If you have ever wondered who makes Subaru, the straightforward answer is Subaru Corporation. This Japanese company develops and manufactures automobiles as its primary business while also operating an aerospace business.
But that simple answer doesn’t tell the entire story.
Toyota owns a significant stake in Subaru. Toyota and Subaru have jointly developed some vehicles. Subaru manufactures vehicles in both Japan and the United States. The company itself used to operate under a completely different corporate name.
Understanding these distinctions makes Subaru’s corporate structure much easier to follow.
Who Actually Makes Subaru?
Subaru Corporation makes Subaru vehicles.
The corporation is based in Japan and lists the manufacture, sale, and repair of passenger cars and their components as its automotive business. It also operates an aerospace business.
Subaru therefore isn’t simply a model line created by another mainstream automaker. Subaru is both the familiar automotive brand and the name of the corporation behind it.
Subaru at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| Who makes Subaru? | Subaru Corporation |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Established as Fuji Heavy Industries | 1953 |
| Renamed Subaru Corporation | April 1, 2017 |
| Main automotive production locations | Japan and United States |
| Is Subaru a Toyota brand? | No |
| Does Toyota own Subaru stock? | Yes |
| Toyota’s reported holding | 21.46% as of March 31, 2026 |
Subaru’s official corporate information identifies its two automotive production locations as Gunma in Japan and Indiana in the United States.
Is Subaru a Japanese Company?
Yes.
Subaru Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Its corporate history, however, stretches considerably further back than the modern Subaru automobile brand.
The company traces its roots to an Aircraft Research Laboratory established by Chikuhei Nakajima in 1917. That organization eventually became Nakajima Aircraft. Following World War II and several reorganizations, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. was established in 1953.
Automobile production followed.
Subaru introduced the Subaru 360 in 1958, an important early vehicle in the company’s automotive history.
- Read more: Who Makes Subaru
Why Was the Company Called Fuji Heavy Industries?
For decades, consumers saw Subaru on the cars while the corporation behind those cars was named Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., commonly abbreviated as FHI.
That changed in 2017.
Fuji Heavy Industries officially changed its corporate name to Subaru Corporation on April 1, 2017. The move unified the corporate identity with the Subaru brand already recognized by customers around the world.
This history explains why older automotive articles may say that Fuji Heavy Industries makes Subaru.
That information was historically correct, but the current corporate name is Subaru Corporation.
Where Does the Subaru Name Come From?
The name has a particularly interesting connection to the company’s history.
“Subaru” is the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster. Subaru says the name symbolizes the unity associated with the companies connected to Nakajima Aircraft that came together in the formation of Fuji Heavy Industries.
That history also explains the stars in Subaru’s familiar emblem.
Does Toyota Make Subaru?
This is where the answer becomes more nuanced.
Toyota does not simply manufacture the entire Subaru lineup or own Subaru outright.
Subaru Corporation remains the automaker behind Subaru vehicles. However, Subaru and Toyota have a substantial strategic relationship involving both investment and vehicle development.
In 2019, the companies announced a strengthened business and capital alliance. Their cooperation has included joint vehicle development, electrification technology, and other projects.
The ownership connection is substantial as well.
According to Subaru’s stock information for March 31, 2026, Toyota Motor Corporation held 153.6 million Subaru shares, representing 21.46% of shares excluding treasury stock used in the percentage calculation.
So these two statements are both important:
Toyota is a major Subaru shareholder.
Subaru is not simply a Toyota brand.
What Cars Have Subaru and Toyota Developed Together?
One of the clearest examples is the sports-car partnership.
Subaru and Toyota jointly developed the sports cars sold under their respective brands as the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86/GR86 lineage. Their relationship has also expanded into electrified vehicles.
Subaru’s official alliance history notes the joint development of a dedicated battery-electric vehicle platform and a BEV SUV, as well as the Solterra and cooperation involving hybrid technologies.
This can create confusion because a shared vehicle architecture or technology doesn’t necessarily mean one company owns the other.
Automakers regularly cooperate on expensive engineering programs while remaining separate companies.
Where Are Subaru Cars Made?
Subaru concentrates its automobile manufacturing in two countries:
Japan and the United States.
Japan
Subaru’s principal Japanese automotive manufacturing operations are centered around its Gunma facilities.
Current Subaru facility information lists production that includes vehicles such as:
- Impreza
- Crosstrek
- WRX
- Subaru BRZ
- Forester
- Outback
- Levorg
- Trailseeker
Production assignments can change by model year, market, and manufacturing plan, so buyers interested in a specific vehicle should verify that particular vehicle rather than assuming every example of a model has the same origin.
United States
Subaru also operates through Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, Indiana.
For the 2026 U.S. lineup, Subaru says all Ascent, Forester, Crosstrek Gas, and Crosstrek Wilderness models are assembled in America.
The Indiana operation is Subaru’s only automobile manufacturing facility outside Japan.
Is Subaru of Indiana Automotive Owned by Subaru?
Yes.
Subaru’s 2025 Integrated Report describes Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) as a wholly owned subsidiary. The facility began as a joint venture with Isuzu but became wholly owned by Subaru in 2003.
That distinction is useful because people sometimes assume Subaru’s U.S. vehicles are assembled under contract by an unrelated American manufacturer.
They aren’t.
The Indiana facility is part of Subaru’s manufacturing organization.
Does Subaru Build Its Own Engines?
Subaru manufactures major powertrain components as part of its own production operations.
The Oizumi Plant in Japan manufactures automobile engines and transmissions, while the Kitamoto Plant manufactures transmissions.
Subaru has long been associated with its horizontally opposed, or “boxer,” engine configuration.
But modern cars contain thousands of components, and like virtually every major automaker, Subaru also relies on an extensive supplier network. Saying Subaru makes its cars therefore means Subaru is the automaker responsible for the vehicle-not that every individual component is produced inside a Subaru factory.
Who Makes Subaru: Manufacturer vs. Shareholder vs. Partner
This is the easiest way to clear up the confusion:
| Role | Company |
| Subaru vehicle manufacturer | Subaru Corporation |
| Major shareholder | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Important technology/development partner | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| U.S. manufacturing operation | Subaru of Indiana Automotive |
| Former Subaru corporate name | Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. |
The distinctions matter.
A shareholder is not automatically the manufacturer. A development partner isn’t automatically the parent company. And a shared vehicle project doesn’t mean two brands have become the same company.
Why Do People Think Toyota Owns Subaru?
There are several understandable reasons.
First, Toyota owns a meaningful portion of Subaru.
Second, the companies have worked together since their initial business collaboration agreement in 2005.
Third, highly visible products have emerged from that cooperation.
The Subaru BRZ and Toyota’s sports-car counterpart make the relationship obvious to enthusiasts. Electrification projects have made the connection even more visible.
But Subaru continues to have its own corporate organization, manufacturing operations, engineering identity, and brand.
A Brief Subaru Timeline
| Year | Event |
| 1917 | Aircraft Research Laboratory established |
| 1953 | Fuji Heavy Industries established |
| 1958 | Subaru 360 introduced |
| 1989 | Subaru vehicle production begins in Indiana |
| 2005 | Subaru-Toyota business collaboration begins |
| 2017 | Fuji Heavy Industries becomes Subaru Corporation |
| 2019 | Toyota and Subaru announce stronger business/capital alliance |
The timeline illustrates why answering “Toyota” to the question of who makes Subaru is incomplete. Subaru’s independent industrial history predates its modern Toyota partnership by decades.
Why Manufacturing Location Matters to Buyers
Knowing who makes Subaru may lead to a more practical question: where was your particular Subaru built?
Manufacturing location can matter to shoppers interested in domestic assembly, supply chains, or simply the history behind their vehicle.
Fortunately, you don’t have to guess based only on the model name.
A vehicle’s VIN and certification information can help identify manufacturing origin. This is especially useful for models whose production arrangements can change over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Subaru vehicles?
Subaru Corporation, a Japanese automotive and aerospace company, is the manufacturer behind Subaru automobiles.
Is Subaru owned by Toyota?
Not outright. Toyota is Subaru’s largest listed shareholder, holding 21.46% as of March 31, 2026, according to Subaru’s stock overview.
Is Subaru Japanese or American?
Subaru is a Japanese automaker, but it also manufactures vehicles in Lafayette, Indiana.
Who makes Subaru engines?
Subaru manufactures engines and transmissions at its Oizumi Plant in Japan.
Is Subaru made by Honda?
No. Honda and Subaru are separate automakers.
Is Subaru made by Nissan?
No. Subaru is made by Subaru Corporation.
What was Subaru called before?
The corporation was known as Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. before becoming Subaru Corporation on April 1, 2017.
Are any Subarus made in America?
Yes. Subaru operates an assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Subaru states that select 2026 vehicles, including the Ascent, Forester, and certain Crosstrek models, are assembled in America.
Why are Toyota and Subaru connected?
They maintain a business and capital alliance involving investment, joint vehicle development, electrification, and other technology cooperation.
Does Toyota make Subaru’s BRZ?
The BRZ resulted from joint development between Subaru and Toyota, rather than simply being a conventional Toyota-manufactured Subaru product.
