Tokyo, July 8, 2021 – Subaru Corporation is pleased to announce that cumulative production of its All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles surpassed 20 million units^*1 in June this year. The milestone was achieved in the 49th year since the company introduced the Subaru Leone 4WD Estate Van, Japan's first mass-produced AWD passenger car, in September 1972. 

AWD models currently account for 98%^*2 of Subaru’s global sales, and all of those AWD models^*3 feature the Subaru Symmetrical AWD system fitted with the horizontally-opposed “Boxer” engine. 

The most distinctive feature of Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD is a symmetrically-laid-out drivetrain paired with a longitudinally-mounted Boxer engine positioned in line with it. The combination of the low center of gravity provided by the Boxer engine and the superior weight balance of the symmetrical drivetrain maximizes stability and traction intrinsic to all-wheel drive, offering superb driving performance in a variety of weather and road conditions. In addition to these hardware advantages, Subaru has been continuously honing its AWD capability under the philosophy of “human-oriented car making,” to deliver a greater sense of unity with the vehicle which offers increased “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” to the driver and passengers. 

As one of the core technologies that underpins Subaru’s commitment to safety and driving enjoyment, Subaru’s AWD technology has been enhanced over nearly half a century, and its AWD performance continues to evolve in electrified vehicles as well. 

In “e-BOXER”-equipped models sold in Japan and other regions around the world, a highly-responsive motor allows more precise control of AWD, which offers a greater sense of security on a slippery road surface such as on snow or ice as well as an enhanced driving capability on rough roads. 

For upcoming electrified models including the global all-electric SUV “SOLTERRA” due out in 2022 and new strong hybrid vehicles scheduled for release in the mid-2020s, Subaru’s AWD capability will be further enhanced with electrification technology.

Subaru will continue to enhance the “Subaru Difference” by further honing our existing original core technologies while also cultivating future-generation technologies, in order to provide “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” to our customers around the world.

*1 Includes AWD systems other than the Symmetrical AWD.

*2 Based on 2018-2020 global sales. Excludes OEM-supplied vehicles.

*3 e-BOXER is Subaru’s original power unit that combines Subaru’s Boxer engine with electrification technology, with a compact, high-performance electric motor and a compact lithium-ion battery placed in line on a symmetrical AWD layout. 

The “Subaru Difference” website: https://www.subaru.co.jp/en/difference/