70 years of Subaru: From kei-car pioneer to all-wheel-drive champion

For seven decades, the Subaru brand has successfully held its own in the automotive industry. Active in Germany for over 40 years, it has its origins in an aircraft manufacturing company and is now the world's largest manufacturer of all-wheel drive passenger cars. But Subaru aims to be more than just all-wheel drive and off-road - the brand combines sportiness, boxer engines, rallying, safety and quality. But electrification has been bumpy, and the first steps in this direction came only through a collaboration with Toyota.

Subaru history began in 1958 with the Subaru 360, one of the first kei cars to achieve cult status. Subaru later brought all-wheel drive to the world of high-volume passenger cars, establishing symmetrical all-wheel drive for safe and controlled driving. The Legacy remains the best-selling all-wheel-drive passenger car in the world today, and the Impreza enjoyed great success in the World Rally Championship. Subaru also contributed to the development of SUVs and crossover models, including the Subaru Outback and Forester.

Although Subaru has long been hesitant about electrification, the brand is now planning ambitious steps toward hybrid and electric mobility. Eight all-electric models are to be launched by 2028, and hybrid and electric vehicles are to account for 40 percent of sales by 2030.

Subaru's success in Germany is based not only on technology, however, but also on customer satisfaction and quality. Subaru dealers are among the most satisfied in the industry, as reflected in excellent rankings in defect statistics. (aum)