Best-known because of its Impreza; Subaru is a brand which has built a whole reputation round the concept of four wheel drive cars. The look of the Impreza has quietened down just a little since the excesses of the couple of years ago, WRX street racer excepted; but remains as mechanically potent as always beneath its more sophisticated exterior.

The Forester is just about the transport of preference for rural veterinarian surgeons throughout Europe, as have three variants of Legacy, the sedan, estate and crossover estate.

Add into this combination an impressive record at winning countless rallies on the planet Championship also it becomes apparent this is far more than simply another small-scale Japanese car maker.

In only the same way as Porsche makes a virtue of their adherence to a flat six engine, so it’s with Subaru, which uses boxer (horizontally opposed) engines in the range use a low centre of gravity along with a high level of user-friendly torque.