The Subaru GL is a vehicle built from 1981 to 1989 over 4 generations. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Between 1981 and 1989 it grew 45 cm longer and gained 108 kg. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the GL is
The Subaru GL is a vehicle that Subaru built from 1981 to 1989 — 9 model years. Our measurements put it at 4 generations, the current one starting in 1989. Its closest siblings in the Subaru range: Outback, Crosstrek, Forester.
Where the GL is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 48 GLs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JF2, JF1 | 1981-1989 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Subaru VIN decide which of these 4 lines your GL belongs to. What every character in a GL VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Subaru GL adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
GL generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the GL's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the GL that gives 4 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 399 cm | 238 cm | 953 kg | - | - |
| 1983 | 401 cm | 238 cm | 960 kg | +2 cm | +7 kg |
| 1986 | 441 cm | 247 cm | 1057 kg | +40 cm | +97 kg |
| 1989 | 444 cm | 247 cm | 1061 kg | +3 cm | +4 kg |
Between 1981 and 1989 the GL gained 45 cm in length (+11.3%) and 108 kg in weight (+11.3%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the GL that is 108 kg against 45 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Subaru GL tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment GL owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Subaru GL have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
The GL by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Subaru GL. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | GL | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 19 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 92 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Subaru GL?
The GL is a vehicle, built from 1981 to 1989 across 4 generations.
Where is the Subaru GL made?
Across 48 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the GL have?
4 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1989. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the GL grew 45 cm longer and gained 108 kg.
What is the Subaru GL warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the GL reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific GL?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Subaru
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback | 2005–2026 | 159 | 30 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2016–2026 | 25 | 36 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Forester | 1998–2026 | 120 | 35 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru Impreza | 1993–2026 | 183 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru WRX | 2015–2026 | 12 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Legacy | 1990–2026 | 222 | 30 mpg | 4.0/5 |