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Hmm: good quality, bad quality in Subarus. So what do the facts say?
Go with JD Powers, Consumer Reports, KBB, Edmunds others who have a *large sample size* and at least somewhat-objective quality metrics before definitively answering that, in my experience. Anything else is hearsay/opinion and mere hot-air. KBB lists several Subarus and Toyotas among highest resale value in 2011 and 2012 studies, for example. What is the correlation between resale value and long-term quality, should be the next question.
My trucks are Toyota Tacomas because over the long run (5+ years ownership), they have Top-10 reliability and resale value (ref: Edmunds, KBB, Consumer Reports). Generally low cost to own. Lexus are very top, last I checked. I am impatient about wrenching on my daily driver (Tacoma). I'm not selling, or boasting about, anything: merely stating one of my purchase criteria. Probably (some of) the same things those considering Subaru think about.
Factually, they sell "a lot" of Subarus in my home area, the PacNW. In fact, 2013 is the fifth growth year for Subaru sales in the U.S. PacNW climate in-particular is conducive to those who need a safe city car with often-slick streets (due to rain), plus want to ski in the nearby Cascades in-season. Pertinent questions being, how many are repeat customers (1) and what is per-mile cost to maintain compared to similar vehicles (2).
Figure that out, you'll be well on the way to an objective answer about "Subaru quality." I don't know the answer, and don't care, but anecdotally (there's that dangerous word again) my friends and co-workers have loved theirs.
Related topic, circling all the way back to OP in 2008, my German cars have mostly been about how they make me "feel", not as rational decisions vs. other competent U.S. and JPN cars. None (were, are) reliable as my Toyotas, at three of each (and counting) so far since 1988. That-said, I've only owned BMW and Porsche from GER.
Thus, a few years ago I bought a 911 P-car for two reasons, one somewhat-logical and the other not. Both needed to be fully-satisfied prior to purchase.
1. It was one of the best values in a high-performance sports car, with all wheel drive. Not, however, "the" best value, see Criteria no. 2, below. Other contenders: Subaru STI, Nissan GT-R, Audi S5 and RS5. AWD is not a bad thing to have in the PacNW, though one can get by without as-well. (Clearly there are many AWD sporty cars, but not a ton that are high-performance/supercar league.)
2. Buying into an image, and community, with like-minded professionals. Aka, becoming a member of the Sports Car Dorks(tm). That's a fancy and honest way of saying, "My buddies and I get together weekly or bi-monthly during the summer and chat about tire pressures, the best oil, and lap times." Nothing more, nothing less, and that was something I needed: a hobby.
Americans seem to equate German cars with prestige?
But why? Mercedes has a terrible reliablity record by any standard, BMW still not on par with Honda or Toyota when it comes to reliablity. Audi still lags and VW pure garbage.
When I was in Europe I saw so many Mercedes used as taxis. LOL!
It's because of heritage. Mercedes may not be as reliable as others but it's nameplate is legendary in the automotive world. They've set standards in luxury and safety early on in the game and earned that reputation. I've traveled in a lot of different countries and everywhere the world over Mercedes commands respect because that is what they have become synonymous with.
The Japanese have done a great job catching up with Acura, Lexus and Infiniti... but I still think the Germans have the edge when it comes to creating passionate automobiles! Just my $0.02.
Mercedes also has something no other car company can ever top, Karl Benz invented the petroleum powered automobile. Everyone else has been copying them since day one.
As they say you keep the best to yourself, German cars built better in Germany for Germany. All we get here are so called German cars but assembled in North America such as Canada, Mexico, and US.
Different build quality ask any VW owner and they hate their Mexico Golf but loves Wolfsburg VW.
My GLI was hecho en Mexico. But note that Mexico is "final assembly" because the powertrain (motor, transmission) was built in Germany and then shipped to Mexico. So far 26,000 miles and no issues whatsoever except a few tire bubbles from my own stupidity on a pothole road.
As for Subaru's, I looked into them several times during my purchasing over the years. Before this was a 2005 Matrix XR AWD and I was comparing to a Subaru 2.5i Impreza wagon. Skipped the Subaru because they were imo overpriced. I didn't see the relevancy in paying 3-4k more for something that did the same thing the Matrix could essentially. Fast forward to two years ago when I was cross shopping the new GLI with the WRX and I was underwhelmed at the WRX interior. The price was negligible but for comfort, features, and overall scoring the GLI won out. I'm sure the WRX is much more raw in terms of power but coming from the Matrix I wanted to move up in interior quality. I also was getting a 6 speed instead of a dated 5 speed manual in the WRX and dual zone climate control which was a biggy on my checklist. Subaru also was not giving any deals or wanting to negotiate on the car and insurance rates were significantly higher. GLI wins.
As they say you keep the best to yourself, German cars built better in Germany for Germany. All we get here are so called German cars but assembled in North America such as Canada, Mexico, and US.
Different build quality ask any VW owner and they hate their Mexico Golf but loves Wolfsburg VW.
Uhm, I work for BMW and right next to us is the Vehicle Distribution Center. Lots of BMW models get shipped there and then distributed. SHIPPED FROM GERMANY. If you ordered one, you can check online where the freighter is at the moment. They ship them here to Oxnard.
We are testing prototypes in Alaska and Death VAlley to bring them up to US extreme weather standards.
Subaru’s are some of the most highly overrated unreliable pieces of nirvana in the market today.
Every other Subaru ad, even the mundane models: New Engine, New head gaskets, New transmission, New valve cover seals, and the list goes on and on.
I will give Suabru credit for one thing, they do pull granola crunchy women like mad much like the old Volvo 240.
Subaru is great as I made sure to buy one that was checked at my mechanic shop. I'm up to 120K and next to no issues at all. Love the retro Foresters as they have some of the best handling and cornering around for its class and one of the BEST vehicles for driving in the snow ever made.
As they say you keep the best to yourself, German cars built better in Germany for Germany. All we get here are so called German cars but assembled in North America such as Canada, Mexico, and US.
Different build quality ask any VW owner and they hate their Mexico Golf but loves Wolfsburg VW.
Japanese and German auto manufacturers often build here in the US because it is cheaper than to import it from the home countries. It is also because of the cheap(er) labor
Sad to say, but the US is becoming the "Mexico" of the industrialized world when it comes to manufacturing
Japanese and German auto manufacturers often build here in the US because it is cheaper than to import it from the home countries. It is also because of the cheap(er) labor
Sad to say, but the US is becoming the "Mexico" of the industrialized world when it comes to manufacturing
Seems people can't decide it they want to have manufacturing jobs here or not.
We are testing prototypes in Alaska and Death VAlley to bring them up to US extreme weather standards.
This is somewhat off-topic, but I've noticed that German (and to some extent Japanese) cars are less able to cope with the extremes of American climate. My state (Ohio, as the name implies) regularly sees 100+ F in summer, and below 0F in winter. Presumably neither such lows nor such highs are common in Germany. Climate-control systems, especially air conditioning, tend to be weaker in BMWs that I've owned and driven (mostly 1990s through early 2000s), than in comparable US domestic offerings. This isn't to impugn their quality, but it is evidence that American cars are designed to be more robust in extreme climate conditions.
Thoughts?
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