Subaru VIN Decoder & VIN Check — Models, Recalls, Specs, MPG & Safety
“Confidence in Motion”
Subaru Corporation is a Japanese automaker headquartered in Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo. The automotive division traces its founding to 1953, when six companies that survived the dissolution of aircraft maker Nakajima merged into Fuji Heavy Industries; Subaru was launched as the consumer automobile brand in 1954. The company adopted Subaru as its corporate name in 2017.
Nearly every Subaru sold globally uses two defining technologies that no other mass-market automaker offers across its full lineup: a horizontally-opposed (boxer) engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The Outback, Forester and Crosstrek combine to make Subaru the leading non-luxury brand in IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designations per model in the United States. The WRX and BRZ represent Subaru's performance heritage, with WRX competing in the World Rally Championship from 1990 to 2008.
Subaru trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under 7270 and on the OTC market as FUJHY. Toyota Motor Corporation has held a 20% strategic stake in Subaru since 2019, and the two companies co-developed the BRZ/GR86 sports coupe and the Solterra/bZ4X electric SUV. Recall data for every Subaru VIN is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Subaru VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original MSRP.
Subaru at a glance
- Founded
- 1953 (as Fuji Heavy Industries)
- Renamed
- 2017 (Subaru Corporation)
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Stock ticker
- OTC: FUJHY / Tokyo: 7270
- Strategic partner
- Toyota (20% stake since 2019)
- Signature tech
- Boxer engine + Symmetrical AWD
- Logo meaning
- Pleiades star cluster (six merged companies)
- Rally heritage
- WRC competitor 1990-2008
- Basic warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty
- 5 years / 60,000 miles
Decode any Subaru VIN
Enter a 17-character VIN below to retrieve the trim, factory options, original window-sticker MSRP and any open NHTSA recall affecting that specific vehicle. ForCar.org pulls the same dataset that Subaru dealers use to notify owners of safety recalls.
VIN Decoder
Signature Subaru technology
Subaru heritage
The 1958 Subaru 360, a kei-class minicar, was the first vehicle sold under the Subaru brand. The name Subaru is the Japanese term for the Pleiades star cluster, depicted in the brand logo as six stars representing the six companies merged in 1953. The 1972 Leone introduced the boxer-engine plus all-wheel-drive layout that remains Subaru's signature, and the 1995 Impreza WRX, developed for World Rally Championship homologation, became a global cult car.
Market position
Subaru competes in mainstream passenger and SUV segments with above-average pricing offset by standard all-wheel drive on every model except the BRZ. The brand's US sales concentrate in northern states with snow exposure (Colorado, Vermont, New Hampshire) where AWD provides differentiated value. Subaru is the only mainstream brand whose entire lineup is rated IIHS Top Safety Pick or higher.
New-vehicle warranty
SUBARU VIN Decoder — Free VIN Check Video Guide
Watch our quick SUBARU VIN decoder walkthrough. Learn how to decode any SUBARU VIN number to get full vehicle history, recall alerts, specifications, fuel economy (MPG), safety ratings, and known problems — completely free on ForCar.org.
All Subaru models (24)
Frequently asked questions
When was Subaru founded and by whom?
Subaru was founded in 1953 by Kenji Kita and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Where is the VIN on a Subaru vehicle?
The 17-character VIN appears in four standard locations: dashboard at the windshield base (driver side), driver-side door jamb sticker, the engine bay (firewall or engine block stamping), and the vehicle's title, registration and insurance documents.
How many Subaru models can ForCar.org decode?
ForCar.org indexes 24 Subaru nameplates. Any 17-character Subaru VIN is decoded against the NHTSA dataset to return trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
What technology defines Subaru?
Boxer engine + Symmetrical AWD
What is the Subaru warranty?
Basic: 3 years / 36,000 miles. Powertrain: 5 years / 60,000 miles.
How to check Subaru recalls by VIN?
Enter your VIN in the decoder above. ForCar.org queries NHTSA's open-recall dataset for that specific VIN and returns any safety recalls or Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) that affect your vehicle.
Disambiguation: This page covers Subaru Corporation, the Japanese automaker — not the Pleiades star cluster (Subaru in Japanese) referenced in the logo.
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