Subaru facts for kids
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Logo since 2019
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Headquarters
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Native name
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スバル
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| Division | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Nakajima Aircraft Company |
| Founded | 15 July 1953 |
| Founder | Kenji Kita Chikuhei Nakajima |
| Headquarters |
Ebisu, Shibuya
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Japan
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Atsushi Osaki (President, Representative Director & CEO) Tomomi Nakamura (Chairman & Director) |
| Products | Automobiles |
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Production output
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 912,452 units (Jan–Dec 2023) |
| Parent | Subaru Corporation |
| Divisions | Subaru Tecnica International |
Subaru (スバル, /ˈsuːbəruː/ or /sʊˈbɑːruː/; Japanese pronunciation: [ˈsɯbaɾɯ]) is a Japanese company that makes cars. It's part of a bigger company called Subaru Corporation, which used to be known as Fuji Heavy Industries. In 2017, Subaru was the twenty-first largest car maker in the world!
Subaru cars are special because most of them use a unique engine called a "boxer engine." This engine has cylinders that lie flat, like a boxer's fists punching horizontally. This design helps make the car's center of gravity lower, which can improve handling.
Since 1972, Subaru has also been known for its "Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive" system. This means power goes to all four wheels, helping the car grip the road better, especially in bad weather or on rough paths. By 1996, this system became standard on most of their mid-size and smaller cars. The only exception is the Subaru BRZ, which was made with Toyota and uses rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive.
The name Subaru comes from the Japanese word for the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the "Seven Sisters." You can see six stars in the Subaru logo, which represents the companies that came together to form Fuji Heavy Industries.
Contents
The Story of Subaru Cars
From Airplanes to Automobiles
Subaru's story began in 1915 as an airplane research lab started by Chikuhei Nakajima. This company later became Nakajima Aircraft Company and built many airplanes during World War II.
After the war, the company changed its name to Fuji Sangyo Co, Ltd. In 1946, they started making motor scooters called the Fuji Rabbit, using leftover airplane parts. In 1950, the Japanese government split Fuji Sangyo into 12 smaller companies.
Between 1953 and 1955, five of these smaller companies, along with a new one, decided to join forces again to create Fuji Heavy Industries. These companies included a scooter maker, a bus builder, an engine maker, a chassis builder, and a trading company.
Kenji Kita, who was the head of Fuji Heavy Industries at the time, really wanted the new company to make cars. He started planning a car with the code-name P-1. He asked for name ideas from everyone in the company, but he didn't like any of them. So, he chose a Japanese name he loved: Subaru, which means the Pleiades star cluster.
The first Subaru car was called the Subaru 1500. Only twenty of these cars were made because of problems getting parts. After that, Subaru designed and built many other cars, including the tiny air-cooled Subaru 360 (1958), the Subaru Sambar (1961), and the Subaru 1000 (1965), which was the first car to use Subaru's famous boxer engine.
Working with Other Car Companies
In 1968, Nissan bought a part of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru's parent company). This happened because the Japanese government wanted car companies to work together to become more competitive. During this time, many Subaru cars used parts from Nissan. For example, the Subaru automatic transmission, called the 4EAT, was also used in the first Nissan Pathfinder.
While working with Nissan, Subaru introduced many popular models like the Subaru R-2 (1969), the Subaru Rex and Subaru Leone (1971), the Subaru Brat (1978), Subaru Alcyone (1985), the Subaru Legacy (1989), the Subaru Impreza (1993), and the Subaru Forester (1997).
In 1999, General Motors (GM) bought Nissan's share in Fuji Heavy Industries. During GM's ownership, Subaru released the Subaru Baja (2003) and the Subaru Tribeca (2005). Some cars were even "badge engineered," meaning they were Subaru cars sold under a different brand name, like the Saab 9-2X, which was a Subaru Impreza.
GM sold its shares in Fuji Heavy Industries in 2005. Then, Toyota bought some of GM's shares, becoming a part-owner of Fuji Heavy Industries. Since then, Toyota and Subaru have worked together on several projects. One example is the Subaru BRZ, which was developed jointly by both companies and first sold in 2012. Toyota also sold this car as the Scion FR-S and later the Toyota 86.
Around this time, Subaru also decided to stop making its own small "Kei cars" (a special class of small cars in Japan). Instead, they started selling rebadged versions of cars made by Toyota's Daihatsu company. This allowed Subaru, which is a smaller car maker, to focus on making their main family cars with boxer engines.
How Subaru Advertises Its Cars
Subaru has used many different slogans over the years to advertise its cars. Some of them include: "The World's Favourite Four Wheel Drive" (in the UK), "We built our reputation by building a better car," and "Confidence in Motion." Today, in North America, their slogan is "Love. It's what makes Subaru, Subaru."
In the 1990s, Subaru found that its all-wheel-drive cars were popular with certain groups of buyers. The company then started to include subtle marketing messages for these groups.
Subaru cars are known for holding their value well. In 2009, Subaru vehicles ranked second for having the highest predicted resale values among all car brands. Also, a study in 2008 showed that Subaru had a high customer retention rate, meaning many people who bought a Subaru bought another one later.
Subaru even worked with an animation studio called Gainax to create a mini-series called Wish Upon the Pleiades in 2011. It was a magical girl story where Subaru was a main character!
Subaru's Current Operations
Subaru's main offices are in Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan.
Where Subaru Cars Are Made
Subaru is different from many other Japanese car companies because, as of 2016, it still made almost 75% of its cars sold worldwide in Japan. Subaru has several car-making factories in Ōta, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. These include:
- Subaru-chō, where the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 are built.
- Yajima Plant, where most current Subaru cars are made.
- Otakita Plant, which makes commercial trucks.
- Oizumi Plant in Oizumi, where engines and transmissions are built.
Subaru also has a big factory outside Japan, located in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. This factory is called Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. Because more and more people in North America are buying Subarus, this factory is expanding to make even more cars.
Subaru Around the World
In some Asian countries, a company called Motor Image Group supplies Subaru cars and parts. Subaru started selling cars in the Philippines in 1996, left for a while, and then came back in 2006. They now have many dealerships there, and their Subaru Forester and Subaru XV SUVs are very popular.
Subaru also opened a production plant in Lat Krabang, Bangkok, Thailand, in 2019. This factory is a joint project with Tan Chong International and will supply Subaru vehicles to markets in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the United Kingdom, the company International Motors has been bringing Subaru cars to the UK since 1974.
Subaru has been selling cars in Australia since the mid-1950s, with official operations starting in 1973.
Subaru in the United States
Subaru of America (SOA) was started in 1968 in Pennsylvania by Malcolm Bricklin and Harvey Lamm. In 1990, Fuji Heavy Industries (now Subaru Corporation) took full ownership. SOA has offices and parts centers all over the United States.
In 1989, Subaru and its partner at the time, Isuzu, opened a factory together in Lafayette, Indiana, called Subaru-Isuzu Automotive (SIA). This factory first made the Subaru Legacy and Isuzu Rodeo. In 2001, Isuzu sold its share to Fuji Heavy Industries, and the factory was renamed Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.. This factory is special because it's the first car assembly plant in the U.S. to achieve "zero-landfill" status, meaning nothing from its manufacturing process goes into a landfill! It's also a certified wildlife habitat.
Subaru in Racing
| Formula One World Championship career | |
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| First entry | 1990 United States Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1990 British Grand Prix |
| Races entered | 8 |
| Chassis | Coloni |
Subaru has a strong history in motorsports, especially in rallying. The Subaru Rally Team Japan, led by Noriyuki Koseki (who also founded Subaru Tecnica International, or STI), raced Subaru cars in the World Rally Championship from 1980 to 1989.
Later, modified versions of the Impreza WRX and WRX STi became very successful in rallying. Drivers like Colin McRae (1995), Richard Burns (2001), and Petter Solberg (2003) won World Rally Championship driver titles with the Subaru World Rally Team. Subaru also won the manufacturers' title three years in a row from 1995 to 1997. These rally cars were prepared by Prodrive, a famous British motorsport team.
Subaru also briefly joined Formula One racing in 1990, but it wasn't very successful.
In the U.S., Subaru Rally Team USA has won the driver's title in Rally America six times. Since 2005, Subaru has also competed in road racing with the Subaru Road Racing Team.
On December 16, 2008, Subaru announced that it would no longer compete in the World Rally Championships. This decision was made by Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, partly because of the economic situation. However, they said that a return to WRC in the future is not impossible.
Subaru cars have also set records in other races. In 2011 and 2016, Mark Higgins used a Subaru Impreza to set lap records at the challenging Isle of Man TT course.
Cool Technology in Subaru Cars
EyeSight System
In 2008, Subaru introduced its EyeSight collision avoidance system. This is a type of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that helps drivers stay safe. Unlike most similar systems that use radar, EyeSight uses two special cameras mounted at the top of the windshield. These cameras work like your eyes, seeing the road ahead and judging distances.
EyeSight helps with features like:
- Pre-collision braking: If the system detects a possible crash, it can warn the driver and even apply the brakes automatically to help avoid or reduce the impact.
- Adaptive cruise control: This allows the car to automatically adjust its speed to keep a safe distance from the car in front of it.
- Lane departure systems: These systems can warn you if you start to drift out of your lane and can even gently steer the car back into the lane.
Studies have shown that early versions of EyeSight reduced rear-end crashes with injuries by 85% and pedestrian-related injuries by 35%. By 2022, Subaru had sold 5 million cars with this system, and it's now standard on most new Subaru models with automatic transmissions in the U.S.
Engine and Fuel Technology
In 2007, Subaru introduced a special turbodiesel engine that was also a "boxer engine." This was the first time this type of diesel engine was put into a passenger car. It was designed to be powerful and efficient. Subaru offered cars with this diesel engine in Europe starting in 2008.
Electric Vehicles
Subaru has also been working on electric cars.
- In 2006, they launched the Subaru Stella Plug-in electric vehicle in Japan, which was a small electric car.
- Between 2003 and 2009, Subaru tested two other electric vehicles in Japan, the Subaru R1e and Subaru G4e.
- The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept was a car that combined a gasoline engine with two electric motors and a special battery.
- In 2018, Subaru joined other car companies like Toyota and Mazda to work together on developing electric vehicle technology.
- In the U.S., Subaru offered a Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid starting in 2019, which could travel a short distance on electricity alone.
Subaru's first all-electric car, called the Subaru Solterra, was revealed in 2021 and started selling worldwide in mid-2022. It was developed with Toyota.
Car Electronics
Since 2005, Subaru cars in the U.S. and Canada have used a special electronic system called CAN bus. This system allows different parts of the car, like the engine, brakes, and dashboard, to "talk" to each other very quickly.
Subaru also works with companies like Clarion and Harman Kardon for the audio, video, and navigation systems in their cars. Some Subaru cars even have a "Smart Access" system that lets you use apps from your smartphone on the car's screen.
Subaru Global Platform
In 2017, Subaru introduced a new car design plan called the Subaru Global Platform. This new design uses strong steel to make the car bodies stiffer. This helps make cars safer by absorbing more impact in a crash, and it also makes the ride more comfortable. This new platform is designed to be flexible, so Subaru can use it for many different types of cars, including gasoline, hybrid, and fully electric models.
Subaru's Environmental Efforts
Subaru is committed to protecting the environment. They have policies for recycling, reducing harmful emissions, and teaching their employees about environmental care.
The Subaru factory in Lafayette, Indiana (SIA), was the first car assembly plant to achieve "zero-landfill" status. This means that nothing from their manufacturing process goes into a landfill – everything is recycled or reused! Subaru has also developed a plan for recycling their cars at the end of their life, using materials that can be easily recycled. This helps them achieve a very high recycling rate for their old vehicles.
In 2006, the SIA plant received an award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce waste and improve recycling. It was also the first U.S. car plant to be named a wildlife habitat, showing its commitment to nature.
Subaru also offers special cars called Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (PZEV). These cars produce very few harmful emissions, helping to keep the air cleaner.
Subaru Vehicles
Cars Made with Other Companies
Over the years, Subaru has partnered with different car makers. Here are some models sold in Asia and Europe that were made with other companies:
- Subaru Bighorn (1988–1993, a rebadged Isuzu Trooper)
- Subaru Justy (1994–2010, 2016–present: rebadged Suzuki Cultus, Suzuki Ignis, Daihatsu Boon, and Daihatsu Thor. The name was first used from 1984 to 1994.)
- Subaru Traviq (1999–2005, a rebadged Opel Zafira)
- Subaru Dex (2006–2012, a rebadged Toyota bB)
- Subaru Dias Wagon (2009–present, a rebadged Daihatsu Atrai)
- Subaru Lucra (2010–2015, a rebadged Daihatsu Tanto)
- Subaru Trezia (2010–2016, a rebadged Toyota Ractis)
- Subaru Pleo (2010–2018 as a rebadged Daihatsu Mira, nameplate in use since 1998)
- Subaru Stella (2010–2023, a rebadged Daihatsu Move)
- Subaru Pleo Plus (2012–present, a rebadged Daihatsu Mira e:S)
- Subaru Sambar (2012–present as a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet, nameplate in use since 1961)
- Subaru Chiffon (2016–present, a rebadged Daihatsu Tanto)
- Subaru Rex (2022–present, a rebadged Daihatsu Rocky)
Images for kids
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The Subaru BRZ was developed together by Toyota and Subaru.
See also
In Spanish: Subaru para niños
- Prodrive Motorsport team that worked with Subaru for their World Rally Team
- Subaru Technica International (also known as STI)
- List of Subaru engines
- List of Subaru transmissions
- Symmetrical All Wheel Drive
