10 Of The Fastest Subaru Models, Ranked By Top Speed

Ever since its debut in 1954, Subaru has shown a tendency to create unique four-wheel contraptions that don't follow norms. The Japanese giant is the only automaker that sells regular passenger cars with boxer engines, and it's offered AWD in most of its models since the 1970s.

And then there are Subaru's rally-inspired road cars. The company had a very successful outing in the World Rally Championship, and to celebrate that, it launched quite a few WRX homologation special vehicles. Potent turbocharged boxer engines. Symmetrical AWD. Supercar-rivaling acceleration. WRXs had it all. So much so, in fact, that the STI-tuned road-going variants became even more popular than the rally-winning monsters.

With so much rally heritage, Subaru obviously produced cars that could reach high velocities. Sure, you can't expect them to rival supercars, but there have been quite a few fast Subarus produced over the years. And in this piece, we'll rank some of the fastest Subaru ever made by their top speed, starting with the slowest one to build up excitement. Enjoy!

Remember when mid-size sedans were fun? Today, the category is a dying bread, and the two big players, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, are primarily aimed toward efficiency. Not so long ago, though, you could've visited a Subaru dealership and left with an AWD mid-size sedan with a flat-six engine.

We are of course talking about the Legacy 3.6R, equipped with a 3.6-liter H6 engine good for 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. Put differently, WRX bits in a bigger, more comfortable body, and a smoother six-cylinder powertrain. Obviously, weighing a hefty 3,725 pounds, the Legacy 3.6R was never designed to be engaging. Sure, the torque vectoring allowed some nice turn-in, but it never made Subbie's mid-size sedan a performance machine.

This was aimed at people who wanted a comfortable cruiser with power available in spades. Oh, and all-season traction thanks to the standard AWD system. 0-60 in the Legacy 3.6R took 7.1 seconds, which isn't bad, but the sedan's top speed of 139 mph (electronically limited) is more striking.

There is an elephant in the room, though, and it's not directly correlated to the 3.6R's curb weight. Subaru's six-cylinder mile-eating sedan had continuously variable transmission, which acted like a torque converter with six simulated gears, but that fooled nobody. It just makes us wonder how much more fun the 3.6R would have been with a six-speed manual.

The Legacy 3.6R seemed like a lost opportunity for Subaru, but there is no cause for remorse as long as the BRZ exists. With the latest Subaru BRZ, the fun never ends, chiefly because Subaru broke free of its traditions. This cheap fun machine is rear-wheel-drive only, making it much lighter than any other Subaru at 2,860 pounds. It's also available exclusively with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic — no CVT foolishness here.

The BRZ also lacks a turbocharger. Crazy, right? Maybe Toyota strong-armed Subaru into making the BRZ so it could produce the GR86, but who cares? Both are brilliant anyway. In an era where turbocharging and electrification are the norm, a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four engine is a breath of fresh air. Although it makes only 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, the engine makes an easy work of the light chassis and catapults it to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Its 140-mph top speed is not too shabby, either.

Still, as colleague Steven Ewing found out in our review of the BRZ, this car isn't interested in straight lines. This car wants curves. It caresses them with finesse and precision that few other sports cars could match, regardless of price. It's rewarding, too, providing a lot of road information to the driver. BRZ's excellent driving position and fantastic stick-shift feel only add to the drama. You should really drive a BRZ or GR86 at least once and see for yourself.

The redesigned 2025 Subaru Forester is a solid family SUV, but certainly not a fun one. Two decades ago, though, and the Forester STi was an affordable JDM car with a powerful engine. It was the same dull wagon-type SUV your mother would drive, but meddled with by the team at Subaru Tecnica International (STi). This SUV on steroids even looked the part, with a hood scoop, more aggressive body kit, and a lowered sporty suspension. And the changes weren't only skin deep. 

The Forester STi also had stiffer struts and anti-roll bars to make it handle corners better. The steering rack was quicker, too, adding nimbleness. Meanwhile, front four-pot Brembo calipers were used top stop this cool-looking family vehicle. They were necessary, because the Forester STi had the same powertrain as the Impreza WRX STi. The turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four unit was good for 261 hp and 279 lb-ft of torque, and was mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission.

Work that stick-shift quickly, and the Forester STi reached the 62 mph mark in just 5.9 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 140 mph. These figures are even more impressive when you compare them to the current Forester. With 180 hp on tap, the latest model reaches 60 mph in sluggish 8.6 seconds, with a CVT transmission hurting your ears in the process.

Ask a Subaru fan about the brand's most legendary car, and the 22B STi will probably come up. This is the closest road-going Subbie to the brand's rally cars. Based on the Impreza STI Version IV Type R, but with a special wide body and stripped of everything but the essentials, the 22B STi brings excitement to a whole new level. How about a center-differential switch that allows the driver to choose a mode that sends 65% of the torque to the rear wheels. Or a super-low curb weight of 2,800 pounds. These make the 22B STi a much more playful car, happy to dance from corner to corner.

But make no mistake — the Impreza 22B STi can also be brutal. Under the bonnet, this mythical Subaru hides a bored-out version of the regular STi's engine, bringing the capacity to 2.2 liters. Big turbocharger and air-to-air intercooler ensure more efficient combustion, resulting in 276 hp. Subaru underreported the horsepower figure due to the gentlemen's agreement between Japanese automakers, so the real figure is probably nearly 350 hp. Now you know why the 22B STi is so legendary!

Crucially, that excellent power-to-performance ratio allowed world-beating performance at the time. The 22B STi reaches 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds — quicker than a 996 Carrera 4S of that time. The 150-mph top speed is equally impressive, though perhaps limited by the additional drag of the rear wing. Either way, the 22B STi is a weapon even today, and sought-after, with only 400 examples produced.

The six-cylinder Legacy 3.6R was a more luxurious take on the mid-size sedan, but Subaru also produced a performance-oriented Legacy. Called the Legacy GT, this version was instead equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four, producing 265 hp and potent 258 lb-ft of torque.

Power was sent to Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system through a six-speed manual gearbox; yup, Subaru made the right choice this time, though reviews at the time said the stick shift wasn't particularly precise. As a result, the Legacy GT reached 60 mph in brisk 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 152 mph.

However, the Legacy GT was also designed to tackle twisty roads. It had a special suspension, similar to WRX's, designed to offer sharp handling, while taking care of road irregularities. You know, like a rally car. So, it retained the comfort you'd expect from a mid-size sedan, but with more verve and precision.

These days, grand tourers are a dying breed, but in the 1990s seemingly every company had one, and Subaru's was probably the quirkiest. Look at the SVX, and its space-age styling penned by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro quickly sets it apart. Thin headlights. Decked rear end with a well-integrated spoiler. Divided side windows borrowed from fighter jets. The shape was slippery, too, with a drag coefficient of 0.29. This was a genuinely underrated JDM classic that deserves more attention.

Step inside, and the SVX welcomes you with a dashboard that's heavily oriented toward the driver, while keeping the luxury theme going on. Like a Bentley, there is a door to hide the SVX's media controls to preserve the interior's minimalist elegance. Meanwhile, the speedometer that tops at 160 mph reveals the grand tourer's highway credentials. Surprisingly, the SVX even has relatively spacious rear seats and a usable trunk. A true cross-continent vehicle, if you will.

But the real highlight of the SVX is the powertrain and drivetrain combination. Under the low front bonnet sits a 3.3-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine, producing 230 hp, mated to a four-speed automatic and 4WD. A six-speed manual would've probably been nice, but the SVX was a luxury-forward machine. Early 1991 and 1992 models could still reach 154 mph, though Subaru later limited the top speed to 143 mph. Due to the old-tech transmission and high 3,614-pound curb weight, the SVX could only reach 60 mph in 7.6 seconds.

The Impreza 22B STi is undoubtedly the poster child of Subaru's rally-inspired performance cars, and peak STi. However, another rally-inspired Impreza could be even more impressive. Amusingly, it was not even made by the STi team, but Subaru's rally team, Prodrive. 

The P1 was built on the same Impreza as the 22B STi, albeit without the wide body. Therefore, it looked a bit sleeker, though with a bit less drama, but that was probably intentional — the Impreza P1 was a U.K.-only car, where roads are tighter. However, it wasn't lacking in other departments; Prodrive upgraded the original 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four with a new ECU, giving it 280 hp and meaty 253 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual was the only transmission on offer, and predictably the P1 had Subaru's AWD system. Thanks to the low curb weight of 2,855 pounds, reaching 60 took only 4.6 seconds, while the top speed was impressive 155 mph.

Prodrive also significantly upgraded the suspension. Stiffer springs and dampers, along with bigger anti-roll bars ensured better road holding. Still, according to many, the P1 was softer than the 22B STi, again probably because it was designed for U.K. roads. Unfortunately, the Prodrive team ditched the Driver's Control Centre Differential (DCCD), meaning the driver has no control over the AWD system's torque split. Only about 1,000 P1s were made, making the P1 a sought-after classic. If you have the chance to snatch one, the Impreza P1 is one of the coolest cars from 2000 eligible for purchase in the U.S.

The Impreza WRX was offered as a sedan, coupe, and even a wagon. However, the rally-inspired model also entered hot hatch territory in 2007, when Subaru introduced the third-gen model. The aggressive new looks with wide wheel arches and sporty rear end with a big spoiler still resonate to this day. Heck, it might be the best-looking WRX STI model ever made.

But the third-gen Impreza WRX STI also got the necessary power bump compared to the predecessor. Equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four, Subaru's hot hatch was good for up to 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 took only 4.8 seconds, impressive when you consider the higher 3,371-pound curb weight. Top speed: 155 mph. Fortunately, a six-speed manual was standard, too, sending power to all four wheels.

The drivetrain was also updated; the Driver Controlled Center Differential from the previous generation was retained, though now it had six different settings that controlled the front helical and rear Torsen limited-slip differential. Brembo brakes and forged 18-inch wheels were part of the deal, too. Even so, according to reviewers, it was a bit more civilized than its predecessor, with a more supple ride.

Subaru also improved interior quality quite a bit in this generation. What was once a dread, plasticky cabin, now featured Alcantara bucket seats and higher quality materials throughout. Moreover, the rear seats could fold flat for higher practicality, aided by the larger hatchback rear aperture.

For the fourth generation of its popular rally-inspired sports car, Subaru divided the WRX and Impreza as standalone models. Make no mistake, the WRX was still an Impreza underneath, albeit with a focus on performance. However, there was no hot hatch model anymore — just a good old four-door sedan. Even so, the WRX STI, in particular, looked even sharper than before, with a keen front end, well-integrated body kit, and a huge spoiler at the rear. Under the bonnet, the 2015 WRX STI rocked a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four, just like its predecessor. It made 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque, enough for a 0-60 sprint of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 159 mph.

However, as before, the WRX STI wasn't designed for straight-line speed. Instead, the fourth-gen WRX STI was a backroad behemoth. It was all thanks to its AWD system, which was now equipped with every trick from Subaru's magic book. Vehicle Dynamics Control and Active Torque Vectoring. Driver Controlled Center Differential (DDCD). Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE). Yeah, they all sound confusing, but the important part is that the WRX STI turns into corners the way you want it to. Like driving on rails, but way more fun. The close-ratio six-speed manual certainly plays its part to make everything a tad more exciting. Unfortunately, this was the last STI-tuned Subaru ever made, with the latest model only being sold as the WRX.

The fastest Subaru ever made is a WRX STi model, but this is not your typical WRX. Designed specifically for the U.S. market, the limited edition STI S209 is the most hardcore WRX ever made. The 209 owners that parked it in their garage got to enjoy a tuned version of the 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four producing 341 hp at 6,400 rpm and potent 330 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm.

To get to those numbers, Subaru's STI engineers massaged the EJ25, one of Subaru's most reliable engines, with a bigger HKS turbocharger with larger turbine and compressor. Boost went up from 16.2 psi to 18.9 psi. Of course, this necessitated a high-flow intake system and high-flow fuel pump, along with a water-cooled intercooler. STI engineers went so far as to hand-polish the exhaust tips for less airflow resistance.

Crucially, Subaru chose a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission to keep the engine in the sweet spot and enhance acceleration. As a result, the STI S209 reaches 60 mph in supercar-like 4.4 seconds, though also has the highest top speed of any Subaru vehicle at 162 mph.

However, Subaru's rally-inspired sports cars have always been more than just straight-line monsters. To that end, the STI S209 is equipped with the brand's symmetrical AWD system with limited-slip differentials on both axles, Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), and even Active Torque Vectoring. Furthermore, the front and rear flexible tower bars ensure higher body rigidity, aided by special Bilstein dampers. The result: an astonishing maximum lateral grip of 1.0 g.