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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  fast, powerful, fun and easy to control - 2014 Subaru Outback
  By outbacker3 - October 10 - 2:22 am

  I have my 3.6R 6 weeks now, and love it. I sold my Sporty coup AUDI TT and Safari van when bought this one. so far Im loving it! the combination of having sporty car like and be able to have so much room for passengers and cargo, make it my favorite car. I test drove so many other SUVs and crossovers when I came to the point that outback is the best choice for me. AUDI Q5 was closest option for performance and handling, but it had less cargo and passenger space and $18000 more money.

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  nice car!! - 2003 Subaru Legacy
  By tcooper - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Just bought the legacy special edition. with only a thousand miles on it, too early to tell about reliability. I bought the car presidents day weekend for $18,200. The invoice was about that before destination charges. I believe I got a good deal. The amazing thing to me is that I purchased this subaru for only $500 more than my wifes Legacy sedan (L) in 1998!!! Look how much more I got! bigger engine, sun roof, leather wheel and shift etc.. I like the handling very much. I am getting about 25mpg right now, hoping for a little more after it is broken in.

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  Nice car - 2003 Subaru Outback
  By Dutch - October 10 - 2:00 am

  My first Subaru , and I am impressed. Nice smooth ride, good milage. Got the leather seats etc. paid $ 25925. 4 cyl provides plenty of power.

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  Love this car! - 2009 Subaru Impreza
  By Meghan - October 9 - 9:46 am

  First "new" car I ever purchased for myself and I absolutely love it! I bought this car mainly for the AWD feature. This car can drive through anything! Its great in the snow. I feel totally safe! Fun to drive, looks sharp, comfortable and roomy. The sound system is awesome! I get a lot of compliments. I have the Dark gray metallic with spoiler.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2008 Subaru Legacy
  By Tommyo - October 8 - 11:40 pm

  I purchased my Legacy with 6400 miles on it. The dealer told me it was a program car and that an executive from Subaru headquarters in Mass drove it. Come to find out it was a rental car. I bought this car because its safety, style, comfort, AWD, and because I did not want to be another guy driving in a cookie cutter car (Camry, Accord). This car has good pick up same as Camry, Accord. Same MPG too darn good for AWD. The Subie suspension is great. Nice balance of ride and handling. The boxer engine also is silky smooth and sounds good too. A boxer engine the pistons are horizontally opposed. Same as Porsche boxer design has lower center of gravity better handling, best value for its class.

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  I love, no LOVE my Subaru - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By SCM - October 8 - 2:21 am

  I have generally thought that Subarus were good cars but if Im honest they have been at best just ok to look at and more often than not kind of ugly. Growing up in a ski resort many people drove Subarus because they are good in the snow and affordable. I was needing a car that would allow me to haul around dog crates and signs I use in my Real Estate business. I looked at many SUVs and found that most of them were just OK. I didnt even look at Subaru because of my perception of the looks of the car. Then I saw the new Outback and thought "It still looks like a Subaru but it is much nicer looking". It was like knowing a girl who is plain and then meeting her sister who has the family resemblance but is a knock out. I did a great deal of research on this car and in terms of safety, reliability and performance it looked like it could not be beat. I then went for a test drive and was expecting the car to be a bit sluggish but to my surprise I was happy with the acceleration. I drove the 6 cylinder and although acceleration was better you took a big hit in the MPG. The interior fit and finish of this car is top notch with leather and soft to the touch finishes everywhere. Most of the other cars I looked at looked like Tupperware had done the interiors with all the hard plastic everywhere. The eyesight system ROCKS! This car will keep you in your lane, apply braking in an emergency and has adaptive cruse control. The car is quite with a bit of a stiff ride which gives you the ability to use the car off road. I really like that the car sits up high so it is easy to get in and out of. The mileage is amazing being that the car is large and four wheel drive. I am getting about 29 in town and 34 on the highway. Not bad as it is rated at 26/33. Absolutely everything about this car functions well. rear seats fold easily, rear hatch opens electronically. seat comfortable and adjustable. Really good infotainment center as well. To be fair there are a few minor things I would change. I wish the doors would lock when the car is put in gear and I wish the passenger seat had a height adjustment but if that is the extent of my wish list for a car I think that is pretty short. In my work, I often have people in my car. I get lots of comments like "What kind of car is this" and "This is nicer than I thought Subarus were." I showed this car to my mother who liked it so much that she bought the identical car a month later. I think what sold her is that were she lives they had a snow storm that was the biggest in something like a hundred years. They did not have enough snow plows to do the streets and even people with four wheel drive trucks were having difficulty getting around. My Subaru did so well that I ended up driving her neighbors to the grocery store as none of them could get out of their drive way. If something happened to this car I would go out and buy it all over again. My research tell me that Im not alone in this. The car is #1 in brand loyalty, Owners keep their Subarus longer than any other brand and they have the highest resale value as well. I guess we all love our Subarus This is my favorite car I have ever owned.

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  Surprise Surprise - 2010 Subaru Impreza
  By Phillip - October 7 - 8:20 pm

  Just bought the imprezza yesterday (7- 19-10), drove it back home , and was really surprised the road manners , and just that it hauls, really like the feel of the interior. even for a standard imprezza , you get the boxer engine like a Porsche the infamous AWD of Subaru, had to steer the car from going off the road cause it just looks for its next conquest! Same price would have bought me a corolla , what fun is that? So glad I bought this awd inprezza which the awd is standard, acceleration very good, this car will be in our family for a long time, unlimited performance upgrades, that I can push the limits on the car, great rally inspired Subaru awd! . Thanks Subaru!

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  More Fun Than An Outback - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By Jim Silvania - October 7 - 8:36 am

  Traded a 2002 Outback for a 2005 Turbo Baja. Turbo a lot more fun to drive and the Baja suits my purposes as a small pick-up. Great car for me. Wouldnt mind a cover for the truck bed but $1,000 a little too pricey. Most enjoyment is to watch all the young kids catch up to me and watch them laugh when they see an old man zipping around in such a youthful looking vehicle. It is fun to drive, sun or snow.

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  So far, so good. - 2001 Subaru Forester
  By Mike - October 7 - 2:00 am

  We bought this vehicle last year after wrecking our Jeep Cherokee. Wife wanted a smaller vehicle, but one with AWD also. We knew nothing about Subarus, but bought this one anyway. It drives beautifully. Great in the snow, AWD is a necessity where we live. Only routine maintenance so far. Gas mileage could be better with a vehicle this small, but Im sure the AWD has something to do with this. As others have noted, the location of the cup holder is poor. I think the engineer was on crack when he designed it. Also, the clock doesnt work (also noted in other reviews). Backing up is tricky (visibility). Other than that, no major issues. Our next car will be another one of these.

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  Bigger but better? - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By JulCo - October 7 - 1:30 am

  Our 1999 Outback was totaled recently. My wife insisted on getting another Outback or perhaps a Forester. We were shocked how huge and hunky they have become. So we settled on an Outback. Hope they solved the head gasket problem. Only have driven it 500 miles so far. Hope to keep it fifteen years. Averaged 26mpg in our first fill up.