Fuji Heavy Industries, the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its horizontally-opposed “Boxer” engine. And despite reaching its golden years, the Boxer engine isn’t slowing down one bit. It’s celebrating this milestone by scooping up yet another Ward’s 10 Best Engines of the Year: the 2.0-liter FA20DIT found in the Subaru WRX.

This brings the total accolades of Subaru’s Boxer engine to five 10 Best Engines of the Year:

• 2016 – Subaru FA20DIT (Subaru WRX)
• 2015 – Subaru FA20DIT (Subaru WRX)
• 2014 – Subaru FA20 (Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86)
• 2010 – Subaru EJ255 (Subaru Legacy GT)
• 2004 – Subaru EJ257 (Subaru WRX STI)

Subaru’s signature Boxer engine was introduced on the Subaru 1000 compact passenger car on May 14, 1966.

Since then, Subaru has maximized the advantages of this engine layout and has continuously enhanced them to provide more efficiency and power. Today, every Subaru is fitted with a boxer engine with total production topping 16 million units over the past 50 years.

In a horizontally-opposed design of the Boxer engine, the pistons face each other in a side-to-side symmetrical layout. The opposing pistons work to cancel out the inertia force of each other, resulting in less vibration and superb rotational balance which provide a smooth feel right up to the high rev range.

The Boxer engine is one of the key components that comprise Subaru’s distinctive Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system. Subaru Symmetrical AWD offers a combination of superior stability and traction intrinsic to AWD and balanced distribution of weight provided by the symmetrically-laid-out drivetrain with a longitudinally-mounted Boxer engine positioned in line with it; the synergy delivers excellent performance such as stability at high speeds and brisk cornering.

Under the “Confidence in Motion” brand statement, Subaru will continue to enhance its engineering excellence and distinctive appeal to offer an “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” driving experience to customers worldwide.