Subaru is well-known for making a lot of great cars, especially cars that can go off-road well. Currently, the best-selling Subaru models are both SUVs, and that shouldn’t be a surprise since SUVs have been growing in popularity. That said, the highest-ranking Subaru model of the 2023 model year may surprise you since it isn’t an SUV. 

Here’s how Subaru’s cars stacked up compared to each other

The Solterra is the Japanese automaker’s newest car, an electric SUV. It’s meant to be the start of the company’s transition toward EVs, but unfortunately, it’s the automaker’s worst rated car right now.

U.S. News gave it an overall score of 6.9 out of 10. Then there’s the WRX. It’s a compact car with an overall score of 7.4 out of 10.

The Impreza is another compact car, and it’s just slightly better than the WRX as it has an overall score of 7.5 out of 10. The Crosstrek and the Crosstrek Hybrid have the same scores despite having different powertrains, as the car critic gave the two SUVs a score of 7.7 out of 10.

Then, there’s the Legacy, and it’s a midsize sedan that has an overall score of 7.8 out of 10. This leaves only a few options in Subaru’s lineup to take the crown.

This is the highest-ranking 2023 Subaru car

Subaru fans may have expected the Outback or the Forester to be the highest rated Subie, and it’s close. The third best Subie right now is the Outback.

It’s a wagon, and it has an overall score of 8.1 out of 10. The Forester, a compact SUV, is marginally better than the Outback as it has an overall score of 8.2 out of 10. The highest-rated Subaru car according to U.S. News, however, is the BRZ, and it has an overall score of 8.7 out of 10.

That gives the BRZ a significantly higher score than the Outback or the Forester. Not only is the BRZ the best Subaru of the year, but it also did the best compared to its segment.

The BRZ is a sports car, and it finished in second place in the segment. The Forester, meanwhile, finished in fourth place in the compact SUV segment.

The Legacy was also in fifth place, which is just below average for the midsize sedan segment. The Crosstrek finished in 11th place in the compact SUV segment, while the Crosstrek Hybrid finished in 10th place in the hybrid SUV segment.

Both the Impreza and the WRX are in the compact sedan segment, and they finished ninth and 10th respectively. Lastly, the Solterra came in at eighth place, which made it the second-to-worst electric SUV.

Why U.S. News gave the 2023 Subaru BRZ such a high rating

The Japanese automaker redesigned the BRZ in the 2022 model year, and that redesign has allowed the 2023 version to continue succeeding. Since it’s a sports car, the company made sure that the BRZ drives well.

It only has one engine option, and it’s a 2.4-liter flat-four that gets 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Subaru only offers rear-wheel drive on the car, but drivers can choose between a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

This setup gives the Subaru sports car a powerful acceleration, as it can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds. It also handles well, and that makes it fun to drive. The Subie has four seats, and the front seats are comfortable and spacious. It also comes with an 8-inch touch screen and a 7-inch digital gauge cluster display, and these tech features are easy-to-use.