Does Subaru make their own engines?
Yes. Subaru largely designs and builds its own engines in-house, and the brand’s signature boxer layout is a core part of its engineering heritage. It also collaborates with Toyota on the BRZ/GR86 sports cars, but engine design and production remain primarily Subaru’s work.
Subaru has built its reputation around horizontally opposed engines—flat-fours and flat-sixes—and has kept the development and manufacturing of these powerplants largely under its own roof. The cooperation with Toyota on the BRZ/GR86 reflects joint development for a specific sports-car program, not a shift of engine ownership away from Subaru.
In-house engine design and manufacturing
Subaru’s engine program is rooted in in-house engineering, with production centered in its Japanese facilities. Over the years, the company has developed several engine families around the boxer configuration, continuously refining performance, efficiency, and reliability.
Engine families and production
Key facts about Subaru's in-house engine program include:
- Subaru designs and builds most of its engines in-house, including its signature boxer engines.
- Engine families include EJ, EZ, FA/FB, and EZ36, all developed and iterated by Subaru engineers.
- Engine production is concentrated in Subaru’s own facilities in Japan, with engines supplied to markets worldwide for assembly into vehicles.
- The emphasis on internal design and production has helped Subaru maintain a distinctive powertrain identity and balance across its lineup.
Overall, Subaru's engine program remains a core element of its brand identity, reflecting decades of internal development and manufacturing capability.
The Toyota collaboration on BRZ/GR86
Subaru’s most prominent cross-brand effort is its collaboration with Toyota on the BRZ and GR86 sports cars. This partnership affects platform development, tuning, and performance characteristics, including engine choices.
Engine platform and tuning
- The BRZ/GR86 program is a joint development effort by Subaru and Toyota to create a shared, performance-focused sports car platform.
- Subaru leads the engine side of the collaboration, supplying a flat-four engine family used in both models, while Toyota contributes tuning and calibration to meet its performance targets.
- In the latest generation, Subaru’s FA-series family (including the 2.4L FA24 derivative) forms the basis of the engines used in BRZ/GR86, with Toyota’s involvement in intake/exhaust tuning and character tuning to align with both brands’ goals.
- Production and assembly are coordinated through Subaru’s manufacturing operations, with branding and sales managed through both companies’ networks as part of the joint program.
The collaboration illustrates that, while Subaru maintains control over engine design and production, Toyota’s input helps shape performance and market positioning for the joint sports cars.
Summary
Subaru continues to design and manufacture its engines in-house, preserving a distinctive boxer-engine lineage and a tight integration between powertrain and chassis. The Toyota collaboration on BRZ/GR86 is a notable exception that reflects joint development for a specific product, rather than a broader shift away from Subaru’s in-house engine capabilities. For most of Subaru’s lineup, engines remain in-house creations, underscoring the brand’s engineering identity and production strengths.
