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Subaru began as Fuji Heavy Industries, formed from six predecessor companies including Nakajima Aircraft, a major WWII aircraft manufacturer. In 1953 the company launched the Subaru brand with the P-1, Japan's first mass-produced monocoque-bodied passenger car. Subaru became known for its commitment to boxer (horizontally opposed) engines and all-wheel drive, a combination it has used since the 1972 Subaru Leone Estate 4WD.
The 1992 Impreza, particularly the WRX and WRX STI models, became icons in World Rally Championship, winning three consecutive manufacturers' titles from 1995 to 1997. Subaru's quirky, engineering-first identity (love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru) has cultivated an intensely loyal customer base.
The brand has remained relatively independent, majority-owned by Toyota since 2019 while maintaining its own engineering and platform direction. Subaru pioneered the use of EyeSight, a stereo-camera-based driver assistance system, across its lineup.
Subaru is one of only two automakers (alongside Porsche) to consistently use boxer engines across its entire lineup, enabling a low center of gravity. Its symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, paired with the boxer layout, became Subaru's defining technical signature.
The 1992 Impreza WRX STI set a new standard for affordable all-wheel-drive performance, and the car's rally success cemented the brand's motorsport credibility. EyeSight, Subaru's dual-camera driver-assistance system, was introduced in 2008 and has received consistently high ratings for its effectiveness compared to radar-based competitors.
Subaru was also an early adopter of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) for its Lineartronic system. More recently, Subaru developed the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), a modular architecture shared across the lineup that improved rigidity, crash safety, and ride comfort.
Subaru is established as the automobile division of Fuji Heavy Industries, inheriting aerospace engineering traditions.
Subaru introduces the Leone Estate 4WD, the first mass-production all-wheel-drive passenger car.
The Subaru Impreza WRX is launched, bringing World Rally Championship technology to the road.
Subaru wins its first World Rally Championship manufacturers' title with the Impreza 555, repeating in 1996 and 1997.
Subaru introduces EyeSight, its stereo-camera-based driver assistance system.
How the platform works for buyers and dealers