Search for who makes Subaru, and one name frequently appears alongside it: Toyota.
That creates an obvious question.
Is Subaru actually a Toyota company?
The short answer is no-not in the conventional sense of being a wholly owned Toyota brand. Subaru vehicles are made by Subaru Corporation. Toyota Motor Corporation is, however, Subaru’s largest listed shareholder and a major strategic partner.
As of March 31, 2026, Toyota held 21.46% of Subaru shares under Subaru’s reported major-shareholder figures.
Understanding the difference between ownership stake, corporate control, manufacturing, and collaboration clears up most of the confusion.
Start With the Four Different Questions
People commonly mix four questions:
- Who manufactures Subaru vehicles?
- Who owns shares in Subaru?
- Who develops certain Subaru vehicles?
- Where are Subaru vehicles assembled?
They don’t necessarily have the same answer.
| Question | Short Answer |
| Who makes Subaru? | Subaru Corporation |
| Does Toyota own part of Subaru? | Yes |
| Is Subaru simply a Toyota brand? | No |
| Do Toyota and Subaru develop cars together? | Yes |
| Does Subaru operate its own factories? | Yes |
That framework is much more accurate than describing Subaru as either “totally independent from Toyota” or “owned by Toyota.”
Subaru Corporation Is the Automaker
The corporate entity behind the Subaru automotive brand is Subaru Corporation.
Its official company profile describes automotive manufacturing, sales, and repair as a main business, alongside aerospace operations.
Subaru Corporation is publicly listed in Tokyo rather than existing merely as an internal Toyota brand division.
How Much of Subaru Does Toyota Own?
This is the fact that creates much of the confusion.
Subaru’s stock overview lists Toyota Motor Corporation as its largest shareholder.
As of March 31, 2026:
Toyota Motor Corporation: 153.6 million shares – 21.46%.
That is a significant strategic holding.
It does not, however, mean Toyota owns 100% of Subaru.
For comparison, a wholly owned automotive subsidiary would generally have its parent company owning all of it essentially. That isn’t the structure shown in Subaru’s shareholder information.
- Read more: Who Makes Subaru
How Did Toyota and Subaru Become Partners?
The modern relationship didn’t happen overnight.
Subaru says its basic business collaboration with Toyota began in 2005. The companies subsequently expanded their cooperation across development and production.
By 2019, the relationship was ready for another major expansion.
Toyota and Subaru announced a new business and capital alliance designed to strengthen their partnership. Toyota planned to increase its Subaru voting-rights position to at least 20%, while the companies also expanded technological collaboration.
That partnership became increasingly valuable as automakers faced rising development costs in areas such as electrification, connected technology, and advanced driving systems.
What Does Toyota Actually Do With Subaru?
Toyota’s relationship with Subaru operates across several areas rather than one simple manufacturing arrangement.
Joint vehicle development
The most famous example for many enthusiasts is the sports-car project that produced the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 family.
Instead of each automaker independently funding a similar low-volume sports car, the partnership allowed the companies to collaborate while selling vehicles under their respective brands.
Electrification
Toyota and Subaru have also worked together on electrified vehicles and platforms.
Their official alliance history highlights cooperation on a battery-electric vehicle platform and the Subaru Solterra.
Hybrid technology
Subaru has also integrated Toyota hybrid technology with Subaru’s own vehicle technologies.
This shows why simply asking “Does Toyota make Subaru?” can produce misleading answers. Some technologies may be shared or jointly developed even though Subaru remains responsible for its brand and broader vehicle lineup.
Is the Subaru BRZ Really a Toyota?
Calling it simply a Toyota misses the nature of the project.
The sports cars emerged from a Subaru-Toyota joint-development relationship. Subaru’s own alliance timeline specifically identifies the second-generation BRZ as a joint development project with Toyota.
Shared engineering projects can result in vehicles with closely related architecture while each manufacturer controls its own branding, product positioning, and specifications.
That is common throughout the automotive industry.
What About the Subaru Solterra?
The Solterra makes the modern partnership even easier to see.
Subaru and Toyota agreed to jointly develop a dedicated BEV platform and battery-electric SUV, combining areas of expertise from both companies.
That relationship eventually produced closely related electric vehicles for the two brands.
Again, collaboration doesn’t make Subaru a rebadged Toyota brand across its entire lineup.
Subaru Still Has Its Own Manufacturing Operations
One of the clearest signs of Subaru’s distinct automotive operation is its manufacturing footprint.
Subaru identifies two major automotive production locations:
- Gunma, Japan
- Indiana, United States
Its Japanese facilities manufacture vehicles and key powertrain components, while Subaru of Indiana Automotive serves as its U.S. manufacturing base.
Subaru Manufacturing in Japan
Subaru’s Gunma manufacturing operation includes several specialized plants.
Main Plant
Current facility information lists vehicles including the Levorg, Impreza, Crosstrek, WRX, and Subaru BRZ.
Yajima Plant
Current production listings include the Outback, Crosstrek, Forester, and Trailseeker.
Oizumi Plant
The Oizumi facility manufactures automobile engines and transmissions.
Kitamoto Plant
Kitamoto manufactures automotive transmissions.
These facilities demonstrate that Subaru maintains substantial independent manufacturing capabilities.
Subaru Manufacturing in America
Subaru’s U.S. manufacturing facility is located in Lafayette, Indiana.
Subaru of Indiana Automotive began production in 1989. Subaru’s current consumer information describes SIA as the brand’s only manufacturing site outside Japan.
For 2026, Subaru identifies the Ascent, Forester, Crosstrek Gas, and Crosstrek Wilderness as assembled in America.
Model assignments can evolve, which is why current model-year information should be used when manufacturing origin matters.
Who Owned Subaru Before Toyota Became Involved?
The history is more complicated than a simple succession of parent companies.
The company now known as Subaru Corporation traces its industrial roots to the Aircraft Research Laboratory founded in 1917 and later Nakajima Aircraft.
Following postwar restructuring, Fuji Heavy Industries was established in 1953.
For decades, Fuji Heavy Industries was the corporate name behind Subaru automobiles.
In 2017, it changed its name to Subaru Corporation.
Toyota’s modern partnership therefore entered the story long after Subaru’s automotive identity had already been established.
Why the Fuji Heavy Industries Name Still Appears Online
Older articles may say:
Subaru is made by Fuji Heavy Industries.
Historically, that’s correct.
Fuji Heavy Industries officially became Subaru Corporation on April 1, 2017.
So when researching older Subaru vehicles, you’ll frequently encounter the FHI name in manuals, historical news releases, enthusiast discussions, and corporate records.
It isn’t a different current automaker. It’s Subaru Corporation’s former name.
Subaru vs. Toyota: Corporate Relationship Explained
| Area | Subaru | Toyota Relationship |
| Corporate identity | Subaru Corporation | Separate Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Vehicle manufacturing | Own manufacturing operations | Cooperation on selected projects |
| Ownership | Publicly traded company | Toyota owns a significant minority stake |
| Sports cars | Subaru BRZ | Joint-development relationship |
| EVs | Subaru Solterra and future projects | Joint technology/platform work |
| Manufacturing bases | Japan + U.S. | Subaru operates its own plants |
This is the most useful framework for shoppers.
You don’t need to choose between “Toyota owns Subaru” and “Toyota has nothing to do with Subaru.”
Neither extreme accurately describes the relationship.
Does Toyota Control Every Subaru Design Decision?
There is no basis for assuming that Toyota dictates every Subaru product decision simply because it is the largest shareholder.
Subaru continues to operate under its own corporate management and maintains its own manufacturing, branding, and engineering organization.
At the same time, Toyota’s substantial ownership position and long-term business alliance make it much more than a casual supplier relationship.
The safest description is strategic capital and business partnership.
Why Subaru Benefits From the Partnership
Automotive development has become extremely expensive.
Electric platforms, batteries, software, advanced driver assistance, and regulatory requirements can require enormous investment.
For a relatively small global automaker, collaboration can provide scale without eliminating brand identity.
Subaru itself describes its automotive industry share as approximately 1%, underscoring its smaller global scale compared with the industry’s largest manufacturers.
Toyota can provide scale and technology in areas where collaboration makes sense.
Subaru can contribute technologies and engineering knowledge of its own.
Why Toyota Benefits Too
Partnerships are rarely one-sided.
Subaru’s official 2019 alliance announcement specifically referenced combining Subaru’s AWD technologies with Toyota’s vehicle-electrification technologies for joint BEV development.
That illustrates the logic behind the partnership: each company can contribute capabilities useful to the other.
Does the Toyota Connection Change What a Subaru Is?
For most buyers, the more useful question is not whether two corporations collaborate but what that cooperation means for the actual vehicle.
A Subaru may contain technologies influenced by collaborative development while still being engineered and sold as a Subaru.
The exact answer varies by model.
A BRZ has an unusually direct Toyota relationship.
A jointly developed electric vehicle also has an obvious connection.
That doesn’t mean every Forester, Crosstrek, WRX, or Outback should be described as a Toyota underneath.
How to Tell Who Built Your Specific Subaru
If your concern is the actual factory rather than corporate ownership, check the vehicle itself.
The VIN and certification label provide manufacturing information that is more reliable for a specific car than a general online list.
That’s especially important because manufacturing assignments change as companies update factories and model generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Subaru?
Subaru Corporation manufactures Subaru vehicles.
Does Toyota own Subaru?
Toyota owns a substantial minority stake rather than 100% of the company. Subaru reported Toyota’s holding at 21.46% as of March 31, 2026.
Is Subaru a Toyota brand?
No. Subaru operates as Subaru Corporation, although Toyota is a major shareholder and strategic partner.
Why does Toyota own Subaru shares?
The companies have progressively strengthened a long-term business partnership involving vehicle development, technology,y and capital ties.
Does Toyota make Subaru engines?
Subaru maintains its own engine manufacturing operation at its Oizumi Plant.
Who makes the Subaru BRZ?
The BRZ is a Subaru model developed through a joint project with Toyota.
Who makes the Subaru Solterra?
The Solterra emerged from Subaru and Toyota’s collaboration on battery-electric vehicle technology and platforms.
Is Subaru still a Japanese company?
Yes. Subaru Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Does Subaru manufacture cars in America?
Yes. Subaru manufactures vehicles at Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, Indiana.
What company was Subaru before 2017?
Subaru Corporation was formerly named Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.