Subaru

Perhaps the biggest name in rally racing, Subaru has earned a reputation for building long-lasting, fun to drive cars. Like BMW, Subaru has its roots in aviation - building planes for Japan in World War II. After the war, the company turned its attention to automobiles and in 1954 the Subaru 1500 (also known as the P-1) was introduced. Over the years Subaru produced such notable models as the Legacy, the Impreza and the Forester.

Gone in Thirty Seconds: Super Bowl LVIII Auto Commercial Pre-Game Roundup


Football and marketing - does it get any better? In this era of fragmented streaming services, there are precious few moments of what was once dubbed Must See Tee Vee where one be assured hundreds of million eyeballs will be glued to the same message simultaneously. We likely will never have another shared broadcast moment like the finale of M*A*S*H, so The Super Bowl is it.


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Used Car of the Day: 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

Today we go back to the 1990s and bring you a 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS.

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2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport Review – Pumping It Up

I recently reviewed the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium and my biggest critique, at least from a driving dynamics standpoint, was a lack of guts.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport is meant to address that criticism. Want a Crosstrek that’s a bit more fun? This is your trim of choice.

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Used Car of the Day: 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

Hey, wanna buy a racecar?

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2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium Review – Competent Utility

Reliability, when it comes to cars, has at least two meanings. One meaning involves a model’s likelihood to suffer mechanical maladies over time. The other involves how well it does its prescribed job.

Subaru has made its bones by being very good at the latter.

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Subaru Prices 2024 WRX, Five Trims Available

Adding the nesting doll approach more than one brand is taking with certain examples of their wares, Subaru will offer the 2024 WRX in no fewer than five different trims. This phenomenon of expanding the line of what used to constitute a single trim isn’t unique to the Exploding Galaxy – witness the VW GTI, for starters.


In any event, it’ll now cost ya $32,735 to get in the door of a WRX, up from $30,605 last year. Thanks, inflation.

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Subaru Gifts New Styling, Technology to 2025 Forester

Showing up at the sixth-generation of this long running nameplate, the 2025 Subaru Forester adds a yaffle of technology whilst smoothing out some of the old car’s odd styling choices.

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Subaru Promises Something New for L.A. Auto Show

In typical form for the PR machine of a modern automaker, Subaru has released the briefest of shots showing a rig they promise to introduce at the upcoming L.A. Auto Show – and we have a pretty good idea what it is.

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Subaru Introduces WRX TR, No Longer a Stripped Base Trim

Set to be shown in person at tomorrow’s Subiefest in Florida, the new Subaru WRX TR adds a yaffle of performance-grade components to this boxer-engined all-wheel drive package.

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2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Review -- Easy Wheelin'

Subaru has given its popular Crosstrek crossover its most significant update in quite some time. The little SUV has been changed front, back, and sideways. But the change that grabbed all the headlines involved the expansion of the Wilderness lineup, which now includes the Crosstrek.

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Subaru Promises WRX TR Will Be ‘Enthusiast-Focused’

Fans of the Exploding Galaxy will be interested to learn the company is bringing back a TR variant of its WRX. When last seen about 15 years ago, the TR stood for ‘tuner ready’ – essentially a base WRX with a few deleted features and lower price tag.

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2024 Subaru Crosstrek Review - For Those About To Flock, We Salute You

Subaru has long been a relatively small automaker building products for niche markets. It’s been well-documented how the company, decades ago, specifically targeted certain demographics, becoming wildly popular and inspiring serious owner loyalty. They have done an incredible job doing so, but some more mainstream buyers may still not have the brand front of mind when shopping.


Efforts have been made at more middle-America-friendly fare, most notably the Ascent as their second attempt at the large crossover class which is proving to be a solid, safe choice for buyers. But their bread is buttered with their bread-and-butter smaller cars, much like the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek seen here. And with this redesigned tall wagon, I’m ready to name a new subset of the population that really should be looking at the Pleiades - middle-aged dads.

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QOTD: What Should a WRX STI Be?

I was initially going to ask if Subaru should bring back the WRX STI, but I suspect that the answer to that would be a resounding "yes".

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Subaru Launches New ARA Rally Car, Smells Like STI

Subaru Motorsports has revealed its entrant for the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship. The vehicle is simply being called the “WRX Rally Car” and it’s a painful reminder that enthusiasts haven’t been afforded a hardcore variant of the platform. The ARA racer is effectively what the mind conjures up when trying to imagine a modern WRX STI — a model the fans expected but Subaru elected not to build.

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Report: Toyota To Build Subaru Three-Row EV in Kentucky

Toyota and Subaru have partnered on a few vehicles in recent times, including the BRZ/GR 86 and bZ4X/Solterra twins. The brotherly love is expected to continue with a new three-row SUV in 2025. Toyota will build the vehicle in its Kentucky factory, where its own electric three-row will be produced.

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Subaru To Introduce EyeSight Safety Tech for Manual Transmission-Equipped Cars

Subaru is generous with its EyeSight safety systems, equipping the package on several vehicles. Until now, however, buyers could not get the tech for cars with manual transmissions. Subaru recently announced that it is working to develop EyeSight tech for manual transmission-equipped vehicles, which does two things: First, it ensures safer vehicles across Subaru’s lineup, and second, it means we’ll likely continue seeing manual transmissions available from the automaker for the foreseeable future.

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Report: Subaru To Offer Four New EVs by the End of 2026

Subaru currently offers one EV that it developed alongside Toyota. The Solterra is an electric SUV for outdoorsy types, and while it might satisfy the brand’s loyal customers, it’s not quite enough to make Subaru a competitive force in the EV market. That’s going to change over the next few years, as the automaker said it plans to offer four EVs by the end of 2026. 

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2022 Subaru WRX Review: Rest That Leg

I’ve said it before, but I’m getting old. Rather than comparing daycare centers, I’m visiting colleges. I’ve actually purchased cars in the past for less than I just spent on a prom dress for my eldest daughter. My wife and barber tell me that my hair is thinning.


And I ache. While any leg pain I attribute to an old football injury really dates to a drunken fall over a coffee table while watching the Super Bowl, my daily intake of ibuprofen is considerable. So I’m finding that when shopping for a new fun-to-drive car, a manual transmission isn’t necessarily a must-have. Might as well start fitting me for a tennis-ball-clad walker and pants hitched up to my nipples.


A CVT, however, has never been atop my list of favorite transmissions. They seem to suck all the enjoyment out of driving. But when this 2022 Subaru WRX appeared sans third pedal, I had to do a double take. I suppose the flat-brim-cap wearing, vaping, skater bros have to grow up, too. Did their car of choice grow up with them?


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2023 NY Auto Show: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Unveiled

When the Subaru crew showed off the original Crosstrek, it was a lifted and ruggedized version of the Impreza. Now, they’re introducing a Wilderness trim of that vehicle, a – you guessed it – lifted and ruggedized version of the Crosstrek.


This means they’ve Crosstrek’d the Crosstrek.

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Used Car of the Day: 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

Today's UCOTD comes to us from Montana. This 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS might be a good way to get AWD for cheap -- if age and high mileage aren't a concern.

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Rumor: Toyota and Suzuki Developing Another Lightweight Sports Car

Toyota and Suzuki are rumored to be collaborating on another lightweight, mid-engine sports car with some help from Daihatsu. While nothing has been confirmed, the model is presumed to be a successor to Toyota’s MR2 (pictured) – as the automaker has offered numerous hints in the past that the little two-seater (or something inspired by it) would eventually enter into production.

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Subaru Recalls the Solterra Again for Potentially Loosening Hub Bolts

The Subaru Solterra and the related Toyota bZ4X faced recalls last year related to their hub bolts. The automakers discovered that they could loosen while driving, causing the wheel to detach from the vehicle. Though the vehicles were fixed under the recall, Subaru recently issued another recall to ensure the original work was done properly. 

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QOTD: Star of the Show

Today's QOTD is pretty self-explanatory. What vehicle that debuted here in Chicago caused you to sit up and take notice?

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2023 Chicago Auto Show: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Revealed; Both Puppies And Indiana Rejoice

Amid a digital backdrop showing stark b-roll scenes from various National Parks, under a cloud of smoke haze and inexplicable soap bubbles, and flanked by a booth filled with rescue puppies, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek compact crossover was revealed today at the Chicago Auto Show. While this third-generation crossover does not look markedly different from the prior model, perhaps the most notable announcement was that production of some Crosstrek models will be shifted from Japan to the venerable Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Indiana.

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Subaru Recalls the 2022 WRX for Owner's Manual Errors

Recalls often involve important, safety-critical equipment and technology, but some seem almost silly by comparison. Chevrolet once sent a bunch of Sonics to customers without brake pads and had to recall them, and in 2013, Honda recalled the Odyssey because of badges installed on the wrong side of the rear gate. Recently, we learned that Subaru recalled the new WRX, but not for a reason having to do with any vehicle component or system.

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2022 Subaru WRX Premium Review – Small Step Backwards

I’ve long been a fan of Subaru’s plucky WRX compact sports sedan. But as you’ll see when our next podcast drops, I found the 2022 Subaru WRX one of my most disappointing cars of the year.

“Disappointing” doesn’t mean “bad”, to be clear. The WRX is still a joy to drive and would still be on my shopping list if I was buying in this class. But it’s lost a step compared to the competitive set, in part because the newest version makes its flaws a bit more visible.

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Subaru Recalls Ascent SUV Over Fire Risk

If you purchased a new Subaru Ascent within the last few years, you may want to consider checking its recall status. The manufacturer is worried that 272,000 examples of the SUV could pose a fire risk and is recommending owners park them outside until inspections can be conducted. Though the turnaround should be relatively short, as Subaru already seems to be aware of what’s causing the problem.

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TTAC Video of the Week: Gymkhana

Gymkhana craziness is always fun to watch, and this year's edition sees Travis Pastrana going nuts in Florida.

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2024 Subaru Impreza: Making Affordability Look Good

The 2024 Subaru Impreza debuted in L.A., and after wandering over to the brand's floor stand -- and nearly getting sick due to the psychedelic floors -- I gotta say, Subie's little inexpensive hatch looks good up close.

The on-paper specs look pretty good, too.

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QOTD: What LA Auto Show Debut Excites You?

Hello from sunny Southern California. You may notice a later-than-usual posting schedule today and tomorrow as we work our way through the LA Auto Show -- we're sorta working on West Coast time.

Which brings me to the QOTD -- what debut from this show has you perking up?

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Used Car of the Day: 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS Coupe

Attention, Midwest-based Subaru fans.

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Junkyard Find: 1994 Subaru Loyale 4WD Wagon
Subaru's first major sales success in North America came with the Leone, which debuted in Japan in 1971 and here in 1972. It went through several generations…
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2024 Subaru Impreza Debut Set for L.A. Auto Show

The 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show media is about two weeks away. For the most part, there hasn't been a lot of news leaking about planned debuts, though we know Ram has plans for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, instead. That said, Subaru has dropped a teaser of the next Impreza.

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TTAC Rewind: 2015 Subaru WRX Premium Review

Today's TTAC rewind is a capsule review of the 2015 Subaru WRX.

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Getting Dirty During the Alcan 5000 -- Part One

The Alcan 5000 Rally might not be what you think of when you think of rallying a car. It’s not an event chocked full of sideways-sliding Subarus or overpowered hatchbacks catching air over hills as hundreds of fans gaze as rabid drivers hurtle through the woods in search of the fastest stage of a gravel rally.

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The Grand Tour's "A Scandi Flick" Crashes, Bangs, and Contrives to Fill Its Length

It’s been nearly three years since The Grand Tour switched its format away from the elaborate traveling tent and to its all-special format. On Friday, Amazon released the fifth such special, and the first “post pandemic” episode (their term, not mine). In “A Scandi Flick,” the familiar trio heads across Scandinavia in three rally-inspired all-wheel drive sedans. It’s certainly not the show’s worst work, but it’s far from the best. You’ll need to suspend disbelief and leave your thinking skills in another room.

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2024 Subaru Crosstrek Revealed With New Styling, More Screen, Added Exterior Plastic

Subaru will launch an updated Crosstrek in the United States next year and showcased the Japanese model on Thursday to whet our appetites.

Though nobody at the company seems overly eager to reinvent a model offering such enviable sales figures. Most of the changes seem to be aesthetic in nature, with the exterior seeing some new creases – resulting in a more complicated and pleasing overall shape. There’s also been an increase in the number of plastic panels used on the vehicle’s exterior. However, this doesn’t look as disagreeable as it sounds.

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Junkyard Find: 1990 Subaru Justy 4WD GL

The General began selling the Suzuki Cultus hatchback with Chevrolet Sprint badges here starting in the 1985 model year, with the later versions becoming the Geo/ Chevrolet Metro. Even though gasoline prices had crashed during the middle 1980s, the three-cylinder Sprint sold well enough that Subaru decided to bring their tiny three-cylinder car to our shores. This was the Justy, and I’ve found this ’90 in a self-service yard in Subaru-crazed Denver.

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Subaru Seemingly Ghosts WRX STI on Consumer Web Sites

In the wake of the news that Subaru is killing the WRX STI going forward, it appears that the STI is already dead on the company’s U.S. and Canadian consumer Web sites.

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Talking Gas Prices and More on the Second TTAC Podcast

Hi there! Remember that podcast we did a few weeks back? Well, we’re back with more.

There’s also more to come.

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Subaru Says No WRX STI, Suggests Electric Model

When Subaru announced the latest WRX sedan, it was made perfectly clear that it would arrive without the high-performance STI variant metaphorically in tow. After attempting to push performance versions of the Impreza sedan into becoming their own thing for years, the 2022 model year saw the WRX jumping onto the Subaru Global Platform. This resulted in a more mainstream vehicle we assumed would need additional time in the relevant skunkworks garage before it could reemerge as the aggressive, rally-inspired, no-nonsense WRX STI.

But Subaru is now saying that there won’t be an STI for this generation. According to the manufacturer, “future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses (GHG), zero emissions vehicles (ZEV), and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE).”

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Subaru WRX Wagon Returns Elsewhere With CVT

Subaru hasn’t sold the WRX as a wagon since 2015. While fans have been clamoring for its return ever since, the automaker’s willingness to play along hasn’t gotten much further than its Viziv concept vehicles.

But that doesn’t mean other markets have to do without. The manufacturer is currently prepping the 2022 WRX Sportwagon for the Australian market. Though it’s difficult to be broken up about it being trapped in the land down under, considering it’s going to be offered exclusively with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

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Junkyard Find: 1996 Subaru SVX

One great thing about living in Colorado, where new residents are issued a dog and a Subaru when they arrive, is that I can find examples of just about every Subaru model sold here since the late 1970s in the local car graveyards. That means that I have plenty of opportunities to observe the gloriously weird SVX, once its street days are finished.

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Subaru Solterra In the Flesh

We’ve already covered the Subaru Solterra EV, so I don’t have much to add.

Instead, you can enjoy two poorly-lit pics from the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show.

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Buy/Drive/Burn: Hot Japanese Sport Compacts From 2009

On a recent Buy/Drive/Burn that featured some alternative Japanese compacts from 2008, frequent commenter theflyersfan suggested a second look at the same three cars, but in hotter variants. Today’s the day, and it’s 2009.

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Buy/Drive/Burn: Alternative Japanese Compacts From 2008

In our last edition of Buy/Drive/Burn, we considered the Mazda Protegé, Mitsubishi Mirage, and Subaru Impreza sedans from 1998. Most of you preferred the Protegé as your Buy of the three. Today we fast forward to the same offerings in 2008, and see if things shake out differently.

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Toyota Proudly Announces 2022 GR86 Will Be Slightly Cheaper Than Subaru BRZ

Toyota has announced pricing for the 2022 GR86, with the Hachiroku receiving an MSRP of $27,700 before destination. That’s $295 cheaper than the nearly identical Subaru BRZ. Though, when you’re effectively building a sports coupe that has a literal clone of itself on sale across the street, every tiny advantage suddenly becomes relevant.

While a couple of hundred bucks aren’t likely to sway someone holding any amount of brand loyalty, it could become the deciding factor for interested parties who see the Toyobaru Twins as otherwise identical. The problem is that they actually do have distinctive personalities, despite still being overwhelmingly similar at their core, and the price difference shrinks even more once you accounted for each manufacturer’s delivery fees.

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Buy/Drive/Burn: Alternative Japanese Compacts From 1998

Our last two Buy/Drive/Burn entries covered the 1998 and 2008 versions of three mainstream Japanese compact sedans: Civic, Corolla, and Sentra. Today we look at the alternative offerings in 1998 from Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru.

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Junkyard Find: 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited Wagon
It feels like the Subaru Outback has existed in wagon-only form forever, but you could get a new Outback sedan until 2004. In fact, the Outback name was once used by Subaru USA for outdoorsy option packages on both the Legacy and (from 1995 through 2000) the Impreza. If you want to go back down the branches of the Subaru family tree to find the current Outback‘s direct ancestor, you’ll come to something like today’s Junkyard Find: a second-generation Legacy station wagon with the Outback package, found in a Silicon Valley self-serve yard in June.
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Opinion: Subaru is Doing Everything Just About Right

Tim asked the other day if I might work up an opinion piece on the current state of Subaru. “Sure,” I said, and immediately felt salty. In mind were many criticisms on how the smallish automaker is doing things currently. After that initial salty reaction, I got to thinking about Subaru’s current offerings and recent trajectory more critically. And I realized they’re doing most everything just as they should.

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2020 Subaru WRX STI Review - Aging Yet Still Fun

Most people slow down a bit, in terms of being the life of the party, as they approach their dotage. Others keep rocking straight into the retirement home.

Count the Subaru WRX STI among that latter group.

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Junkyard Find: 1987 Subaru GL-10 Turbo 4WD Wagon

By the second half of the 1980s, Subaru had moved beyond being known only for tiny, hilarious econoboxes. While American Subaru shoppers could still get front-wheel-drive cheapmobiles at that time, the same showrooms also offered futuristic-looking s ports cars and four-wheel-drive family wagons loaded with luxury features. Today’s Junkyard Find is the swankiest Subaru wagon money could buy in 1987 North America: a GL-10 4WD Turbo, found in a Denver car graveyard last summer.

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2021 Subaru Crosstrek Limited Review - New Engine, Fresh Face, Familiar Utility

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek isn’t changed much, and that’s almost certainly a good thing for Subie.

After all, the Crosstrek, like other Subaru products, is popular with the brand faithful because of its utility abilities. So it behooves Subaru not to screw with it too much.

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Chip Shortage: Subaru Shutting Down SIA Through April

Today’s update on the global semiconductor shortage involves Subaru, which recently announced that it would be suspending production at its plant in Indiana. Lafayette’s Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) will be idled through the end of April while the automaker waits for suppliers to catch up. It’s a situation we’ve seen numerous manufacturers forced into this year, with Ford arguably being the most relevant for the North American market.

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2020 Subaru Outback Onyx XT Edition - Keeping the Wagon Flame Going

Subaru’s Outback has long been a standard-bearer for wagons. The addition of the Onyx Edition XT trim level for 2020 won’t change that.

Really, that’s the big news, and I don’t mean that sarcastically. While minor trim-level additions and changes sometimes seem so minor as to not be worth a review, this one is.

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Toyota Shows GR 86 With More Power, Subaru Vows Aftermarket Parts for BRZ

When the 2022 Subaru BRZ debuted last year, our general impression was that the second-generation coupe didn’t appear all that different from the original. While excellent news for those seeking a well-balanced, lightweight sports car that can be driven aggressively on public roads or serve as a solid foundation for any number of track-focused build projects, the manufacturer decided against throwing out curveballs. The car’s purpose remains unchanged, it’s just been remade into a better version of itself. But the BRZ’s fraternal twin, the Toyota GR 86, had a few more weeks in development with President Akio Toyoda rumored to have been pushing for modifications that would help differentiate the two models — much like the automaker did with the similarly related Toyota Supra and BMW Z4.

While limited to the same hardware as the Subaru, Toyota is claiming the new GR 86 makes a tad more horsepower and is hinting it could be the more serious sporting machine. Both of those claims remain unverified and, if the duo is anything like their first-generation, deciding which is the faster 2+2 car will have almost everything to do with which rubber is on the wheels and who’s been placed into the driver’s seat. But the pilot will have an alleged advantage of 4 horsepower in the 86, forcing the BRZ to bring in Subaru Tecnica International (STI) aboard to offer some enhancements of its own.

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Junkyard Find: 2002 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Sedan
The Subaru Impreza has been with us since the 1993 model year, and you’ll still see plenty of the first-generation Impreza Outback wagons on the streets (and in the junkyards) of Colorado. All US-market Subarus got all-wheel-drive starting in the 1997 model year, so the company’s American marketers had to show a distinction between the outdoorsy/nature-loving image of the Impreza Outbacks and the rally-inspired image of the other Imprezas when the second-generation cars appeared here for 2001. Here’s a hard-to-find early-second-gen Impreza 2.5 RS sedan, showing off its WRX-like styling in a Denver self-serve yard.
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Buy/Drive/Burn: Affordable Subcompact Crossovers in 2021, Round Three

After we covered American and Japanese trios of $25,000 subcompact crossovers, round three means it’s time for the Korean offerings. But there are only two Korean brands in North America, so today we cover both of their entries and another from Japan.

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Rare Rides: A 1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon, Sold Back to Subaru

Today’s Rare Ride is an example of utmost care and maintenance. It’s a 31-year-old wagon which was driven and kept in showroom condition over more than 200,000 miles.

This particular wagon was unique enough that Subaru purchased it for their collection.

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2022 Subaru BRZ Makes Evolutionary Changes, Gets a Power Bump

The new 2022 Subaru BRZ is here, and it’s …. not all that different.

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  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.