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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  surprised fan - 2014 Subaru Outback
  By zimboy - October 23 - 9:17 am

  always liked the idea of an adventure vehicle like the Outback something fun and versatile. i had no idea how captivating it would be. perfect ride height, super-stable all wheel drive (almost invincible in the snow), adequate power, great space and rugged looks. my wife and i fight to drive it and may have to get another as second family car. we are outdoor fans and love the rook rails and easy level load bay and space.

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  Fun Car - 2006 Subaru Forester
  By Rick - October 23 - 6:43 am

  My 2006 Forester is a 2.5X with the premium package. It is a fun car to drive; I like everything about it. The car drives like a sports car with good visibility and ground clearance to go on rough sandy roads. I replaced a 2001 Subaru Outback LL Bean. The Outback was a great car but never this enjoyable to drive.

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  Good Car - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By Harry - October 23 - 1:23 am

  Great little car , runs very strong, funto drive. On the downside, paint is thin, chips easily. Stock brakes and clutchare only fair. AWD good in northeast. Great for the money !

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  2003 Forester-A Great Improvement - 2003 Subaru Forester
  By herrfish1 - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Last month, I traded in my 2001 Forester L for the 2003 Forester XS Premium Package with Leather. I must say that the new model is a great improvement over the older one. It looks better, rides better, and has a vastly improved interior design (especially the re-located cupholders and the 6-disc in-dash CD/casette stereo).

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  Amazing, but how to define it.... - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By eldera - October 22 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car, it defies clasification by that name though. i love it. and my oh my can it claw into a road.

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  Great Value for the Money - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By OhioGuy - October 22 - 6:35 am

  My first Outback with the 3.6 liter engine. Drove it back to back with an Acura RDX. Why I chose the Outback: 1. super smooth engine, 2. superior AWD system, 3. surprisingly good CVT transmission to the degree that it drives like a normal automatic transmission, 4. better cargo capacity, 5. superior outward visibility from the drivers seat, 6. less expensive to insure, and 7. at 510 and 180lbs, it just fits me well. Unless you are predisposed to measure your self worth by a hood badge or brand of vehicle, you will not regret buying this car. I would recommend however that you ditch the standard Bridgestone tires as they are mediocre. I replaced the Bridgestone tires with a set of Michelin Premier LTX tires, and the difference in grip, handling and road noise was significant.

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  WRX STi still a contender - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By vallor - October 21 - 2:00 pm

  Ive been driving this beast since February. The all-wheel drive both improves handling, as well as more stable footing in snow and ice...nice, if you cross the Sierras sometimes in the winter, as I do. This machine is rally-inspired, and it shows. It took a little while to get used to the rear wing -- but you know, Im seeing other auto manufacturers adding big rectangular wings to their offerings, too...so its suddenly "trendsetting", heh. Finally, I cant stress enough the value of having performance tires on this vehicle -- almost always, it is its tires that are the performance bottleneck. Ive shod my STi with Kumho ASX, which seemed good compromise for performance and winter driving.

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  never again!!!! - 2002 Subaru Outback
  By trish - October 21 - 6:34 am

  Bought 2002 suburu outback limited used from original owner. Had it checked by my mechanic and everything was looked good. 140k miles for $5800. Nice looking car too. Ran great for a few months (2 to be exact). It has been a money sucker non stop for the past 2 years! first was something with the Manifold gasket and oxygen sensor $1150 later. The next big one was an oil leak under the head gasket with some "other things" needing fixing $3100 later. A few little things in between that cost couple of hundred $$. Latest was a break down on the highway with a "fried alternator" and a few months after that steering didnt feel right and my temp guage needle was bouncing from normal to HOT. Turns out coolant leak from the radiator. However, I never saw fluid under the car but the mechanic tells me it is leaking somewhere in the car and going where it shoud not be. Was hesistant to even fix it and told me I should just buy a new car. He did an affordable "patch job" for me for $500 as apposed to fixing the problem for $2000 plus as I NEED my car. I bought this car only because I heard they handle extremely well in the snow and this is quite true--- she does But it STOPS right there! This used car has cost me $10,000 within 2 years. This car is a NIGHTMARE but i need to get about and new car not an option now. I want to cry! :( STAY AWAY FROM SUBURU!!!!!

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  Great performer, for the price - 2006 Subaru Impreza
  By Sypher - October 21 - 2:13 am

  Ignore all the reviews for the car and look at it like this. You can get these for 23K out the door if youre good. Its got the STI 2.5 liter in it. Ebay TurboBack exhaust $500, STi Intercooler $300, Cobb Accessport (ECU) $650, STI Turbo Ebay ($400), you now have 280 horsepower to the wheels and will smoke stock STIs and EVOs and get the same gas mileage, for oh, say less then two grand, bringing the total price to $25 grand and you have STI speed ...WOW. $25K is still lower then sticker on a base WRX ... Nuff said, this car has more potential then the older WRXs and any other car out there in the same price bracket, period. :)

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  Cute car, stupid, cheap cutbacks - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By sbirnbaum100 - October 20 - 6:06 pm

  Weve owned a 1996 Subaru Impreza Outback (manual) - awesome. A used 1996 Subaru Legacy - good (manual) started collapsing at 151K), now the 2004 Subaru Impreza TS Wagon automatic. Im not impressed. It eats gas (23 mpg average). Its expensive to maintain. We couldnt buy it with side body guards. It doesnt have a key for the trunk. If the electric goes, we have no trunk. Theres been a ticking (in different gears) with the car since we bought it. The Subie dealer said its a known issue with the pistons and is not considered a problem. Is that really true? If its not a problem, why did they "fix it" in the 2007 model.