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A New Report - The 10 Most Respected Car Brands - Subaru Ranks Top 3

Which are the most respected car brands? Subaru that makes the 2021 Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek SUVs now ranks number three most respected brands. Check out the top 10 automakers here.

Which are the most respected car brands in North America? A new report from DART Insight and Communications (DART I&C) reveals the top-10 automakers in its first "Most Respected Corporation Program" launched late last year and completed in 2021.

Maru/Blue Public Opinion Research collected the automakers' data and surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3,651 adult Canadians in January 2021. Subaru makes the 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and Ascent SUVs and now ranks one of the top brands at number three most respected brands.

2021 Subaru Forester, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Outback

The top 10 most respected car brands

First place goes to Toyota; second place went to Honda; Subaru is number three, while BMW and Mazda complete the top five of the companies on the list. The list continues with Ford, Hyundai, Daimler, GM, and Tesla rounding out the top ten most respected car brands.

"Respect is earned, not just by manufacturing strong products, but through a combination of trusted local service and support, industry leadership, corporate values, and genuine community engagement," said Jeff Munn, Executive Director, Canada's Most Respected Award Program.

2021 Subaru Forester, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Outback

It's not the only award for Subaru

For 2020, Subaru picked up the Most Trusted Brand award from Kelly Blue Book. The award was the sixth consecutive year for Subaru as the best mainstream brand in America.

Subaru's promises to its customers

Subaru promises a lot to its customers, and for the most part, they deliver. Two promises they make are; its vehicles will provide a superior all-weather, all-terrain capability, and their cars will keep you safe in the event of a crash.

Subaru delivers standard EyeSight safety technology on all its SUVs, including the 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Ascent models, and the 2021 Legacy sedan. Subaru just tied for any automaker's most safety scores in the 2021 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety awards.

The Japanese automaker also offers all-wheel-drive as standard equipment on all its cars and SUVs, except for the rear-drive BRZ sports coupe. Its SUVs are off-road ready, but three models, the 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek, come with dual-function X-Mode for deep off-pavement excursions.

Subaru also promises fun-to-drive, affordability, and fuel-efficiency in their models. In this recent study, Subaru ranks the number three most respected car brand.

Please give us your feedback. Do you think the 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and Ascent deliver what the automaker promises, and if not, where can they improve?

You Might Also Like: Subaru’s New Corporate Report Says Why They Are More Than A Car Company

Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Subaru Report - We’ve got you covered! Check back tomorrow for more unique, informative SUBARU news, reviews, and previews you can trust.

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Photo credit: Subaru

Comments

G. Panganiban (not verified)    March 10, 2021 - 8:15AM

"Respect is earned, not just by manufacturing strong products, but through a combination of trusted local service and support, industry leadership, corporate values, and genuine community engagement,"

In regards to Subaru, can attest this quote is 100 percent accurate. I have been a long time Subaru owner & ambassador. I have not seen any other automaker as dedicated to community service, corporate values & versatility. For many years, Subaru has been doing great but somewhat hidden in the sidelines, overshadowed by other top Japanese automakers. Now that Subaru has been gaining extreme popularity these last 8 years or so, its refreshing to see them getting more prominent exposure.

R.J. (not verified)    March 11, 2021 - 10:06AM

In reply to by G. Panganiban (not verified)

After 61 years of driving many type cars, and 12 years of racing in anorher country,
I have come to the conclussion that my Subaru Forester is by far the very best experience and overall value anywhere. Its performance for the money has no rival
There is one negative aspect about Subaru in the city where I reside however. It is the excessive high cost of its preventive maintenance at the dealer level, whether may be an oil change, brake pads service, axle lube, wheel alignment, throttle body cleaning, filters change, transmission service, etc., leaves a lot to be desired. Dealers labor and parts fees rival those of BMW, Audi, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, and the like, especially when the Subaru business in the now third largest city in the U.S. is owned by a monopoly family name. I guess I will have to wait until my new car warranty expires beyond limits, to perform the services myself, or at any other independent but reliable service shop.
This topic should be a strong consideration before buying a new Subaru, unless the prospective buyer is a wealthy one. Thank you.

Mike (not verified)    March 17, 2021 - 8:14PM

In reply to by G. Panganiban (not verified)

Subaru has definitely increased it's presence with safety technologies and with awd. I can attest that the Crosstrek is unstoppable on the road, not off-road in all cases, but very close. I'm impressed on the technology and build quality, especially fit n finish. I will be buying the BRZ 2022 when it's available. While for me the BRZ is rear wheel drive it does everything very well! The updated 2022 hit the mark on all boxes. Thank Subaru, USA.

Dave Hebler (not verified)    March 10, 2021 - 11:30PM

AND Toyota wouldn't have a full time 4wd without their financial part of Suburu. I test drove a 2021 comparable Honda to my 2019 Forester Sport. There's no way the Honda is a better awd vehicle and it wasn't as comfortable either. Ask anyone who's ridden in the back seat of a Forester like mine. There's more room and more visibility.

Gene (not verified)    March 11, 2021 - 10:30AM

Purchased the 2021 Outback and the safety and attention to detail is great on this vehicle. My son bought a WRX last year and it has been an incredible machine which led me to the Subaru dealership to buy my Outback. It is comfortable and drives and handles nicely. I am from a long line of Toyota’s and this car seems to hold its own against them. I really can’t understand the Honda’s being ranked above them as they are to me, the most uncomfortable car out there.

Stephen McHenry (not verified)    March 11, 2021 - 12:20PM

I have a 2006 B9 Tribeca and love it. I wish it got better mileage but it never fails to perform. I have been looking at the Ascent, but for now I think I just drive my baby for a while longer.

MARK ELBAUM (not verified)    March 11, 2021 - 12:55PM

I'M ON MY 5TH CONSECUTIVE SUBARU, SINCE 1996. BY FAR, MY CURRENT 2019 CROSSTREK IS THE BEST. I'M COMING UP ON 50,000 MILES, AND ALL I'VE DONE IS REQUIRED BASIC MAINTENANCE.

SUBARU (SOA) IS A CLASS ACT CAR MANUFACTURER. YES, I SEE A 6TH SUBARU IN MY FUTURE.

KANWAL R (not verified)    March 20, 2021 - 12:07PM

In reply to by MARK ELBAUM (not verified)

You are lucky. My 2017Subaru Impreza "proudly made in Indiana" hatchback has failed it's starter motor at 36K miles. $ year old car. Never happened to any other car that I drove. This was my first Japanese car and I chose Subaru as it is not a ubiquitous name like Toyota or Honda and has it's own specialness. However the costs of repair at the dealership is comparable to my last car, inline 6 AWD BMW and had I not had the presence of mind to buy the extended bumper to bumper warranty, I would have to pay 700 plus at this time. I still have to pay a 100 dollar deductible. In that aspect my European cars actually did last out 60K miles new car warranty versus the 36k given by Subaru and did not have any major issues till their 8th year. Certainly for 2011 BMW. So dollars and cents compared better to buy a more expensive but better quality car if the repair costs are going to be comparable, and if warranty period is longer.

Chris Bostic (not verified)    March 12, 2021 - 6:51AM

I know a lot of people who have had to replace the CVT transmission in their Subaru around 100,000 miles. That boxer engine sounds miserable after about that mileage as well. The all wheel drive system is bullet proof but I'm not sold on these vehicles.

Mazda, Toyota, and Honda are better than Subarus. Mazdas are mostly made in Japan at the moment so they are well built.

Tony scire (not verified)    March 17, 2021 - 8:25PM

I have a 2015 forester and love it. I do plan on trading it in before the summer for a new forester.

Elise Julienne… (not verified)    March 17, 2021 - 8:26PM

I leased my first Subaru last June. I shopped many different models and settled on a 2020 Forester. The salesman and manager went out of their way to assist me as I advised them I wasn't sure I wanted a Subaru. I've been so pleased with my choice. We had a terrible 5 days of snow, ice and frigid temps in February in DFW. I had to commute between my house and my daughter's all 5 days
My Forester never got stuck or skidded on the terrible unplowed roads, I felt completely safe everytime I got in the car. I had an issue with a "fault" in the windshield. After speaking with an amazing Service person (Sean) and an equally amazing Customer Service person (Christy) it was determined it was a Subaru issue and it is about to be replaced and not at my expense. This is all because both listened and gave outstanding customer service. I will be honest, my favorite car was my BMW 740il (different times) but this is my 2nd favorite car and I'll stay with Subaru as long as I can. Thank you everyone at Five Star Subaru

Wrightsbmw (not verified)    March 17, 2021 - 8:30PM

I have a Honda, Toyota and A 2021 Crosstrek ... my subaru is superior in marginal traction conditions across a range of driving conditions...and it has a manual transmission! Love it.....