How much fun can you have with your car?

The key to your car should do more than just start the engine. It should be the key to your life.

That’s been an overarching philosophy for Subaru for decades, as the Japanese brand prides itself on creating a range of vehicles that are not only fun to drive but are four-wheeled invitations to a better, fuller life.

That mantra, along with Subaru’s long-established credentials with symmetrical all-wheel drive technology, forged the path to pioneer cutting-edge crossover models such as the Outback wagon and Forester and XV compact SUVs – vehicles that are designed specifically to enhance – and encourage – an active family lifestyle.

It also allowed for the creation of immensely fun-to-drive models such as the giant-killing turbocharged pocket rockets in the WRX and WRX STi.

No surprise then, the brand has developed a passionate and loyal group of Subaru Fanatics that, along with valuing Subaru key attributes of affordability, reliability, safety and convenience, appreciate just how much fun they can have with their car.

For Subaru Fanatic Greg Farmer he loved his WRX STi so much that he bought the same car twice.

The Bendigo-based motor mechanic’s passion for the brand began when he started working for the local dealership more than 20 years ago, which also led to him becoming part of the championship-winning Subaru Rally Team.

After owning a number of other Subarus, Farmer first purchased his 2002 WRX STi when it was new and, over time, tinkered with the turbo-charged rally replica to enhance its track day credentials.

A few years ago, he sold it to another passionate Subaru enthusiast, who sadly passed away recently and requested that it be returned to him.

“It was one of his wishes to offer it back to me,” he said.

“So, the family approached me and asked if I was in a position to take the car, and I said ‘yes, I am’ and now I have it back.”

Farmer says the STi, which is now draped in a vibrant metallic matte blue vinyl wrap that sparkles in the sunlight, is his “pride and joy”.

Powered by a 2.5-litre turbo charged boxer four-cylinder that delivers 221kW of power to all four wheels via Subaru’s signature all-wheel drive transmission, it punches hard and sticks like glue.

First launched in 1994, two years after the original WRX on which it is based rocked the establishment, the WRX STI immediately cemented itself as genuine performance car icon thanks to an even sharper focus on handling and performance.

Having evolved through four generations, the WRX STI remains one of the world’s best bang-for-your-buck bargains, delivering a supercar driving experience for a fraction of the price.

Not surprisingly, it has slayed its competitors in all forms of motor racing, chalking up numerous victories in production car endurance races such as the Bathurst 12 Hour and Nurburgring 24 Hour, and dominating on the dirt with 11 Australian Rally Championships titles, including 10 consecutive victories between 1996 and 2005, and three World Rally Championships.

It’s the WRX STI’s motorsport pedigree, and the direct transfer of racing technology to the road, that hooked Farmer.

“I think in the early days with the rally scene, the likes of Possum Bourne and Colin McRae created a cult figure for the car in what it achieved,” he said.

“And the actual package itself; it’s a little pocket rocket. You can have fun with it, whether it be on a racetrack or just driving up to the shops to get a carton of milk. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, it’s an all-round package.”

Farmer’s affection for Subaru has also been infectious throughout his family.

“I have exploited all of my Subaru passion onto my brother and sister-in-law, who now owns a Subaru Impreza hatch as well,” he said.

“And my niece, she’s 22, and now has a Subaru XV. It’s spreading. It’s good.”

While Farmer enjoys that Subaru’s all-wheel drive technology amplifies the performance of his STi, other Subaru Fanatics appreciate how the go-anywhere capabilities and inherent safety of their Subaru allows them to have fun in other ways.

For Melbourne fly-fishing enthusiast Bintoro, the added ground clearance and all-terrain grip of his all-wheel drive Subaru XV helps lure him away from the city and explore the Victorian high country, giving him the ability to drive with an element of security on dirt roads in search for new trout-filled streams as often as he can.

The XV follows the same pioneering crossover concept that Subaru practically invented in the 1980s with genre bending models such as the second-generation Leone wagon and the Brumby ute.

Essentially a high-riding version of the Impreza hatchback with a unique suspension configuration and additional body cladding, the XV blends the convenience of a compact car as an everyday city runabout with an adventurous go-anywhere spirit.

Powered by a 2.0-litre boxer engine that is ultra-efficient and yet super responsive, and hooked up to a permanent all-wheel drive transmission via a seamless CVT automatic, the Subaru XV makes Bintoro’s journeys to the Victorian High Country as serene as his destinations.

With 310L of cargo space in the boot that can expand to a cavernous 765L thanks to the split-folding rear seat, there’s plenty of room for Bintoro to carry his fishing and camping gear.

“I needed something that is full-time all-wheel drive that can go into the country on unsealed roads,” he said.

“I used to have a full-on four-wheel drive and it was just too big. The XV is just the right size for me and it’s always full-time all-wheel drive – that’s the reason I like it.”

For Ella Bourne, she needed something a little larger to carry a quiver of surfboards for regular surfing safaris along Victoria’s picturesque and iconic Great Ocean Road.

For her, the Subaru Outback is the perfect road trip companion.

It’s a comfortable and efficient long-distance cruiser thanks to the effortless power from its 2.5-litre boxer engine, and yet snakes along the never-ending twists and turns of the coastal highway with sure-footed handling and positive steering.

It is also loaded with a long list of standard safety features and creature comforts that make light work of a long drive as well as modern conveniences in the multimedia system like smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android mobile devices that make it easy to access podcasts and playlists along the way.

“I live between Camberwell and Torquay, so I’m often driving long distances and play podcasts and put it in cruise control to drive down the coast and go for a surf,” she said.

“And it’s an auto, so I love driving my Subaru in the city.”

Similarly, Rowan Simpkin is an Outback owner and surfer that regularly travels from his Melbourne home in Black Rock to his getaway in Anglesea.

He is also a grandfather, and often takes the little-uns to his beachside holiday house. For that, Subaru’s exemplary safety credentials were a critical factor when choosing to buy an Outback.

Beyond the inherent handling benefits of Subaru’s permanent all-wheel drive system, and the lower centre of gravity created by the symmetrical layout of its boxer engine, Subaru has been at the forefront of advanced semi-autonomous crash avoidance technologies for more than a decade.

Its Eyesight system, which was first introduced on the Outback in 2014, is a comprehensive suite of electronic driver aids, such as automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance, that use a complex array of sensors and a stereo camera system at the top of the windscreen that literally provides another set of eyes on the road and a foot on the brake pedal.

“I love my Subaru Outback because it is such a great surfing and family wagon,” he said.

“I can chuck the dogs in the back, surfboard on the roof and have the car seats in the back for the grandchildren. It’s an all-round, good, safe and solid vehicle that serves all the purposes I have for it.”

Melbourne’s Hayden B and his partner don’t have a holiday house. But they too appreciate the spaciousness and flexibility of their Outback in a similar way.

The Melbourne couple often head out of town to attend music festivals or find a camping site that’s off the beaten track.

Measuring 4870mm long and with up to 1267mm of cargo space when the rear seats are folded flat, Hayden and his partner often turn their Outback into a temporary home away from home.

“I’m like six-foot-something and I fit in the back,” he said.

“We put the back seats down and put an inflatable mattress in there and we’re sorted.”

To discover the Subaru range for yourself, book a test drive at subaru.com.au