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In-car connectivity is a must these days Like most drivers, one of the first things you do after purchasing a vehicle (or renting one) is sync your phone so you can use CarPlay or Android Auto. In-car navigation and messaging are essential, and automakers' services are not very good, at least compared to what Apple and Google are already doing. Why big auto hasn’t taken notes from CarPlay and Android Auto, we’ll never know. A new study shows that the ability to use CarPlay or Android Auto in our

For the second year in a row, Subaru came in as the top-ranked marque in the annual Consumer Reports Auto Brand Report Card, the non-profit publication has announced. The Japanese automaker outranked not only Toyota and Honda – competitors normally known for their quality and reliability – but high-line luxury brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and second-ranked BMW. Kristen Brown

Subaru fans have spent years waiting for the legendary STI badge to make a proper comeback. While concepts like the STI S210 Prototype and wannabe trims such as the WRX STI Sport♯ have appeared in recent years, the current VB-generation WRX still hasn’t received a true STI variant. Adding to the growing list of “almost” performance specials is a new limited edition from Australia called the Subaru WRX Club Spec Evo. A Cult WRX Nameplate Returns

After lagging behind in the race to electrify its lineup, Subaru is finally catching up with a more diversified lineup. The new Forester Hybrid began rolling off the production line earlier this month, but Subaru is also expanding its EV range at a rapid rate. The Solterra was the first to arrive, and the new Trailseeker and Uncharted EVs are both arriving this spring. But a fourth Subaru EV is also coming, and it will be the automaker’s largest one yet. Related: Subaru’s Fastest Car Ever Isn’t

The Art Of Teasing Lately, Subaru has been the biggest automotive tease in the industry. Enthusiasts and brand loyalists have, from time to time, hoped for the return of truly iconic nameplates like the STi and other performance-focused models the brand is known for. Instead, what began as teasers and cryptic posts on official brand social media pages has become just another special edition of an already existing car. One of their latest teasers has just become a reality, although not a road car

Subaru is off to a slower start in 2026 than expected – a much slower start. And much of the blame is on one familiar nameplate. The Subaru Outback has undergone a major identity crisis, moving away from its long-standing wagon roots toward a more conventional SUV shape for its seventh generation. A recent Subaru sales report suggests buyers are not entirely on board. Too Much Change Isn't A Good Thing Subaru

If your favorite carmaker doesn’t make the model you actually want, what do you do? For one Subaru fan from northern Virginia, the answer was to take matters into his own hands. Stephen Ketelsen’s ideal ride is a modern WRX hatchback, but Subaru only makes a WRX sedan. This led to Ketelsen creating his own WRX hatchback, which combines the WRX powertrain with the body of a Crosstrek Ketelsen purchased back in 2020. After a lot of elbow grease and assistance from a Subaru specialty shop, the fina

Subaru Has Been Here Before This isn’t Subaru’s first legal headache over EyeSight. In 2021, the company settled a lawsuit after owners complained about their cars braking for no reason. Most people walked away with little more than a warranty extension or a reimbursement offer. Now, Subaru is back in court over what looks like the same old problems. The latest class-action lawsuit says newer models with EyeSight still have glitchy emergency braking and lane-keeping tech that just doesn’t work r

Subaru and Japan Car of the Year Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) has been around since 1980. The first winner was the Mazda Familia, which more seasoned individuals might know better as the Mazda GLC. Since then, Toyota and Honda have taken loads of wins with 15 and 14, respectively. From time to time, though, Subaru sneaks in to surprise the judges. Throughout JCOTY's history, Subaru has won it three times. They first got it in 2003 with the fourth-generation Legacy, which makes us even sadder to

The sixth-generation Subaru Forester has just been tweaked for Japan, but don't worry, at least some of the changes are expected to reach the U.S.-spec model. The compact crossover's biggest update is that a more affordable Touring trim has been added to the JDM Forester, but it's not like the Touring sold here in America, though that's nothing new. While our Touring is more premium, Japan's is more basic, and it removes certain features to make a more attractive price possible, but given the pr

The Forester Now Leans Hard on Value Last year, Subaru finally added a hybrid Forester, using Toyota’s proven hybrid system with Subaru’s own all-wheel drive. It was a big move for a brand that’s been slow to go electric, but the result kept the Forester in the running against other compact SUVs. Now, Subaru appears ready to double down. Following recently announced massive price cuts for the WRX, the automaker has turned its attention to one of its core nameplates. For 2026, the Forester lineup

Subaru Pickups: A (Very) Abridged History Subaru doesn't have a very long history when it comes to building pickups. They've only ever made two, but it's safe to say that they've been memorable at least in enthusiast circles. We are, of course, talking about the Brat and the Baja. The Brat, also known as the Brumby, was based on the Leone and made from 1978 to 1994, spanning two generations. It was discontinued in America in 1987, but continued elsewhere for seven more years. As for the Baja,

An Enthusiast's Brand Subaru is known for its dependability, ruggedness, and capability. All of these were honed over the years as the brand competed in the Rallying scene, where it was even dominant. That relationship with racing showed that it's an enthusiasts' brand through and through. Times have, of course, changed, but Subaru has been one of the few automakers that has tried to stick to its core beliefs as much as possible. A recent survey circulating among US owners is generating signific

Upgrade Service Takes Center Stage When Subaru presented its lineup at the Tokyo Auto Salon, enthusiast reaction was mixed. Many expected a major STI announcement. Instead, the more consequential reveal was the expansion of the Subaru Upgrade Service. The program now includes factory-backed hardware retrofits for existing owners, including models from 2015 and earlier. Just last week, Subaru opened pre-orders for three hardware packages first previewed at the show. These follow earlier software

America has the Wilderness, Japan has... If there's something to be said about Subaru styling, it's either conservative or downright polarizing. On the one hand, you have models like the Crosstrek and Forester, and then you have the new Outback, which has drawn some, er, interesting comments. Either way, the company makes an effort to jazz up the look by introducing special trims. In most parts of the world, including North America, there's a Wilderness Edition that beefs up the styling and adds

Core Strengths Say what you want about Subaru, but the brand still enjoys a respectable reputation globally. It remains a force in the automotive space largely because it stays true to its core competencies and strengths. Instead of making hard pivots to keep up with the times, this brand chooses to be pragmatic and still offer rugged, dependable, and dynamic driving cars in our world of sustainability. It has to be commended that Subaru can still be one of the very few brands left that have car

Subaru Wants EyeSight to Get Smarter Driver-assist tech has always been at the core of Subaru’s safety story. EyeSight was one of the first advanced driver-assistance systems to hit the mainstream, and it’s been steadily upgraded over the years with better cameras, wider detection, and more features. Now Subaru is teaming up with Infineon Technologies to take EyeSight a step further. Together, they’re developing a new microcontroller that will sit at the heart of an integrated control unit, hand

The Legacy of the Legacy The Subaru Legacy may be no more, but the impact it left on the company is immense. Aimed at the likes of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, it was a quantum leap over previous models, and it was a gamble that paid off. The platform of the first generation would form the foundations of Subaru's modern era, forming the lineup we know today. Oh, and Bruce Willis was involved in its marketing. Unveiled in 1989, the first-generation model showed the world that Subaru was a b

The Outback Has A Bounceback Chase Bierenkoven Subaru published its April 2026 sales figures, and the midsize Outback had its best month of the year (so far) with 10,552 units sold. That number represents a slight decrease of 8.3% from last April when it moved 11,501 units, though 2025 was a fairly impressive year for the Outback given it was in the final model year of its sixth-g

Obsolete Time has shown us that automakers are willing to experiment with in-car features. Some of these features that have been adopted are now common across all cars, while others are victims of the constant evolution of technology. Back in the day (meaning the previous decade), Subaru introduced a 3G connectivity system for its cars, which enabled owners to use certain features. Since 3G network connectivity has long been discontinued, these owners are stuck with unusable technology, which re

It sounds like something out of science fiction, but the idea of a turbine jet engine in a mainstream production car is not new. In fact, the Wikipedia page for cars powered by aircraft engines has well over a dozen entries, and Subaru may someday soon be its latest entry. According to a publication filed with the World Intellectual Property Office, Subaru has patented an electric power system and startup control method for a turbine engine that could be used in an everyday car. What's more, thi

Letting Subaru Explain Depending on how well you keep up with automotive news, you may already be aware that sales for the 2026 Subaru Outback are down through the first four months of 2026. Several outlets and readers alike have come to the conclusion (without evidence) that the Outback's bold redesign is to blame for the sales dip, but what if there are other factors to consider? Chase Bierenkoven

STI in the Shadows Looking at Subaru’s current portfolio, it’s understandable why some believe the brand’s performance division, STI, is effectively dead. At the moment, Subaru appears more focused on electrification – having unveiled two new EVs, the Uncharted and Trailseeker – rather than pushing back against tightening emissions regulations with the kind of turbocharged, enthusiast-focused STI models that once defined the brand’s performance image. However, a report from Australia’s CarSales

The majority of models in Subaru’s U.S. lineup have been implicated in a new class action lawsuit for a persistent battery drain problem. Despite many owners replacing their batteries, the lawsuit claims the issue will simply return due to a larger defect within the electric systems of the vehicle, resulting in parasitic drain. Plaintiffs claim that they’ve had to spend extra cash on diagnostic costs, roadside assistance, and complete battery replacements, besides the inconvenience of being left

Ever since the automotive industry shifted focus to more fuel-efficient and earth-friendlier cars, demand for performance cars has slowed. Not as many people are willing to spend as much on speed-focused ICE models, which has led some brands to slim down their performance lineups. Subaru is one of those brands that made the painful (and somewhat unpopular) decision not to develop or launch an all-new WRX STI. However, indications seem to suggest the brand is not giving up just yet, but is taking