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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  Door Locks - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Door Locks - April 20 - 12:43 am

  Its fun vehicle to drive, but I have door locks. First it was the driver side front door lock that is not working. After few months I found out now its the front passenger side door lock is not working and recently I found that rear passenger side door lock is not working also. I tried dealership to repair it, but due to mileage on it I have to pay $350 for each lock. NO OTHER ISSUES. Does anyone has this problem? Can this be a defective locks from the manufacturer?

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  Pre-WRX fun car - 2000 Subaru Impreza
  By kramp - April 19 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the 4 door 2.5RS due to the fact that my commute had increased significantly, and I was replacing a 4WD Nissan Pathfinder and wanted something I could take to Tahoe. The build quality of the car itself is quite good, but the interior needs some work. Gas mileage seems to stay constant around 25MPG, which I would have expected to be better, especially w/ no turbo. The stock tires are just barely sufficient for anyone that drives their car hard, but they do allow for good slides :o Overall, the car has been great since I bought it in 2000, with very little in the way of problems (had a leaky windshield in the first rain, and a little recall)

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  2012 New Outback Limited 2.5 - 2012 Subaru Outback
  By oldhollow - April 18 - 3:04 am

  Just got the Limited 2.5 with sunroof, naviagtion and IÂ’m really impressed with the fit and finish of the car. Everything works as designed, and the quality of the paint is excellent. I am coming from an 2008 MDX that had a terrible paint job from the factory, the paint was very thin and would mark very easily. I got the car for the gas millage and was concerned that I would not have enough power. That is not the car, no need for the 3.6 for me.

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  Forester 2.5X AWP Premium VDC - 2009 Subaru Forester
  By tanabeusa - April 16 - 3:00 pm

  Heres my run down of why I chose Forester over CR-V, Rav4, Escape, Tribute: PROs: 1. Unique-not many on the road 2. Drive and handling was slightly better but not by much 3. Boxer Engine Design & Lower COG 4. Drivers Visibility from inside car 5. Symmetry AWD 6. Friendly sales staff CONs: 1. Inferior Interior, Radio, switches & knobs, all too low tech 2. Scary to hear engine blows out (hope it doesnt happen to me) 3. 4 Gear auto Transmission 4. Mileage 5. no Xenon Headlamp, LED 6. Navi too expensive

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  Perfect WRX Upgrade - 2005 Subaru Impreza
  By T-WRX - April 16 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 2002 WRX, and mildly modified many aspects of it trying to achieve a faster, better handling car. To paraphrase the old fruit drink commercial: "Shoulda bought a STi."

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  WRX like a charm - 2003 Subaru Impreza
  By silverwrxdriver - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this car 10/30/01 and Im approaching 14K miles. Impressive 0-60 power; it will smoke stock Mustang GTs off the line. Huge public appeal; I even got a thumbs-up from a Harley- Davidson biker (complete with 2 ft. beard). Fun to drive on all-surfaces. Complaints: The shifter and the interior plastic (a few rattles have emerged) could be a little tighter. I have the stock premium sound system including the under-the-seat sub and it longs for more power. Also the volume selector is coarse, there are huge differences between some increments. Overall, only minor gripes - I would recommend this car over and over again!

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  So far, so good! - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By Ione - April 13 - 10:46 pm

  Weve had our OB for about 3 weeks & in that time weve taken it on 2 excursions, 1 thru sloppy snow on black ice, dirt roads & extremely steep grades. Not the slightest loss of traction on the ice while other cars were wiggling thru the snow (tho found changes in acceleration very jerky while in low gear), the bumps melted away on the dirt road, our fully loaded car zipped up the steep grade & the paddles worked very well going down while the car in front of us (older Subaru OB, BTW) had to be pulled off to cool the brakes down. Once we hit the flats & the freeways we got c. 30 - 33 mpg. Drivers seat is very comfortable, ride is very quiet, fit & finish fine, good head lights.

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  My 2007 was better - 2010 Subaru Outback
  By PANORAL - April 13 - 1:26 pm

  My wife totaled our 07 outback without a scratch on her. I therefore replaced it with a 2010 limited. First off, I did not like the privacy tinted Glass-it ruined the rear view. Secondly, the multifunction display is really a non-display, it is invisible in normal outdoor light and placed in a bad position. I had a homelink mirror on my 07 but this car came with only a dimming/compass vanity. The dealer wants about $200 to change it, the difference in price is only about $15. Im not sure about the mpg gauge, it is rarely at neutral and pegs at max going downhill with the engine braking. I wish I had my 07 back!

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  Wintertime Driver - 2017 Subaru Outback
  By New Hampshire Seacoast Driver - April 12 - 9:43 am

  Seems to be the official vehicle of northern New England with so many on the road. Only valid complaint at this time is the poor performance of the navigation software. Will not allow update for 18 months; meanwhile, road speed limits change, routes are modified and the "voice" will not warn of turns until it is too late.

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  1000 km Review - 2010 Subaru Tribeca
  By Michael S. - April 9 - 4:43 pm

  My family have been loyal Volvo owners for the last 12 years. Given Volvos current lack of a value proposition we decided to expand our horizons before purchasing a car this year. My checkpoints for our decision were a. needed to be real AWD; b. must accommodate 2 6 ft+ boys comfortably in the back seats; and c. it need to fit our budget. Point A eliminated a bunch of vehicles very quickly. Point B narrowed the list down even further. After looking at Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, VW, Toyota and Nissans offerings we went off to look at Subarus offerings on a friends recommendation. We took a 60 minute test drive of the car and came back thrilled with the drive, the space and the value.