Subaruhas a long history of offering vehicles that are both highly capable andintelligently designed. While the Japanese carmaker first entered theautomotive world in 1954, it wasn't until 1968 that America got a taste ofSubaru's innovative engineering. The first-ever Subaru to be sold in the UnitedStates-the Subaru 360 was openly marketed as "cheap and ugly," but it had thetype of engineering that Subaru is now known for.
TheSubaru Star came a little later in 1970. Thankfully, it was much better lookingthan its predecessor and yet continued what was becoming the Subarutradition-offering practicality, value, and functionality to consumers.
By thelate 70s, Subaru had gained unstoppable momentum. The Japanese automaker wascollecting awards from the American automotive press and seeing extraordinarysales. During this time, America was introduced to a 4WD Subaru Station Wagon,a design and configuration that Subaru continues to offer, even today.
Intothe 80s, Subaru would be acknowledged for both its engineering and designprowess. The Subaru BRAT became quite the sensation, as it was the mostefficient 4WD passenger car on the market. The Subaru XT Coupe followed. Thismodel was recognized for its aerodynamic design.
ProvingSubaru's performance mastery, the Subaru Justy set a record at the BonnevilleSalt Flats. The rally version of the Subaru Impreza won three World RallyChampionships in a row by the 1990s.
Themodel for which Subaru would become most well-known arrived in 1996. The Subaru Outback was a Sports Utility Wagon, the first of its kind in the automotiveindustry. The Subaru Forester was picking up awards in the SUV market.
Thenew millennium has seen Subaru growing stronger than ever. The Subaru Baja wasintroduced in 2001 and quickly became America's favorite off-road vehicle. Bythe automaker's 50th anniversary in 2008, Subaru would be recognized for itsbrilliant Boxer (horizontally-opposed) engine design. A year later, the all-newSubaru Legacy sedan debuted and that same year, every Subaru model was awardedthe Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.
Thesedays, Subaru is still doing what it does best-making safe and practicalvehicles that exhibit exceptional performance features, like the Boxer engineand the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System. Whether it's a daily commute or anoff-road adventure, Americans continue to choose Subaru as their means oftravel.
