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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  Highly Recommended - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Steve H - December 19 - 8:40 am

  Being a previous truck owner, not sure why I waited to test drive a Subaru...now I dont want to drive anything else; 30 mpg, room for three pasengers and gear, off-road ability (had it in the mountains last week, got dirty quick, snow and mud couldnt stop it) and an overall driveability like no other vehicle I have ever had. It grips the road no matter what the weather is and lets not forget the five star crash rating.This vehicle has it all!

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  Very satisfied - 2005 Subaru Outback
  By skipp - December 18 - 12:00 pm

  Handles nice, good gas mileage, seems very solid, and fun to drive

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  So nice, I bought 2.... - 2018 Subaru Forester
  By herbstine - December 17 - 6:01 am

  I considered a number of vehicles to replace my wifes car. We finally settled on the Subaru Forester as being the best quality, safety and value vehicle. The comfort and convenience features of the touring model made the choice easy, so much so that I replaced not just my wifes car, but mine as well. Lots of perks for the price. Handles great. Acceleration is good, I found it to be much better than Ive read on some reviews (it actually accelerates better than my wifes old Hyundai Sonata). The crash avoidance, lane drift and adaptive cruise control are must haves. Since I do most of my own repair work, I didnt opt for the extended warranty. The cargo cover tends to make a slight metallic rattle on rough roads.

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  Bang for your buck wagon - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By carlosi - December 13 - 9:06 am

  This Subaru is fun to drive and has enough power to make driving to Mammoth from LA 3 times a year enjoyable. Im never going to buy a non AWD vehicle again. Besides being an excellent ride for ski trips the AWD comes in real handy in wet conditions.

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  Love my Impreza Sport Limited Hatchback w/Nav and Moonroof - 2012 Subaru Impreza
  By j_mags - December 12 - 9:12 pm

  Ordered the Sport Limited 5dr with Nav and Moonroof back in March 2012. It arrived in June 2012. Using it as my daily commuter driving 80 - 100 miles roundtrip. I am averaging anywhere from 30 - 32 mpg in mixed driving at rush hour. We actually love the Nav system and it did take a bit of getting used to. (300+ page manual - just for Nav alone - separate manual for the rest of the car!) Enjoy the SiriusXM and HD Radio. Heater / AC work well. Driven over 7,000 miles so far.

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  Surprisingly fun - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By bloovis - December 12 - 7:56 am

  This car replaced a beloved 2001 VW Golf GLS 1.8t. I was hoping to find something as fun and comfortable as the VW, but with AWD to get me up our steep Vermont hills in winter in the places where the VW failed to make progress. The Outback Sport has turned out to be much more entertaining than I expected. It doesnt have quite the zip of the VW turbo, but its plenty fast. The biggest surprise was the excellent steering and handling: quite an improvement over the somewhat squishy VW. The next biggest surprise was the fuel economy; Im getting 28 on average, and as high as 32 on some off-freeway road trips.

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  Great SUV, best in class - 2007 Subaru Forester
  By Mark - December 12 - 1:13 am

  After looking around for awhile, Im glad I finally settled on the Subaru Forester, an absolute great SUV. Any one out there thinking about getting one, stop thinking and go get one. Youll love it, its powerful, refined, luxurious and it has AWD!!

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  Excellent except HK Audio/Nav system - 2013 Subaru Outback
  By anavig8r - December 11 - 11:38 pm

  I agree with all points of the review by cmlsudbury. Ive got the dark interior and it does show every mark, especially where shoes hit the door panels. Not sure this would happen in other cars with similar color scheme. I hate the AUDIO/NAV system. I wanted the backup camera and you had to get the AUDIO/NAV to get the camera. I feel totally ripped off for the price paid for this upgrade vs the value received. Software upgrade had better be a warranty item. Only 7500 miles so early days on reliability. Dinged Interior Design and Value because of the audio/nav system.

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  Almost a Great Car - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By DCU - December 11 - 4:00 pm

  Had the clutch "shudder" early and dealer eventually fixed it after repeated failed attempts to duplicate the problem. No problems since it was replaced. Wind noise on highway is annoying. Leg room in rear seats is too small. Mileage hasnt been up to advertised. Never gotten more than 26 mpg and usually its only 20-22, even on highway. Great in snow, suspension and tire life are fantastic, extremely versatile, brakes are decent, winter package and amenities make this a real enjoyable car overall and I have found it reliable.

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  Need shield for a/c condenser - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Judy Adair - December 11 - 3:00 pm

  We purchased our Tribeca in Aug. of this yr. and really love it, with a few exceptions. We took a 3600 mile trip up the east coast (being demo it already had 5600 miles on it). Well, on the way home from our trip a rock flew into the a/c condenser and all the freon drained out. I cant believe that there is no protection from flying objects. The cost to repair it was $1080.00! We were shocked about this and had file on our insurance.