The Subaru Outback was first introduced in 1995 and quickly became a big hit with outdoor lovers.
Outbacks are known for their rugged performance, superb safety and roomy interior.
You might be wondering where the Outback comes from as part of your pre-purchase process.
This article answers the question “where are Outbacks produced?” Let’s get started...
Table of Contents
Where Are Outbacks Being Made?
Subaru Outbacks for the North American market are made in Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) assembly plant. All other Subaru Outbacks for the international market are produced at the Yajima Plant in Ota in Japan.
For American and Canadian buyers the Outback is built and Assembled exclusively in the U.S.
However for the rest of the world market, e.g. Asia, Europe, Middle East, Australia/NZ – the Outback will be assembled in and shipped from Japan with each model exhibiting slight variations to meet local regulations.
Are Subaru Outbacks for the U.S. Market Produced in the U.S.?
All Subaru Outbacks for the U.S. market are produced in Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) assembly plant. SIA is Subaru’s only manufacturing plant outside of Asia and makes 35% of Subarus’s global output.
Despite being a Japanese car, Subaru produces Outback parts and assembles the models in the United States – at least those sold to American buyers.
Having Outbacks produced locally means prices can be kept down as money is saved on shipping costs and there is a plentiful supply.
Other Subaru models being made at the SIA plant for the North American market are the:
- Ascent
- Impreza
- Legacy
Since 1990, the SIA facility has ramped up its yearly production of vehicles from 67,000 to approximately 390,000, and currently employs more than 6,000 people.
Are They Being Assembled in the U.S.?
The Subaru Outbacks that are made for sale in the U.S. are assembled in the U.S. – at least those sold to American buyers.
Those that are produced for the rest of the world are manufactured and assembled in Ota, Japan at the Yajimi Plant.
Please also check out our article: Subaru Outbacks in snow & winter driving
How Can You Check Where a Specific Subaru Outback Was Produced?
The simplest way to verify where your Outback was produced is to check your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Each character included in the VIN gives valuable information about the car such as origin, model, year of manufacture, and much more.
There are several free online VIN-lookup tools that you can use to make the process even simpler.
The first digit or letter in the VIN identifier signifies that origin.
- If the VIN on the Outback begins with ‘1’, the Outback was manufactured in the U.S.
- If the first letter of the VIN is a ‘J’, the car was made in Japan.
Are Japanese or European Built Subaru Outbacks Better?
If you are wondering if Japanese or European built Subaru Outbacks are better, it is important to note that Outbacks are not made in Europe.
Subaru Outbacks are made in Japan and the United States.
In Japan, Outbacks are manufactured at the Yajima Plant in the city of Ota and in the U.S. they are produced in Lafayette, Indiana.
In general, Subaru Outbacks made in both Gunma, Japan and Lafayette, Indiana are of remarkably high quality and adhere to stringent quality control specifications.
Where Is the Subaru Outback Designed?
Subaru Outbacks designs are orchestrated within the Subaru headquarters, in Camden, New Jersey.
Design concepts are also shared with and borrowed from the Japanese design teams to maintain continuity within the brand.
Where Are Subaru Outbacks Made for the Australia Market?
For the Australian market, Subaru Outbacks are made in Japan.
Apart from Subaru Outbacks sold in the North American market, all other Outbacks are manufactured at the Yajimi Plant, in Ota, Japan.
The Yajimi Plant is 550,000 square meters and has over 3,000 employees.
Where Are Subaru Outbacks Made for the Canadian Market?
Subaru Outbacks for the Canadian market are currently being made in Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) assembly plant.
Other Subarus for the Canadian market such as the Legacy and Tribeca are also produced at SIA.
Where Are Subaru Outbacks Made for the U.K Market?
All Subaru Outbacks sold in the U.K. market are made at the Yajimi Plant, in Ota, Japan.
However, there is not a significant market for the cars in Europe and in the U.K. Subaru Outbacks are even less popular.
While the head of operations at Subaru UK, John Hurtig, hopes for improved sales in coming years, he admits that current sales in the UK have been ‘embarrassingly low’.
Is Subaru Outback Planning to Move Its Production?
It is not likely that Subaru Outbacks will be produced in any other location. Subarus of all kinds have been produced in the same plants for many years.
Until and unless significant changes within the company occur, production is expected to continue in the same locations that that have always handled the manufacturing process.
For most of the world, the Subaru plants in Gunma, Japan will continue supplying the following:
- Impreza
- Levorg
- Subaru XV
- WRX
- Forester
- BRZ
- Outback
For the U.S. market, the Lafayette, Indiana plant will continue supplying the following to the North American market.
- Ascent
- Legacy
- Outback
- Impreza
Is Subaru Outback Hiring or Firing in the U.S.?
Subaru is always hiring in the U.S. and the company maintains many official locations throughout the United States.
Subaru’s headquarters are located in Camden, NJ.
The company’s manufacturing plant is in Lafayette, In.
Regional distribution centers and field offices can be found in most of the major cities within the U.S.
When it comes to employment at Subaru in the United States, the company takes pride in providing for its employees.
Employees at all levels enjoy a host of benefits such as:
- Subsidized lease programs for new car purchases
- Tuition assistance
- Advancement opportunities
- Annual Bonuses
- Comprehensive benefits package
Related: 8 Most Common Problems With Subaru Outback (Explained)
Is Subaru Outback an American Company?
Subaru is a Japanese company and always has been.
Subaru is also now owned partially (20%) by Toyota which is also a Japanese company.
Despite that, the Subaru Outbacks found and sold in the U.S. market come from Subaru of America.
Subaru of America is a subsidiary of the main Subaru Corporation and operates as the same company.
It was opened by an American by the name of Malcom Bricklin, in 1967, and has overseen production and franchises ever since.
