Don’t Worry, Subie Newbie – We’ll Help You Pick Your Next Subaru Adventuremobile

A relatively small and independent Japanese manufacturer, Subaru has become well-known for its cost-effectiveness, crazy high resale value, safety ratings, and inspiring love among drivers for including all-wheel drive standard on all its vehicles (except the BRZ sports car). This made its sedans and SUVs very capable on snowy, muddy roads when average cars were simply not capable.

The one thing about Subaru owners is you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that isn’t borderline (or completely) obsessed with it. As a Subaru owner myself, I can confidently say it’ll be difficult to convince me to buy anything else after my Forester finally kicks the bucket.

Ready to join the Subie cult? Let’s take a brief look at each model and discuss what makes them unique so you can pick which one would look the best in your driveway.

The Outback is widely regarded as the nation’s remaining station wagon. It’s like an SUV without the height, but with all the cargo space, ground clearance, and ease of exit/entry we all value in a family hauler.

While it’s great for strollers and car seats, it’s also a valued camping mobile as those with a thirst for adventure popularized the Outback’s car camping capabilities. Just fold the seats down and you’ve got oodles of wiggle room for blankets, battery-powered lights, and the dog. And, you can get roof-top tents and other gear for it, too.

One of the many great things about the Outback is the pricing. The base model Outback, which still comes with amazing safety features and creature comforts, starts under $30,000.

The priciest but most luxurious model, the Touring XT, comes with every bell and whistle Subaru offers for just $42,795 – making it a lavish bargain.

All trim levels (except the XT model ) come with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer (or “flat”) engine that produces 182 horsepower with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) to keep the AWD Subaru efficient. If you opt for an XT model, you get 260 horsepower from a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. After driving an Ascent – trust me on this one – you’ll want the XT.

Aside from campers, hikers, families, and your grandparents, the Outback is also adored by off-roaders. The ground clearance, reliability, and AWD impressed trailblazers as it flawlessly kept up with modified Jeeps and other four-wheelers.

Subaru acknowledged the niche market and gave way to the Wilderness trim, which comes with a factory lift, bigger and more aggressive tires, a rugged look, and underbody guards – all for $39,960 MSRP. The Forester and Crosstrek also have a Wilderness trim.

The Forester Wilderness is just as rugged, with a budget-friendly price of $34,920, and the Crosstrek is priced at $32,195.

If the Outback and the most diminutive Subaru, the Impreza, had a baby, it would be the Crosstrek. The Crosstrek has the ground clearance, design inspiration, and rugged abilities of the Outback, but the size, cargo space, and efficiency of the Impreza.

I say “small families” because a Crosstrek has legroom, but not very much trunk space to accommodate a stroller, diaper bag, and all of your camping gear. Though, you could easily make it work with a cargo box or roof basket up top. Just be prepared to exchange a few miles per gallon.

Like the Outback, it’s also a tremendous bargain. The base model Crosstrek is just $25,195, while the Limited is $31,095. The Wilderness trim is the priciest model of the baby station wagon. The Crosstrek was also the company’s first hybrid in 2020 – a PHEV paused in 2023 for improvements.

The new-and-improved hybrid model will roll out with the Forester hybrid over the next two years.

If you’ve got a college-bound teen and want a safe, inexpensive, reliable, and fun car to take them safely to and from campus, the Crosstrek is definitely worth a serious look.

The Subaru Forester is a roomy, comfortable, and capable mid-sized SUV that’s great for parents and campers alike. It’s one of those cars that’s pretty decent at everything. Except for moving quickly. The Forester is a lot of things, but quick isn’t one of them.

Size-wise, it’s a happy medium between the compact Crosstrek and the Outback. It’s a little bit taller than the Outback too, so the visibility feels a lot more open. The Outback, Crosstrek, and Forester have identical ground clearance figures, making the Forester just as easy to get in and out of.

The Forester also comes in a Wilderness trim, with all the off-road ready goodies as the Crosstrek or Outback Wilderness. Like its relatives, it’s also a great bargain – ranging from $29,695 to $39,995.

If you’ve got a family and a need a 3rd row for cargo or passengers, the Ascent is the Subaru for you. It’s the largest and most expensive gas-powered car in the lineup, but with the priciest trim level being $48,695, it’s one of the most affordable 3-row SUVs on the market. It has all the features people love about Subaru – including a long list of standard safety features.

The Onyx Edition also comes with waterproof seating, which is a must for those with small children. It makes cleanup a breeze.

If you’re considering an Ascent because of the third row, be aware that as a grown adult, it wasn’t very comfortable at all. I had to sit sideways to keep my knees from being pressed into my chest. It’d be perfect for older children out of car seats, though.

The Ascent comes in eight trim levels, ranging from seven to eight passengers with the option of two bench rows, or a two captain’s chairs as the second row and a bench third row.

As a mom, the Impreza hatchback would be the car I would buy my teen. It’s seriously affordable while coming with the undefeated AWD system that Subaru’s famous for. It also includes the Subaru EyeSight even at the base trim, and gets over 30 mpg – for just under $23,000 MSRP.

The RS, which is the sportier cream-of-the-crop trim level, has an MSRP of $27,885.

Plus, it’s adorable. A fun, safe, efficient, and attractive compact car? If I were young, single, and looking to buy my first car, I would look seriously at the Impreza.

If not for single youngins, this would also be a great commuter car for those who live in areas that experience snow and rain on a regular basis, or small city families who find parking a challenge.

The Legacy is the brand’s only sedan, and the car is meant to appeal to those who want a more “upscale” experience from the other models in the lineup. Although one of the more fancy models to choose from, it doesn’t take away from Subaru’s mission to deliver a quality product at a reasonable price.

The base model starts at $24,895, and the top-of-the-line Touring XT is a shocking $38,195. Every model except for the Touring XT has the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder. The Touring XT has the 2.4-liter turbo-four-cylinder that’s in the Ascent, Outback XT, and the WRX.

If you want a Subaru that feels more like a Lincoln, be sure to test drive a Legacy. Especially since 2025 will be the last model year before it’s (sadly) discontinued.

The BRZ is Subaru’s only rear-wheel drive two-door sports car, and it feels like a refined roadster. There’s no turbo under the hood, but the tuned 2.4-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine paired with either an automatic or six-speed manual is plenty powerful.

There are no rear seats in the BRZ so it obviously wouldn’t be for the kids, but it would make for a fun yet efficient weekender. If you don’t have kids, the visibility and safety features make it an attractive daily driver.

The tS version is the model’s best, and it fetches a price of $35,345, pitting it up against the likes of famous canyon cutters like the Toyota GR 86, with which the BRZ shares its DNA, the Mazda Miata MX-5, Nissan Z, or Honda Civic Type R.

In case you haven’t followed rally racing, Subaru is a champion in the World Rally Championship thanks to the engineering behind the WRX and WRX STi. The STi has been discontinued and is being configured as an EV, but the winning DNA still shines through the modern WRX.

At the base level, Subaru’s AWD system is paired with a tuned version of the 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that’s in the Ascent, Outback, and Legacy XT. Instead of 260 horsepower, the enlightened engine generates 271 horsepower. The rally-ready six-speed manual transmission turns this sleek sedan into a rocket.

The base model WRX is $32,735, making performance relatively affordable. Especially since it has plenty of cargo space, car-seat-ready rear seats, all of Subaru’s best safety features, excellent visibility, handling, braking, steering, and acceleration. The top-of-the-line model, the GT, is a reasonable $44,215.

If you’re looking for a car that can haul the family, the groceries, handle all four seasons, and do autocross competitions in the same 24 hours, the WRX is for you.

If you’ve ever seen a Solterra and thought it looked suspiciously like a Toyota bZ4X, that’s because it is—sort of. The Solterra, translated from Latin to mean “Sun and Earth,” is the brand’s first EV as a result of a wonderful partnership with Toyota.

Like the Toyota, the Solterra’s AWD and battery size give the EV a moderate range of around 220 miles, making it perfect for around town or short commutes to and from work. Especially since the Solterra has the ability to charge faster when it’s cold out. Subaru’s version also comes with 14 more horsepower if that’s important to you.

Subaru also brags that the Solterra is “more equipped” at a lower MSRP than Toyota’s AWD version of the bZ4X, which is true. All three trim levels of the Solterra are AWD, while the Toyota’s two trims can be either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

When picking AWD for the Toyota, the MSRPs are more expensive by $155 for the base model. For the Touring edition of the Solterra, the most expensive model, the MSRP jumps to $51,995 – which is more expensive than the bZ4X Limited at $47,575. However, the Subaru does come with more factory-installed options as standard.

If you’ve only just started your Subaru journey, it’s nice to know that when you decided it’s time to trade up or trade down to your second, or third, there’ll be another Subie there to fill the spot. Judging by other Subaru owners and their dedication, that’s what you’ll want to do, too.