STILL BOXING CLEVER

With its annual sales of 860 000 units equating to less than 1,5% of the 58,2 million worldwide car market, it would be easy to dismiss Subaru as an insignificant player, but that would be far from the reality. The brand has been built around its trademark drivetrain configuration of a flat-four boxer engine coupled with its symmetrical four-wheeldrive system, which has earned it a loyal and committed following. In the United States – which accounts for nearly 70% of its sales – Subaru was recently named Consumer Reports’ number-one brand, an accolade regarded as a representative measure of its reputation for safety, reliability and owner satisfaction.

WHY A BOXER?

Established as the car manufacturing division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s initial focus was on building two-cylinder, rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive Kei