average 300 miles in about a 10 day period and get about 22-24 MPG AVG since its mostly local, but when I have driven all freeway for day trips, the best I have gotten is 32.7 MPG but I usually average around 29-30 depending on if I engage boost often or not. The shifting is notchy which I like, and there is rev hang, but you are able adjust your shifting technique to accommodate (although if you get the Cobb Accessport and do the Stage 1 Tune it will rid of it, but thats if you are ok to risk your warranty before 36K miles). The AWD launches the car flat, totally different from FWD and RWD, and the suspension is stiff enough for taking corners but still good enough for daily driving. The main part that makes the car fun is the usable boost from the low to mid range, from around 2K-5.5K RPMS which is what makes it so great! I got the World Rally Blue which is a bit flashy, but I feel like you must get the signature color for this. The rims (on my Premium) are just dark gray 18 Enkeis from the 2011-2013 STI (previously Silver), but it really brings the exterior all together, making it look aggressive and perfect. I feel no need to change anything on the exterior as it already looks so good stock. Overall, if I could go back, I would get the Harmon Kardon audio upgrade since I dont really like aftermarket, and the car would be exactly the way I want it! The Kicker speakers are bearable so I dont see the point in spending more to upgrade again, since I do like listening to that turbo whistle once in a while! Basically if you want a practical, reliable?, economical, powerful, affordable, and fun small sedan that can perform in any weather, this is it!

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  Overall, best in its class - 2006 Subaru Legacy
  By Marco - February 4 - 2:53 am

  After a few weeks with this car, it is definitely the best choice I could have made. The AWD is amazing even when simply accelerating from a stop. Fit and finish are great, and the ride is compliant yet reliable in the twisties.

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  Clutch Problems - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By in NJ - February 2 - 10:23 pm

  In 3 years our only real complaint is the clutch. From day 1, when you try to shift into first gear when the car has not been run for a few hours, the entire car shudders and bucks like you are learning to drive a manual for the first time. There is another review in here that mentions the same problem. Make sure you drive this car cold before you purchase. Otherwise, we are pretty happy with the car.

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  A bad car - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By Dakota_Joe - February 2 - 2:36 pm

  We bought our Outback in 2002. Just a couple of warnings to would-be buyers: A.) If you have long legs try sitting in the passenger seat before buying this car. You get to taste you knees. The passenger experience rivals that of a back seat passenger in a 1971 Mustang II. B) If you live in the country, on a gravel road DO NOT buy this car. Normal 25 MPH gravel road driving destroys the Outback’s front suspension. I guess that the Outback ain’t built for the outback. The editors must live in big cities. C) This is certainly the most unreliable and expensive-to-maintain vehicle I’ve ever owned. Every breakdown is expensive and ours breaks down often.

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  Uber oo - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Ann Onymous - February 2 - 12:06 pm

  I didnt think any car would seem better to me than my 2006 Forester 2.5XT (which Im keeping). We drove the 2010 Outback thinking maybe next year for my husband - and decided we had to have it now. I am so jealous. My only complaints - I like oil and temp gauges - not idiot lights; and no ashtray available is just silly. Love the CVT - this will give us great mileage and it has as much giddy-up as our Turbo - handy for merging on our interstates. Wonderfully smooth, quiet. Paddles for downshifting will be great in the mountains. The re-design is complete - looks nothing like 2009 Outback - way bigger inside. Wish I could afford two.

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  Wow - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By StevieB - February 2 - 10:00 am

  What a great car. Ive had it for 3 weeks and have been averaging 34 mpg on the highway! Fun to drive, MONSTER sunroof. Very nimble on the road. Used to own a Loyale wagon; reliability was great. Safety ratings are very good. Check it out.

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  Great Car! I would buy another anytime! - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By Brian Adcock - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned a WRX for one year now and Ive put 30,000 trouble free miles on this machine. This car is a blast to drive and handles like a dream. Only negative is the seat comfort - little skimpy on the padding, I see Subaru changed that for the 2004 models. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a sporty sedan! With 4- doors even - easy to sell this car as a family car and give dad a good time when by himself :)