Subaru is one of the world’s most well-known car brands and is famous for its legendary exploits in the gruelling race series that is the World Rally Championships. Over the years, the learnings and technical knowhow derived from its motorsports division became a brand ethos, thus forming the very core of what all existing Subaru models rest upon.
So, what makes a Subaru, you ask? Well, a great deal of things really, but we’ll focus on the three core technologies that define modern and future Subarus to come.
Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive is typically a luxury for many mass volume cars and is a more common feature among premium vehicles. But with Subaru, every single car, with the exception of the BRZ, is fitted with a symmetrical AWD system. Subaru is the only carmaker in the world to adopt this system, which allows for a peerless balance of power to be sent to all four wheels.
Symmetrical AWD equals better traction, balance and control. It provides very precise steering response in corners and gives surefooted stability, especially when traveling at high speeds and in bad weather. Subaru’s all-wheel drive system is permanent, which means it’s unlike other typical 4WD systems that run in 2WD (for efficiency reasons) until wheel slip is detected.
More importantly, the AWD system continuously monitors all wheels and adapts to provide maximum traction and control at every turn. With the left and right sides of the drivetrain completely balanced, plus an even 50:50 split of power routing to the front and rear wheels, you get double the traction at all times. Fun fact: Subaru outsold Audi in global all-wheel-drive car sales during the April 2015 to April 2016 financial year.
Subaru Global Platform
Working hand in hand with the symmetrical AWD system is Subaru’s brand new modular platform. Dubbed the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), it enhances all things related to driving experience. For example, overall vibration has been significantly reduced, resulting in a quieter and more comfortable cabin.
It’s much safer as well, with the XV and Impreza both scoring a full five-star ANCAP crash safety rating. This can only be achieved through a more rigid framework – SGP improves crash absorption by a whopping 40% and provides 50% less body roll than before.
A rigid framework is fundamentally the reason for great handling cars, and that’s precisely what SGP offers on top of all the comfort and safety benefits. What’s more, the upgraded architecture also offers a more stable ride regardless if you’re driving on tarmac, or off the beaten path. In short, the SGP takes comfort, safety and performance to the next level, and every Subaru car from now on will be built on it.
Horizontally-opposed (Boxer) engine
Just like its AWD system, each and every Subaru model comes with a Boxer engine, and the automaker makes no exception when it comes down to this. As a matter of fact, the engine has been the core of every Subaru vehicle for the past 45 years, something not even Porsche can match. Suffice to say, this particular technology has come to define Subaru for nearly half a century.
Unlike a typical inline or V engine, the boxer engine is equipped with horizontal thrusting pistons, which means the engine can be very easily connected to the transmission. The flat design also allows for a lower centre of gravity, thereby improving responsiveness and control. Better yet, in the event of a front-end collision, the flatter engine is designed to move under the passenger compartment, making it much safer than a taller engine setup.
Another benefit of the Boxer engine is that it vibrates less, helping the car run more efficiently and smoothly. That will, in turn, help lengthen the lifespan of the vehicle as well. According to Subaru, 96% of its cars built within the last 12 years can still be found on the road to this day.
So there you have it, the three core technologies that define the modern day Subaru. So, tell us, which is your favourite Subaru model?
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Anything on the lame transmission?? Dump the CVT Subaru.
The new XV infotainment screen totally not legible during daytime.
The less fuel efficient part turn me off totally. I will choose to drive slower in the absent of AWD
love the xv
Subi shud consider CKD Imp here for regional markets. Sure outsell Altis & maybe near Civic.
Subi shud bring back the nippy Swift too.
Boxer engine maybe good… but looking forward to introduce turbo engine for XV….
You mean like the turbo boxer engine in the Forester XT? Maybe, if Subie decide to have a XV STi…
But please don’t dream Boxer Turbo with current XV price ya
I like Subaru xv with eyesight but malaysia refuse to bring in.
The eyesight is awesome. I test drove in singapore and it will help a lot in traffic jams
Noted on the advantage of a boxer engine. What would be its disadvantage then?
higher cost to produce flat engine compare to inline
A bit more difficult to service.. e.g when replacing spark plugs.. any engine head job.. etc. Removing and replacing exhaust manifold is also trickier compared to normal inline-4. Piston rings and cylinder walls will also have higher likelihood to wear down on only one side..
To prevent the uneven wear down of the cylinder walls…I rotate my engine upside-down at every oil change.
I have a 2015 Subaru XV. Nice car.
Bro just curious, does your car have the annoying wind noise near the front at highway speeds?
The noise is more from the tyre roar and CVT. I guess the only cure is better sound insulation.
Excellent cars brought down by a very dated interior designs. The Infotainment are also outclassed by the competition.
Any interestingly, since Subaru’s AWD is permanent, anyone has any insight into its fuel consumptions and service reliability compared to the bread and butter Toyotas / Hondas / Kia
To ensure reliability on 4WD and AWD system, the differential and transfer case oils need to be changed on time. These oils are not cheap, but changing them will give you peace of mind.
Fuel economy can’t quite match FWD cars, due to extra weight and inherent transmission loss, but you do get the extra traction and surefootedness when the situation get tricky with AWD.
My Forrester is getting 9.8l per 100k.
Not too bad considering the Forester is a larger and heavier than the XV.
The Forester is a good family car. Spacious and smooth boxer engine with all wheel drive albeit a small lag from the CVT. Better priced than other brands with similar specs.
carbon deposit will continue to be issue for new direct injection FB and FA engines . audi already designed 2 injectors in one engine, low speed will use traditional method which helps clean up carbon in valves and intake manifold, while high speed acceleration will switch to “direct injection” mode to squeeze the most power, pretty clever design subaru should learn.
Their car drivetrain and engine are good…it’s just the design doesn’t appeal at all, look so ugly and cheap, so I have to move on to Korean made.
I like Subaru for its revolutionary technology that is undeniably reliable and one-of-a-kind. I prefer Subaru in terms of its engine + its state-of-the-art AWD technology. You will never have Subaru without this package integrated and it has been their trademark for years. I never think other AWD has the same capability like what Subaru has always have. My favourite Subaru? It is XV of course! But Levorg is a good one too!
The Levorg will never make good sales unless it is CKD.
Almost 200k for a CBU 1.6L turbo is not going to attract many buyers.