Skip to main content

4 Reasons Why You Say Subaru Drivers Are The Worst

If you are buying a 2020 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, or WRX, beware that other drivers don’t like you. Here’s four reasons why.

Some car brands like Subaru just can’t catch a break and their drivers are judged rightly or wrongly. According to custom license plate suppliers Click4Reg, Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and WRX/STI drivers have the worst reputations among all car brands. They surveyed over 2,000 drivers to reveal the most common impressions people have of drivers of each car brand. If you drive a Subaru, it's not good for you.

Why are Subaru owners seen as the worst drivers more than all others on the road? You have probably heard jokes about Subaru owners. They drive too slow, or the back of their cars is full of stickers, or they are driven by granola-eating hippies from the 60s, or that their cars are too loud. Some of these things might even be true. The survey reveals some interesting findings.

Stickered-up Subaru Outback

When asked for their opinions on different car brands, it’s easy for people to speak up, especially when it’s about other drivers as everyone has an opinion. When asked “Do you think Subaru owners are likely to be fast or slow drivers?”, 40 percent (800 people) said, if they get behind a Subaru, they are likely to be a slow driver. They did not break it down by model, but we are guessing it’s Forester and Outback as some owners tend to be more conservative drivers.

The other interesting findings found 20 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t even date a Subaru driver. 32 percent said they dislike Subaru owners, and a whopping 75 percent agreed that Subaru owners are bad drivers.

This was not in the survey done by the custom license plate suppliers, but Subaru WRX and WRX STI drivers have a reputation for being the most annoying. If you live near a Subaru WRX or WRX STI owner you’ve probably been woken up or annoyed by their loud exhales pipes.

The Subaru Boxer engine has a unique sound and WRX/STI drivers like to make their performance cars even louder by installing custom exhaust systems. It’s called the “Subie rumble” and WRX/STI owners are proud of it.

Subaru WRX exhaust

If you buying a new 2020 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek or WRX/STI, just know you are already disliked by a lot of other drivers on the road. It’s because the perception out there is, you drive too slow, your Outback is full of stickers, you don’t know how to drive, and your WRX/STI is too loud. If you are in a long line of cars looking to merge into slower traffic, don’t be surprised if they don’t let you in. But you love your Subaru and you don’t care what they think.

You Might Also Like: New Subaru Crosstrek Is Involved In The Most At-Fault Accidents Than Any Car In America

Bookmark the TN Subaru page and be sure to follow Subaru AWD reports on FacebookTwitterInstagramSubaru Report. Send us your Subaru news tips @SubaruLegitNews and we'll give you a shout out! Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates.

Watch 2020 Subaru Outback MPG Improvement Noted by EPA video and subscribe to the Torque News YouTube channel for daily Subaru and automotive news analysis.

Leave your comments below, share the article with friends and tweet it out to your followers!

Photo credit: Subaru USA, Subaru Canada

Comments

Bob (not verified)    October 9, 2019 - 2:17PM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

Woah woah there. Enjoying the experience? I like a wrx and brz; and I think there’s an argument to be made for the forester and maybe the outback. But I hope you’re driving the former because the latter are not about enjoyment. The cvt is all but infuriating and the manual is out of an 80s Toyota. There’s little power. Handling is “acceptable” at best. Mpg... ha! I think they’re very useful and safe. I give a lot of car recommendations, I’m the car guy of my rather academically oriented group and I recommend the forester all the time. To a certain group of people. Most of them hate to drive. Hate owning a car. Want to appear woodsy and hip. They love their Subaru foresters. They aren’t at all enjoyable to drive anymore than any low end car. Definitely bottom of the pack on driving enjoyment.

Zak Evertsen (not verified)    October 23, 2019 - 4:15AM

In reply to by Bob (not verified)

I couldn’t agree and disagree with you more. I drive a forester XT and agree on handling. It’s too heavy and leaves much to be wanted with corner lean and roll, but the 250 horse boxer engine is amazing! I recently upgraded fuel economy from a forerunner to the forester and greatly improved fuel economy. It’s comfortable, fun, and I can haul as much inside as the forerunner could. Subaru has loaded these with class leading features I only dreamed about in the Toyota. I’m a happy owner for sure.

OutbacktoOakparca (not verified)    October 11, 2019 - 8:42AM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

Couldn't agree more with this comment. Too slow? Perhaps we are but my experience is those non-Subaru owners drive too fast. Either they are late or drive fast all the time. My outback is my first one and is the smoothest, most solid cars I’ve driven. The Subaru family is strong and alive & well.

Carol Currie (not verified)    October 15, 2019 - 6:00PM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

Hardly. I leap to judge cattle who buy from a company that professes it’s all about love but refuses to build a car in the 21st century that does something to reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuel. Shame on Suburu for not building an all-electric car or at least a blooming hybrid! I will never own a Suburu for this reason, and it’s why I judge Suburu owners for their myopic selfishness.

Me (not verified)    October 23, 2019 - 1:45PM

In reply to by Carol Currie (not verified)

Those electric cars are a drag on the environment to produce... think fracking for batteries and think multiple trips on a ship. So nickel is fracked out of Canada, shipped to China to make said nickel into batteries(which contain other things that are bad for our planet to gather), then the batteries are shipped to your production facility of choice (Korea, Mexico, The United States) to be put into these hybrids and electric cars, THEN the cars are shipped to thier eespective auto sales lot... all the while these trips on ships and boats and trains and trucks are using, you guessed it, FOSSIL FEULS. Oh and look up how long those batteries last you. Your beloved electric cars are horrible for the environment before they even hit the road!

JG (not verified)    January 23, 2020 - 8:48PM

In reply to by Carol Currie (not verified)

You hate Subaru and it’s drivers for not producing a “blooming hybrid” or a full electric?
Have you hippies that are judging us thought about how your battery powered cars will destroy the environment when 20 years from now we have millions of extremely large lithium battery packs sitting in landfills, scrap yards or warehouses? What do you think will be done with all of that poison?
Do you realize that back in the late 70’s to early 80’s, the diesel versions of the Volkswagen Rabbit and Fox were averaging 50 miles per gallon? So, in 40 years we’ve lost mpg’s.
I’m addition to the toxic batteries that will destroy our environment, where do you think most of the electric for the world comes from to charge an electric car? COAL!!!! Public transport such as trains and subways like other countries, and people power such as bikes or your own two feet are the true way to save the environment.
You want to save the world, live within walking distance to your job, or where you can hop a train.
And also turn off all of your electronics and TVs that suck up energy. And stop hating other people for enjoying there life, and try to start enjoying your own. Or don’t....your choice

Iamrezn (not verified)    January 24, 2020 - 4:01PM

In reply to by Carol Currie (not verified)

Subaru does make hybrids.
Plus, their gas cars are some of the most efficient in their respected classes. Which is even more impressive, because they're all (except the BRZ) ALL WHEEL DRIVE.

Also, get off your high horse with your enviro bull shit. What do you drive that's so much better for the environment?

Sean Little (not verified)    January 7, 2020 - 8:49AM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

False! Subaru drivers are either aloof and unaware of the world around them or terrified to be on the road. Which ever the case, YOU ARE IN THE WAY! Beat it or get tailgated....

JG (not verified)    January 24, 2020 - 9:29AM

In reply to by Sean Little (not verified)

I can’t wait til your behind my Subaru tailgating me. I will own you and your children’s inheritance when I have to slam on my brakes because some asshole like you in a big truck with a 3” lift and $2000 worth of ghetto rims with aggressive mud tires that’s never seen a dirt trail, pulls out in front of me and you end up my ass. Yep, who’s the immature moron. Subaru drivers get really good gas mileage and get there safe, and hit 200,000+ miles on our cars. Morons that tailgate to TRY to intimidate and roll coal as they go by destroy their trucks with lift kits that wear suspension and steering, massive turbos and tunes on their diesels or large displacement engines that massively decrease engine longevity. Saw recently a massive lifted off-road dual cab long box Chevy turbo’d out to the max with $3000 worth of rubber and rims that got stuck in the end of a gas station drive in the wet icy crap the plows dumped there....I made it by him with with ease in my outback. Lift kits and big bad tires that are wrong for everyday and winter driving can’t beat a sensibly built AWD wagon with good all season factory tires. By the way....my 2020 outback k has “B” rated wet traction, which is literally middle of the road tires.

Bklynvex Records (not verified)    June 23, 2021 - 2:10AM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

This is what I was thinking lol I enjoy the ride so.i cruise ,and im.not a hippie lol they are just comfy rides,especially compared to other midsized sedans (I drive a legacy) I just enjoy the car

D (not verified)    August 3, 2023 - 1:21PM

In reply to by Jerry (not verified)

Subaru drivers are the worst because they never go the posted speed limit, they make last minute decisions in traffic holding up the flow so they can get to where they are going as if they are the only people on the planet. Typically morons who have an education that far surpasses their intelligence. Very self involved people who need to be eradicated.

Mike (not verified)    October 9, 2019 - 2:31PM

In reply to by Denis Flierl

Subaru owners are cult members. They wear skinny jeans, plaid shirts over black hoodies, imitation Red Wing boots, have beards (the women too), and flat-billed baseball hats. Drink stinky IPA beer, smoke, and have rocket boxes on their rooftops smothered with sticker. Shall I go on?

Outback (not verified)    October 11, 2019 - 8:50AM

In reply to by Mike (not verified)

Wow, never done any of the things you indicate. Some sound interesting but, we all have vices and whatever car you own/drive I’m sure come with its own set of caveats as well. How many here own a Prius? Much slower reputation than Subaru for sure.

Lew (not verified)    October 11, 2019 - 6:49AM

In reply to by Jim (not verified)

Agree. And what was the source of half the listed stats?

The only mentioned source asked daft questions: for example, Subie owners aren't *all* too fast OR too slow, half are too slow and half are too fast, so they are both, but that wasn't a selection, ends up being largely self-cancelling, yet it still stood out! Subies are one of the brand's either covered by stickers, or has (again) had the opposite: even some of the stock affixed stickers and plates have been removed or blacked-out (again, self-cancelling). And so on. The author could have somewhat redeemed a phoned-home but otherwise fun article by musing about these survey flaws and indicating where the most inflammatory responses came from. It's especially owed when using click-bait titles.