Subaru

Subaru
	Logo since 2019
	Headquarters
Native name	スバル
Company type	Division
Industry	Automotive
Predecessor	Nakajima Aircraft Company
Founded	15 July 1953; 71 years ago
Founder	Kenji Kita ; Chikuhei Nakajima
Headquarters	Ebisu, Shibuya, Japan
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Atsushi Osaki (president, Representative Director & CEO); Tomomi Nakamura (chairman & director)
Products	Automobiles
Production output	912,452 units (Jan–Dec 2023)
Number of employees	16,961 (2022)
Parent	Subaru Corporation
Divisions	Subaru Tecnica International
Website	subaru.co.jp

Subaru is a car company that is part of a larger Japanese company called Fuji Heavy Industries, who also makes other things like buses and airplanes. Subaru builds cars in Japan and also builds cars in the state of Indiana.

Their cars are known for having all-wheel drive, which means that the engine drives all four wheels, instead of just the wheels in the front or in the back. They also have boxer engines, which means that the pistons and the cylinders in the engine fire left to right instead of up and down or at an angle.

The name Subaru is a Japanese word for a star cluster in the sky named Pleiades, and the company logo has the stars in its picture in the same place as they are in the sky.

History

1954 Subaru P-1, the first Subaru car

Fuji Heavy Industries in 1954 built a car called the Subaru P-1. It was named by the person who was CEO, Kenji Kita. From 1954 to 1997 the company designed and built other vehicles including the tiny 360 (1958), the Sambar (1961), the 1000 (1965), the R2 (1969), the Leone (1971), the Domingo (1983), the Alcyone (1985), the Legacy (1989), the Impreza (1993), the Sambar EV electric van (1995), and the Forester (1997).

Current models

Body style	Model			Current generation			Vehicle description
Body style	Image	Name(s)	Introduction (cal. year)	Introduction (cal. year)	Facelift	Main markets	Vehicle description
Sports car		BRZ	2012	2021	-	Global	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive two-door 2+2 sports car. Also sold by Toyota as the GR86.
Hatchback		Impreza	1992	2022	-	Global	Compact hatchback.
Sedan		Legacy	1989	2020	2022	North America	Mid-size sedan, compact until 1994. Phased out in most markets, continued production in North America.
Sedan		WRX	2015	2021	-	Global	Compact sedan.
Station wagon		Levorg/ WRX Wagon	2014	2020	–	Asia	Mid-size station wagon based on the Impreza and WRX. Also known as the WRX Sportswagon in Australia and WRX GT in New Zealand since 2021.
		Levorg Layback	2023	2023	–	Japan	Compact crossover-styled station wagon based on Levorg.
		Outback	1994	2020	2022	Global	Mid-size crossover-styled station wagon based on the Legacy.
SUV/ crossover		Ascent/ Evoltis	2019	2019	2022	North America	Three-row mid-size crossover SUV, Subaru's largest SUV and the successor of the Tribeca.
		Crosstrek	2012	2023	–	Global	Subcompact crossover SUV based on the Impreza. Formerly called XV in most international markets between 2012 and 2022.
		Forester	1997	2024	–	Global	Compact crossover SUV.
		Rex	1972 (nameplate) 2022 (as a crossover)	2022	–	Japan	Subcompact crossover SUV sold exclusively in Japan. Rebadged A200 series Daihatsu Rocky.
		Solterra	2022	2022	–	Global	Battery electric compact crossover SUV. Jointly developed with Toyota. Also called Toyota bZ4X.
MPV/ minivan		Justy	1984	2016	2020	Japan	Subcompact minivan with sliding doors only sold in Japan. Rebadged Daihatsu Thor.
Kei vehicles		Chiffon	2013	2019	2022	Japan	Tall-height wagon kei car with rear sliding doors. Rebadged Daihatsu Tanto.
		Pleo Plus	2011	2017	–	Japan	Low-roof hatchback kei car with hinged rear doors. Rebadged Daihatsu Mira e:S.
		Sambar Truck	1961	2014	2022	Japan	Cabover kei truck. Rebadged Daihatsu Hijet Truck since 2012.
		Sambar Van	1961	2022	–	Japan	Cabover cargo microvan with rear sliding doors. Rebadged Daihatsu Hijet Cargo since 2012.
		Sambar Dias	1999	2022	–	Japan	Cabover passenger microvan with rear sliding doors. Rebadged Daihatsu Atrai passenger van. Formerly known as the Dias Wagon until 2022.