The 4 Car Brands With the Best Driving Experience - It’s BMW, Audi, Porsche - and Subaru?

Wait, what? Subaru, a mainstream (non-luxury car brand), has reached the top ranks for driving enthusiasts.

It's not just the Subaru WRX sports car and BRZ sport coupe that drive Subaru's best road test scores. To create the score, a new study from Consumer Reports (by subscription) tested all nine Subaru models, including the top-selling Subaru Crosstrek, Forester, Outback, and Solterra SUVs. Subaru is tied with Porsche as the third-best car brand. 

"The road-test score is an amalgam of a given model's driving experience, factoring in power delivery, handling agility, braking performance, ride comfort, noise isolation, seat comfort, controls' ease of use, and fuel economy if it's not an EV," says Gabe Shenhar, associate director of CR's auto test program.

BMW, Audi, and Porsche are ranked the three best. 

It's not a surprise that German automakers BMW, Audi, and Porsche are ranked the best in CR's road test scores. The three luxury brands are known for their sporty cars with superior driving dynamics. It is a surprise where Subaru is ranked. 

Here are Consumer Report's top-10 best road test results with their scores.

1. BMW- 88
2. Audi - 86
3. Porsche - 84 
4. Subaru -84
5. Chrysler - 83
6. Kia - 83
7. Tesla - 83
8. Hyundai - 82
9. Honda - 82
10. Mini - 81 

Even more surprising is that Subaru scores in the top three and is tied with Porsche for the third-best spot. 

Consumer Reports says they ranked the brands based on the average road-test score. They count current models from across their product portfolios that CR has tested. This testing process involves a wide range of tests that evaluate various aspects of a car's performance, from power delivery to fuel economy.

"The leading brands tend to excel in a wide range of tests and have strong, consistent performance across the line," says CR.

• BMW had 15 models tested
• Audi  9 models tested
• Porsche  4 models tested
• Subaru  9 models tested

As I mentioned, Consumer Reports tested all nine Subaru models, including the best-selling SUVs, Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV, Forester compact SUV, and Outback midsize SUV, to come up with the third-best score. 

Why does the Subaru's driving experience rank as high as Porsche?

Subaru's secret weapon? The Boxer engine. This unique feature, exclusive to Subaru, brings a level of balance that sets the brand apart from all others. In scientific terms, balance is the body's ability to maintain its center of gravity above its support base. 

The Subaru Boxer engine helps maintain stability in all driving situations, especially in a taller SUV. 

Subaru Uses The Boxer Engine Exclusively

No other automaker offers a flat-four Boxer engine in all its vehicles. The horizontally opposed design allows the engine to sit low in the chassis, lowering the center of gravity and giving all Subaru models excellent balance and the best driving dynamics. A driver can make a mistake in a Subaru vehicle and not get hurt because they tend to be more stable than other cars and sport utility vehicles.

Imagine a scenario where a driver enters a corner or exit ramp too quickly. In a Subaru, the car's lower center of gravity keeps it from leaning too far over, preventing the driver from overcorrecting and potentially causing a crash. This safety feature is just one of the many reasons why Subaru's driving experience is top-ranked with BMW, Audi, and Porsche.

Another characteristic of Subaru models that contributes to their driving experience is their excellent visibility for the driver.

Because the Boxer engine in Subaru models sits much lower in the chassis than in other car brands, the lower engine height significantly affects a Subaru vehicle's outward visibility from the driver's seat.

The significant benefit is that the hood slopes downward because of the Boxer engine's height in the engine compartment. The lower hood height gives the driver improved outward visibility and a better view of the road ahead. Even though the Outback, Legacy, and Ascent are midsize SUVs, it feels like you're driving a much smaller vehicle.  

Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel-drive

Subaru vehicles have the best driving experience with superior driving dynamics in all situations because every model except for the BRZ sport coupe comes with Subaru's excellent Symmetrical all-wheel-drive technology. 

The Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system offers superior all-weather and extreme-weather driving capability. Whatever the road conditions, a Subaru vehicle will offer confidence because of its stability in all situations. 

Conclusion:

Subaru vehicles are the third-best car brand in CR's road tests because they have superior driving dynamics in all situations, excellent visibility, and superior all-weather capability—all vital characteristics for not just its sports cars but also its top-selling Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback SUVs. 

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Subaru North Orlando