Subaru Reviews & Ratings

2009 Subaru Forester L.L. Bean Edition Review

By Michael Karesh
April 16, 2008 - 22,028 Views

Subarus are supposed to be the Birkenstock sandal of the automotive world; simple, robust cars with a certain sense of style that doesn't care about current fads. Alternatively, you could say a Subie used to be what a VW used to be (before Ferdinand Piech started messing with the brand) plus a boxer engine (once a key VW characteristic) and standard all-wheel-drive. In recent years, Subaru's image has become less and less clear. The automaker's desire to escape the granola ghetto first gave us the Tribeca, and then the new Impreza. And now we have a new Forester; an answer the question that in the past didn't have to be asked: what is a Subaru?

2009 Subaru Forester L.L. Bean Edition Review continued »

2009 Subaru Forester L.L. Bean Edition rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 65 comments

2008 Subaru Outback Review

By Michael Martineck
February 20, 2008 - 63,199 Views

Station wagons with manual transmissions are quickly going the way of the fedora. In fact, there are more gas-electric hybrids for sale stateside than row-your-boat wagons. If you want an all-wheel-drive model, the number plummets. Which makes me wonder: what's the point of the Subaru Outback five-speed?

2008 Subaru Outback Review continued »

2008 Subaru Outback rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 69 comments

2008 Subaru Impreza STI Review

By Jonny Lieberman
February 15, 2008 - 85,696 Views

When I bought my second Rex, I nearly bit the bullet and went STI. But I like to haul more than ass. So I sacrificed balls-out speed for cargo capacity and bought the five-door WRX (again). The good news: starting now, Subaru's hottest rally-bred machine is available only as a hatch. The bad news: the new STI costs $14k more than the WRX. Is it worth it?

2008 Subaru Impreza STI Review continued »

2008 Subaru Impreza STI rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 92 comments

Subaru Impreza 2.5i Review

By Megan Benoit
December 17, 2007 - 67,234 Views

The 2008 Subaru WRX is the U.S. pistonhead's cheap thrills with no frills poster child. Meanwhile, the Impreza. Yes, I know: a Subaru without a turbo is like a Mercedes without automatic climate control, but hey, normal people drive cars too. When you move away from turbo-nutter wastegate wonderland, the word “thrills” takes on a different meaning. Or does it? Sans blower, does the new entry level Impreza have what it takes to tickle the fancy of a wider audience?

Subaru Impreza 2.5i Review continued »

Subaru Impreza 2.5i rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 55 comments

Subaru WRX Review

By Brendan McAleer
September 28, 2007 - 62,530 Views

When the redesigned 2008 Impreza WRX made its New York debut, you could hear the collective creak from the upturned conks of the cognoscenti. What’s with the Camry clone? Somehow Subie thwacked a dart-full of its patented anti-fun serum into the styling of one of the world’s most “enigmatic” designs. But just how bad is the damage? Have Subaru’s efforts to re-brand the rockstar ‘Rex as a kinder, gentler, pop-idol created a yawnster? More importantly: is it possible to be a bad Subaru, but a good car?

Subaru WRX Review continued »

Subaru WRX rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 59 comments

Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE Review

By Michael Martineck
August 13, 2007 - 50,090 Views

According to psychologists, the middle child fights an endless, depressing battle for parental attention. So pity the poor Legacy 2.5i Special Edition, sitting between the WRX and Outback. The WRX is the pistonheads' golden child. Older brother Outback is largely credited with the family's success-- despite the fact that the Legacy was Subaru's sales leader in May. The shrinks say lavishing praise on the neglected sib is the best way to cure middle child syndrome. Ah, but is the Legacy 2.5i Special Edition (SE) special enough to deserve it? 

Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE Review continued »

Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 40 comments

Subaru Tribeca Review

By Robert Farago
July 13, 2007 - 74,166 Views

Readers may recall that my previous review of the Subaru Tribeca described the SUV’s front end as a flying vagina. Shortly after this aesthetic assessment hit the web, the San Francisco Chronicle canceled my regular reviews. Both Subaru and BMW banned The Truth About Cars from their press cars. While the column is history and the ban remains, Subaru got the message. The new Tribeca’s front end looks nothing like airborne pudenda, and everything like a Chrysler Pacifica. 

Subaru Tribeca Review continued »

Subaru Tribeca rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 62 comments

Subaru Legacy GT Limited Review

By Megan Benoit
May 31, 2007 - 95,394 Views

Let’s face it: Subaru isn’t known for building physically attractive automobiles. Their products are the automotive equivalent of the “butter face” girl: everything is great “but her” face. Fortunately, the new Legacy GT (LGT) avoids the brand’s heavy-handed airplane-inspired refreshes, or the new Tribeca’s po-faced Pacifica pandering. The Legacy GT’s not-so-B9 makeover puts the model in prime position for the legions of more mature automotive enthusiasts desperately seeking Subie. 

Subaru Legacy GT Limited Review continued »

Subaru Legacy GT Limited rating summary and performance review

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 122 comments

Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Review

By Paul Niedermeyer
January 31, 2007 - 110,012 Views

Back in the day, Subaru couldn’t afford to build a new vehicle to compete in the smoking hot SUV sector. So they took an Impreza, jacked it up a couple of inches, raised the roof and reskinned the body. The result was a hit, and helped define the modern small CUV. Ten years later, the Subaru Forester battles on, facing its third gen competitors (Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4) with nothing more than a few questionable sheet metal creases, a spiffed up interior, and the addition of the turbocharged XT model. The CUV pool’s getting more crowded by the day, and, compared to the Subie’s well-worn REI fleece, the competition looks like its wearing designer duds. We checked out an XT to answer a simple question: is it a classic or a relic? 

Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Review continued »

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 90 comments

Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagon Review

By Brendan McAleer
- 81,391 Views

I don’t get veggie-burgers. If something didn’t actually die for my dinner, I reckon it should at least have been pretty severely inconvenienced. What’s more, a good burger is always bad for you (arterial distress on a sesame-seed bun). So it is with the Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagon. Why would anyone buy such an entirely sensible vehicle when they could drive away in a full-fat, hormone-injected WRX Sport Wagon? Why indeed. It’s time for a serious sampling of Fuji Heavy Industries Lite.

Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagon Review continued »

Posted in Subaru | Car Reviews | 77 comments