Subaru is a Japanese car brand, and its vehicles are made in both Japan and the United States.

Quick Scoop

  • Subaru is a Japanese automaker, originally founded and headquartered in Japan.
  • Today, Subaru vehicles are built mainly in Japan (Gunma prefecture plants) and in the USA (Lafayette, Indiana).
  • Which country made your Subaru depends on the model, year, and where it was sold.

What country makes Subaru?

The company behind Subaru is Subaru Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer, so the brand itself is Japanese. Historically, Subaru cars were built exclusively in Japan, and many popular models are still made there today, especially at factories in the Gunma region.

However, Subaru also builds cars in the United States at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) in Lafayette, Indiana. This U.S. plant focuses on models sold heavily in North America so Subaru can meet demand and cut shipping time.

So, if you’re asking “what country makes Subaru?” the accurate answer is:

  • Subaru is a Japanese brand.
  • Subaru vehicles are manufactured in Japan and the USA.

Main Subaru manufacturing locations

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Country Key Plants Role
Japan Gunma complex (Subaru-chō, Yajima, others)Historic home base; builds many core models like Forester, WRX, Impreza and others (varies by year).
United States Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Lafayette, Indiana)Builds high‑volume models for North America, such as Outback, Ascent, and others depending on model year.

How to tell where your Subaru was made

If you’re curious about a specific car:

  1. Check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on the dashboard or door jamb.
  2. If it starts with “J” , it was built in Japan ; if it starts with “4S” , it was built in the USA (Indiana).
  1. You can also look at the door‑jamb label, which usually lists the country and plant of assembly.

TL;DR: Subaru is a Japanese brand, but modern Subaru vehicles are built in Japan and the United States , with the exact country depending on the model and market.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.