When you talk about cars, review them, and write about them, it makes sense to listen to podcasts about them. During a Tosh Show episode about Rivian, Daniel Tosh shared three things Subaru warned him to never talk about, and I have to figure out why. 

Subaru allegedly told Daniel Tosh to never speak of three things 

If you’ve paid attention to the comedian, Daniel Tosh, then you’ve probably heard him talk about loving Subaru. He brings the automaker up on the old Tosh.0 TV show and his new podcast. 

Recently, he interviewed RJ Scaringe, the founder of Rivian, to talk about electric cars. It’s very interesting stuff, but the main takeaway I noticed was a few things that the Japanese automaker warned Tosh to never bring up. 

Also, Tosh said he was a secret spokesperson for the automaker. The company didn’t advertise him, but it gave him SUVs to enjoy in California. I’m not sure if this is true, but I’ve reached out to Subaru to see if it’s legit. 

Anyways, as a brand ambassador, Subaru allegedly told Tosh to never bring up World War II, lesbians, or to call the Outback a station wagon. But why? 

1. World War II 

Subaru has roots that go back to World War II. Its predecessor, the Nakajima Aircraft Company, was the primary manufacturer of aircraft and engines for the Japanese military. 

One of the most successful models includes the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa or Peregrine Falcon fighter plane. Also, the Nakajima B5N torpedo bomber was used to attack Pearl Harbor. 

After the war, Nakajima Aircraft was closed and split up. Some sectors were reorganized into Fuji Heavy Industries, which established the Subaru brand in 1953. 

2. Lesbians 

This article is about cars, so please set personal feelings and politics about the LGBQT community aside. However, come on. You’ve heard jokes about lesbians and Subaru models before. It’s a common topic among comedians and auto brand stereotypes. 

According to NPR, Subaru was losing sales to Toyota and Nissan in the early 90’s. So it hired a new ad agency that found that popular hot spots for sales came from women who identified as lesbians. 

This caused the company to directly advertise to the queer community and target independent, single women. Many ads involved secret cues to gay culture. 

For example, one ad has a Subaru SUV with an ‘XENA LVR’. The show suggested that the two female main characters were lovers. Another used ‘P Town’ to reference Provincetown, MA, the popular gay vacation destination. 

3. Don’t call the Outback a wagon 

People love a good wagon, so what’s the problem with calling the Subaru Outback a station wagon? It’s not like that title takes away from its comfort or capabilities. 

Plus, it’s part of the Outback’s history. It was introduced as a wagon in 1995 as an off-road-focused variant of the Legacy sedan. There are many images of the Outback wagon fording rivers and off-roading. 

But the Legacy was recently discontinued, and the new Outback gained an upright, boxy style. It’s now referred to as a crossover SUV. Perhaps that’s the trendy word to attract modern buyers.