Who manufactures Subaru engines?
Subaru engines are manufactured in-house by Subaru Corporation, the automaker behind Subaru, at its own engine plants in Japan.
The question explores how Subaru organizes its engine production, including the evolution of its boxer engines and any collaboration with Toyota on models like the BRZ/GR86.
In-house engine families
Subaru’s current engine lineup centers on its internal boxer engine families, designed and produced by Subaru itself. These families have evolved over decades and remain central to Subaru’s identity.
- EJ family — the long-running flat-four and flat-six engines used in many older Subarus; gradually phased out in favor of newer designs.
- FA/FB family — the core modern four-cylinder boxer engines used across most current Subaru models, including naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants.
- EZ/EZ36 family — larger-displacement engines, including some six-cylinder configurations, used in select models.
These families illustrate Subaru’s approach: preserve the signature boxer layout while updating technology and performance across generations.
Joint development with Toyota
Subaru has a well-known collaboration with Toyota, most visible in the BRZ/GR86 sports cars. In these programs, Subaru handles engineering and production of key powertrain components, while Toyota contributes to design, tuning, and branding. The result is shared platforms and powertrains, but engine production remains primarily in Subaru facilities.
- BRZ/GR86 collaboration — a jointly developed sports-car platform that brings together Subaru’s engineering with Toyota’s branding and tuning, using a Subaru-built boxer engine.
- Engine sharing and tuning — while the underlying powertrains are shared, Subaru remains the primary producer of the engine in its own plants, even in joint models.
The partnership illustrates how Subaru maintains its in-house manufacturing while leveraging Toyota’s global capabilities for selected models.
Summary
Subaru engines are manufactured in-house by Subaru Corporation in Japan, reflecting the company's commitment to designing and building its own boxer engines. While Subaru collaborates with Toyota on models like the BRZ/GR86, the engines powering these cars are produced by Subaru’s own facilities, with Toyota contributing to development and branding. This structure allows Subaru to preserve its distinctive engineering identity while expanding its reach through strategic collaborations.
