I've just bought my 26th car in 30 years from this overlooked motor brand - here's why I love it so much

Daily Mail​

01-05-2025

A UK driver has displayed an outstanding level of loyalty to one car brand by buying his 26th model from the manufacturer in a three-decade spell - but it's far from a household name.
It's not a popular, volume-seller like Ford, Volkswagen or BMW. Instead, it's a brand that represented just 0.12 per cent of new car registrations last year and was 34th overall in terms of sales by manufacturer.
Bill Nunn, 65, a project manager from London, has become this car maker's most dedicated British customer by snapping up almost one new model a year on average for the last three decades.
His incredible history with the brand dates back to 1995 and he's not steered towards another marque since.
While more than halfway down the list of the UK's most popular motor brands, the Japanese maker has a long-standing reputation for producing practical and reliable vehicles as well as a few standout performance cars - particularly around the its heyday in the World Rally Championship in the 1990s and early 2000s.
While Bill has experienced most of the cars from its back catalogue, he returned to his local dealer last month to collect his 26th example with the same badge. But why does he keep coming back to this relatively niche brand?
Nunn is Subaru's longest-serving UK client, having collected a brand new 2025 Forester SUV in April, his 26th model with a six-star emblem on its bonnet.
He acquired his first Subaru – a Legacy Estate – in 1995, just three years after legendary rally driver Colin McRae won his only WRC crown in an Impreza, which helped put the marque on the map as a boy racer's favourite.
Since then, Bill has collected the keys to another 25, of all them bought from a local dealership, Adams Brothers in Aylesbury.
Subaru's footprint in the UK automotive marketplace can be traced back to 1977, when it arrived with the all-wheel-drive Leone estate.
It has earned a formidable reputation for making robust, fault-free vehicles, scoring well in various reliability surveys where owners are asked to rate their cars for their dependability over the years.
This legacy continues to this day, with Subaru named the top manufacturer in Auto Express's Driver Power customer survey in 2024.
However, it's still far from a volume seller.
In fact, Chinese maker Omoda - which only launched in the UK in August last year - sold more cars in five months than Subaru did over the entire year (Omoda shifted 3,629 units, which is 1,210 more than Subaru).
Jaguar, a brand that ceased sales of new models mid-way through 2024, accrued almost seven times the registrations racked up by Subaru last term.
But despite their relative unpopularity, Bill can't get enough of them.
He has owned a wide range of Subaru models over the years, including various Legacy and Impreza wagons.
However, his favourite choice is the Forester SUV.
He's owned various models from early 1990s variants to the turbocharged XT of the 2000s - and his 26th and latest purchase is a sixth-generation variant in Field specification.
The Forester is a car that has gone down in UK history; it was the last model sold in the UK with a CD player. When the SUV received a facelift in early 2024, the 'old hat' feature was replaced by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, much to the annoyance of petrol heads everywhere.
Why buy 26 Subarus in 30 years?
Bill said: 'It is a pleasure to take delivery of my new Forester, the 26th Subaru I've bought over the past 30 years.
'Since buying my first Subaru, the cars have certainly become more modern, capable and spacious, but the core values that set Subaru apart have remained.'
He added: 'Subarus are just great cars: always a pleasure to drive, comfortable, reliable and safe.
'In 30 years covering hundreds of thousands of miles for both work and private use – in all manner of conditions - Subaru has never let me down.
'Over three decades, the dealer experience has been just as reliable.'
Bill also owned this 2004 performance Forester XT with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine. It would have produced 208bhp at the time and been good for a 0-60mph sprint in of 6.1 seconds
Speaking about the dealership who has enjoyed his business for 30 years, he said: 'The team at Adams Brothers have always been attentive, honest and trustworthy; they're a family business filled with friendly, familiar faces.
'I couldn't recommend them highly enough. I'll certainly be back for more.'
Dane Adams, managing director at Adams Group, said Bill had been its most loyal customer, and in the intervening years has become a 'great friend', too.
And we can imagine why, if he's bought one car almost every year since 1995.
'He's always a pleasure to deal with, and we look forward to supporting him with all his Subaru needs for many years to come,' Adams said.