Subaru Foresters are popular all over the world because they are some of the most reliable cars on the road today. But this does not necessarily mean that they are made in factories on different continents. If you want to know where your Subaru Forrester was made, or if you’re thinking of buying one, I can tell you.
Subaru’s Yajima Plant in Ota, Gunma, Japan, is the only place where the Forrester is made. The units are then sent to different markets around the world based on what customers want.
So, let’s take a closer look at where the Subaru Forrester is made and how this great car gets to people all over the world.
Subaru Forrester Manufacturing Locations
Even though the Subaru Forrester is popular all over the world, you might be surprised to learn that it is not made everywhere. In fact, the only place where the Subaru Forrester is made is at the Subaru Yajima Plant in Ota, Gunma, Japan. Even though Subaru has a lot of factories in Gunma, the only one that makes the Forrester is the Yajima Plant.
Once the Forrester is made in Yajima, it is sent to different markets around the world based on what people want. But not every Forrester that has been shipped around the world is the same.
Local rules vary from market to market, so Forresters will have to make small changes to meet the rules where they are going.
When it comes to Forrester models that are made for markets outside of the United States, like Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, they are all made at the Yajima Plant and then shipped out, just like they are to the United States.
If you want to know how much sales of the Forrester and other Subaru models have grown in the past few years, think about this. In 2012, Subaru was the 22nd largest automaker in the world in terms of how many cars it made.
But by 2020, it had become one of the best-selling and most-produced car brands in the world.
Is the Subaru Forrester Made in America?
No, the Subaru Forrester is not put together in a plant in the United States. Even though American drivers like the Subaru Forrester a lot, it is only made at a Subaru plant in Yajima, Japan.
When it came to the U.S. market in 1997 from Japan, the Subaru Forrester was a popular SUV right away. It is still one of the most popular SUVs on the market today. Even though the Subaru Outback is made in America, the Forrester usually sells more than it does.
Every year, more than 175,000 Subaru Forresters are bought by people in the U.S. Since 1969, the Forresters have been made at the Yajima Plant, which is one of the largest assembly plants in all of Japan and employs close to 3,500 people.
Because the Forrester is so popular, Subaru makes more than one version of it. These are the Forrester Premium and the Forrester Sport. Even though these models have more comfort features, they are still affordable, with most selling for about $25,000.
With prices that are reasonable by today’s standards and reliability and performance that have been proven, more and more people are looking to buy new or used Subaru Forresters and other models.
How to Check Where Your Subaru Forrester was Made
When looking into what kind of car to buy, more and more people now want to know where the car they are interested in was made.
At first, you might think this is almost impossible, but it’s a lot easier than you might think.
You can look at the VIN number of your Subaru Forrester to find out where it was made. The Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is a number that is unique to each car. The VIN is made up of numbers and letters and is divided into different parts.
When you look at the first three numbers of the VIN, you can tell where the car was made, what kind of car it is, and who made it. The first digit of a Forrester is always “J,” which stands for Japan. The second digit is always “S,” which stands for Forrester.
Also, look at the eleventh digit of the VIN to find out where the Forrester was made. The letter “G” will be shown on the Forrester to show that it was made at the Yajima Plant.
What Other Subaru Models are Made in the USA?
Even though the very popular Forrester is not made in the US, many other Subaru models are.
One of these is the Subaru Outback, as was already said. It is similar to the Forrester in many ways, and its annual sales are almost the same as those of the Forrester, though they tend to be a little lower.
The Ascent, Impreza, and Legacy are all other Subaru models made in the U.S. Each of these is put together at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., or SIA, which is the company’s factory in Lafayette, Indiana.
When it first opened in 1987, this building was called Subaru-Isuzu Automotive. But later, Subaru changed its name to Subaru of America, Inc., which is why the name of the plant changed.
In terms of production, 2019 was a big year for the Lafayette, IN plant. In April 2019, a Subaru Outback SUV came off the assembly line. It was the four millionth vehicle made at the plant.
Since Subaru and its Indiana plant are doing so well, there has been talk of plans to expand and an investment of $400 million by the company to improve the plant. If this happens, it could lead to the creation of up to 900 new jobs.
Which Subaru Are Made in Japan?
Since almost every kind of Subaru car is popular around the world, production of the different models is split between plants in Japan and the United States.
In Japan, Subaru models like the BRZ, Forrester, Impreza, XV Crosstrek, and WRX are put together at plants in Yajima and Gunma. Also, the popular Outback is made in both Japanese and American assembly plants to meet demand all over the world.
But it’s important to remember that even though the Subaru Legacy and Outback are made in the Yajima Plant, the ones that are put together in Japan are not sent to the U.S. Instead, these cars are only sold in other countries.
Which Subaru Model is Most Reliable?
Even though all Subaru models have a reputation for being reliable and long-lasting, some have really stood out in these areas. People also like the Subaru Crosstrek for many of the same reasons they like the Forrester.
People think of the Crosstrek as an SUV that doesn’t have the usual bulk of an SUV. They like that it can go off-road and still has a lot of space for cargo and more than a few passengers.
Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
If there is one thing that people really like about the Subaru Forrester and other Subaru models, it is the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. This feature is unique to Subaru cars like the Forrester and can be found on all models and types of Subaru cars.
The Boxer engine in the Subaru makes it possible for all four wheels to get the same amount of power. This makes it different from the standard AWD found in many cars today.
Also, the low centre of gravity of the Forrester and other Subaru vehicles is helped by the AWD, which works with the balanced drive shafts to stop torque steer.
The Subaru Forrester keeps getting more and more popular with car buyers every year. It has a good track record on the road.
Whether you choose a Forrester or another type of Subaru, you’re likely to get a car that will be reliable for many years and keep you from having to pay a lot for repairs at your local auto shop.