WE met a Subaru Impreza owner the other day. Nothing exceptional about that, perhaps, but he was ecstatic about his car which is two years old and has not given him a moment's problem, writes Andrew Hamilton
More to the point, though, he wondered why Subaru isn't better known: "It's winning rallies all the time and it also comes in at the top of most reliability surveys."
We put his query to Neville Matthews, Subaru Ireland's managing director. Why wasn't his company making a bigger impact on the market? "We are niche players. We have a very special appeal in that all our cars are all-wheel-drive and all are built in Japan. These factors add up to exceptional reliability and astonishing road holding and handling.
"We lost market share last year because we had no 1.6 litre Impreza. This year has seen the introduction of an all-new 1.6TS Impreza and a 1.6RX derivative with enhanced sporty styling."
Subaru's other major new product is the Forester RX available as a 2.0 litre normally-aspirated or a 2.0 litre turbo. "We still have to announce Irish prices: they will be coming very soon," adds Neville Matthews.
He admits that Irish motorists still have a misunderstanding about all-wheel-drive. "We would like them to see it as a huge safety benefit, such as air bags or seat belts. Too many people think of us as 4x4 in off-road terms. What we offer is a sophisticated, intelligent four-wheel-drive system which is intended for road use. Of course, it also copes with mud and wet verges.
"Our engineering philosophy is very simple - all-wheel-drive, the flat-four engine and a low centre of gravity which makes the car inherently stable."
Styling, a huge influence with buyers these days, could be seen as too conservative, he admits: "Let's say it's something we are addressing."
Other reasons for buying Subaru? Neville Matthews cites a three-year or 100,000 mile warranty - most other Japanese makers offer just 100,000 kilometres or 62,000 miles.
Second-hand values are high. "We are the beneficiary of being a niche distributor. There simply aren't too many of our cars around. Being small is beautiful at times!"
Subaru is one of the youngest car manufacturers around. Its start was not all that prestigious. The company's first vehicle, the Rabbit motor scooter, was launched in 1956.
Then came the 360 mini saloon, powered by a rear-mounted 356cc air-cooled two-stroke engine. This was made from 1958 to 1971 and was imported into the US until it was declared by Consumer Report to be "the most unsafe car on the market."
All-wheel-drive and the flat-four engine, two of the identifying characteristics of Subaru, were introduced in the early 1970s.