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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  First Subaru Experience - 2012 Subaru Legacy
  By member23 - May 29 - 7:52 pm

  I came out of an SUV into a Subaru for fuel economy. While there are many good car choices in this class (Fusion, Accord, Altima) the driver seat comfort and AWD won me over. After 4500 miles the new car thrill is gone and I have a car that I like driving, is reliable, and gets good mpgs. The decision to buy a new car is personal and Im not knocking any other cars, as there are some great choices. But this car works for me and Id recommend it to a friend.

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  look out handa - 2002 Subaru Impreza
  By Roger Moore - May 28 - 11:40 am

  nice car very fast i like the handling

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  3.6R Outback, Not what you think of Subaru - 2016 Subaru Outback
  By Carl - May 28 - 8:42 am

  I purchased this vehicle out of state because there were NONE locally to purchase or even drive. I saved a lot even with transporting the vehicle. My wife needed the Eyesight features. The Eyesight technology is Amazing. Not gimmicks but useful feature that improves driver safety and makes long trips more pleasant. The 6 cylinder engine is strong, quiet and smooth. I have never owned a AWD vehicle before and this car is more sure-footed than my pickup truck. Even on slippery muddy roads with hills, the car never loses traction and requires no special input from the driver. Subaru has the AWD down to a science. The only thing I dislike is the front seats are not large enough for someone 6 or over on long trips. A longer thigh cushion would fix things.

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  Great luxury bang for the buck - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By gvo - May 27 - 10:26 pm

  08 Tribeca is head and shoulders above the underpowered 07 model with ugly front looks. The drive is smooth, the design and build quality are great. Its a hungry beast, though - I cant get more than 17 mpg out of it. Other than that, beautiful car, and I am very happy with it.

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  Hooked on the Forester - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By Idahojeeper - May 27 - 5:40 am

  We were looking for a fun vehicle capable of easy off-road use with decent mileage and towable behind a motor home. Guess what: there arent many choices that meet all these criteria. After searching the few options available we discovered the Forester. Were glad we did. This vehicle does it all. Its fun to drive, very capable in the snow, OK off the pavement, and has good fuel economy. The cabin is comfortable and very roomy for a small vehicle. Fit and finish is excellent. As with most crossovers there are compromises. Its not a rock crawler and its not a sports car. However it does provide solid dependable transportation.

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  Rally Screamer - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By 3Pinner - May 27 - 2:00 am

  A wonderful little car, able to lay dust to anything on the road. In stock form, its a fantastic ride. Great handling, power, and room for my dogs. The cool factor is even higher than you would expect froma Subaru. Three weeks, and Ive gotten multiple complements. Car can easily be modified safely to put out 300hp. Many supporting websites and tuners across the nation.

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  I love my Subie - 2007 Subaru Impreza
  By Andy - May 26 - 1:26 pm

  I just sold my 99 Mustang GT and got an 07 Impreza. Great car. Plenty of pep considering it uses the same engine as the Impreza RSs used from 1999-2005 and it has pretty much the same 0-60 time as the Civic SI for less. The AWD is a blessing in adverse weather. This is my second Subaru and definitely wont be my last. Ill have to step up to a WRX next time though. I highly suggest adding the foglights and spoiler to the vehicle. They really complete the rally like look these cars are bred for.

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  WRX grows up but still has the moves - 2015 Subaru WRX
  By szr1 - May 21 - 1:47 pm

  Overall - the new WRX is an excellent handling, attractive, quick car that can haul 4 six foot humans. Bang for the buck it competes in features and performance with cars 50%+ more expensive. The first 1500 miles have been a lesson in restraint to keep the revs down and break in the fast reving 2.0L turbo slowly. No issues or problems, this is solidly built car. It corners with amazing accuracy and traction. In the rain, its like cheating. The WRX is not just for boy racers (as the press likes to say) - but for 50-somthings looking for responsible fun in all weather.

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  Our First Subaru! - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By GT - May 21 - 7:19 am

  Well, after one month and 1,100 miles on our 2017 Outback 3.6R Touring, I cant say enough great things about this wagon (I know some think its an SUV, but its not). No regrets moving from the American Blue Oval (Ford) to the Japanese Blue Oval (our car was made in Lafayette, IN, incidentally - I think all U.S. market Subarus are; I could be wrong). Ford just didnt have what I liked or needed this time around (a Fusion (my previous car) wagon would have gotten my attention if they made one - I liked my 07 Fusion a lot), so for the last year, weve been doing the on-line research and always came back to the Outback 3.6R as the prime choice. At the Chicago Auto Show, we got to test drive one for the first time. We also test drove something we hadnt considered previously and that was the Kia Sorento which is more crossover than wagon, but it had us thinking. In the end, it was the Outback itself as well as Subaru dealers (and the one we bought from in particular) over the Kia dealers that sold us (we didnt get much meaningful response from the Kia dealers (on the phone or internet) - maybe they didnt take us seriously; at least not until after wed had our Outback for a few weeks!). So anyway, the Outback has been a dream to drive! After less than a week of ownership, we needed to make a 250 mile round trip trek through northern Illinois with a good mix of country road and interstate driving. On the interstate, I got to experience the adaptive cruise control - a gem of a feature in that the car adapts to the distance of the car in front of you; very handy when you get cut off by a slow-poke - no need to hit the brake, the car slows down for you. And when slow-poke moves over out of your way, the Outback smoothly moves back up to your preset speed (or to a safe distance from the next car in front of you). The other feature I experienced with great joy was the blind spot indicators - wow, this is great! On the interstate, it always seems like theres a car driving in my blind spot! Now I dont have to take my eyes off the road ahead to know theres a car invisible to me on my left or right. Out in the country, the Outback is in its element; not that weve tested it much yet, but we did have some soft, mushy areas to drive through that would have been a challenge to a vehicle without AWD and the ground clearance of the Outback. Other things Ive come to appreciate over the last month with the Outback is the CVT - Continuously Variable Transmission. I know its been around on several cars for years, but its new to me - and I actually prefer it to the step shifting of the traditional 6 speed I had in my Fusion. Ive read lots of car enthusiasts opinions who wont go near a CVT (favoring a manual transmission), but I think for me (and a lot of people like me) its a welcome change - though I do have to watch our for speeding since I dont have that step sensation through the gears on a rather powerful 3.6 liter six! Which brings me to another primary reason for going with the six; towing capacity through, potentially, mountains. Havent tried it yet, but I just couldnt see winding up the 2.5 liter four with 1 1/2 tons of stuff through the Rockies. I know Im not alone on that assessment either, having read concurring remarks in professional reviews. I have no fears whatsoever with the six. Its a powerful and peppy power plant! The ride of the Outback is smooth and comfortable. The suspension smooths out some of the worst washboards I drive on better than any car Ive had before. And because we opted for the Touring sub-model, comfort is better than anything Ive owned before (this is the first car Ive had with heated leather seats (though my wife had them in a Buick LeSabre Limited more than a dozen years ago) AND a heated steering wheel!). Im still learning all the electronics - right now Im happy with just figuring out the radio and how to play my iPod Nano (3rd gen). I was a tiny bit disappointed that my Nano doesnt play well through the iPod function (which displays the information from your iPod on the infotainment screen); it will play a couple songs and then blank out; Ive read where this has been happening to many people with even newer iPod equipment than my 10 year-old Nano. So all I do is run it through the Aux function and things are as good as in my previous cars - except for the sound system which is a spectacular Harmon-Kardon layout! I LOVE the sound! The navigation system is super spectacular for me, having come from a 4" screen on a Garmin pasted to the windshield. Its a nice big, 7" display that is very intuitive. Well, I was going to write more, but I guess theres a character limit. Suffice it to say, I love our New Subaru Outback!

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned. - 2004 Subaru Impreza
  By fuzzyhead - May 21 - 2:16 am

  Ive owned about 8 cars from different manufacturers, and this is the best car Ive ever owned. Ive gotten as high as 33 mpg on the highway (with intake and exhaust). The seats are pretty comfy. Very adjustable. The wagon is a great touring car. Ive done several cross-country trips with it, and they were great. The interior is very roomy. Ive even put a full-size wooden-framed futon in the back before. We used to go camping all the time in this. Great to haul a lot of gear up and down mountains. Wagon handles great with 235mm summer tires. Performs awesome with snow tires. Built very nicely. No rattles or trim problems in the cabin. I look forward to owning more Subarus!