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Subaru has made a serious shift in the market over the past few years. This legendary Japanese brand made its mark in the rally world. Over the years, that folded into cars for the consumer market that focused on sending only the most adventurous families and individuals out into the wild. While both of those things are still true, the brand has moved into the mainstream, with hundreds of thousands of families picking Subaru despite their plans for off-roading. This recent popularity jump has many wondering what Subaru is and where they come from. So, Where are Subarus made? 

Promo photo of a Subaru car parked in a field beneath a bright night sky full of stars.
Subaru at night | Subaru

Where are Subarus made? 

Subaru is a relatively small automaker. There are only five factories in total. Four of them are in their native Japan. 

According to MotorTrend, the main plant is the Subaru-Cho. This sprawling monument to industry spans 82 acres and produces the WRX, Impreza, Crosstrek (or XV as it’s called in Japan), BRZ, and the Toyota GR86. This facility employs 4,500 people. 

The Yajima plant is where Subaru build the big boys. This is where the Subaru Forester, Outback, and Legacy come from. Ironically, this facility is a bit smaller but still employs 3,000. 

The most interesting of places where Subarus are made is the Ota North plant. Here is where Subaru has been building cars for the longest time. Subaru built the Sambar kei utility vehicle here until about a decade ago. This family of tiny vehicles includes passenger vans, dump trucks, and pickup trucks, all of which are smaller and lighter than a Mazda Miata. (Kei cars and trucks are wild.) Although Subaru doesn’t make these vehicles anymore, Subaru still makes aircraft bits here. 

The Oizumi plant is home to engine and transmission production for all the Soobs. As MotorTrend notes, this separation simplifies the process, making production smoother. 

Are Subarus built in America? 

Fuel-efficient used SUVs under $25,000 include the Subaru Crosstrek
A 2018 Subaru Crosstrek | Subaru

Lastly, Subaru has a plant in none other than Lafayette, Indiana. In this facility, Subaru builds more than 300,000 vehicles a year (at least in normal years). This plant is where Subaru Outbacks, Legacies, Ascents, and Imprezas are made. Other Japanese carmakers have also built cars on the sprawling 820-acre site like Honda and Toyota. 

The models not made in the U.S. are, for the most part, low-volume, high-performance cars or EVs made for the JDM. Clearly, the American market is vital to Subaru. 

Does Toyota own Subaru? 

A 2023 Subaru Forester driving in the snow
2023 Subaru Forester | Subaru

Not really. According to MotorTrend, Toyota has a small stake in Subaru Corporation, which Subaru is a subsidiary of. However, as with the Subaru BRZ and the Solterra, the two brands do partner on certain models from time to time. 

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Staff Writer

Peter Corn

Peter Corn joined MotorBiscuit as an Autos Writer in 2020 and brings his quippiest Southern drawl to our table. Having, in his words, “helped” rebuild his dad’s 1959 MGA as a small child, Peter grew up loving vintage cars and trucks, adding motorcycles and all things 4×4 as he went.

Peter earned a Bachelor of Archeology and Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and has since melded his love of driving with storytelling. His voice, full of pleasantries and witticisms, can be enjoyed in The Gentleman Racer, The Vintagent, Gear Patrol, Iron & Air Magazine, and Classic Car Club Magazine.

Peter is a co-founder of both The Colloquial Magazine and The Fire Escape, the official podcast of The Colloquial. In an effort to increase his abilities in “ramping anything with wheels,” Peter has taken track training from Classic Car Club Manhattan and attended Rally School at Monticello Motor Club, where he was coached by eight-time Performance Rally motorsport champion Chris Duplessis.

On a lucky day, we get to hear Peter tell the story of his first car, a jewel of a 1958 Ford Fairlane, into which he dumped more time and money than made sense, but he has no regrets.