If you’ve ever driven through Maine, you’ve probably noticed a phenomenon as common as pine trees and Moxie. Ladies and gentle-dudes, it's the Subaru.

Maine's unwritten law is that somewhere in the depths of Augusta's government archives sits a dusty old parchment, declaring:

Thou shalt own a Subaru if thou resideth in Maine.

Not literally, but it feels like that.

I drive these streets of Maine daily, and not one day passes where I don't see hundreds of Subarus. Our weather here is like a teenager with mood swings, and Subarus are the vehicles to handle all of our seasons. Snowstorms in May? Check. Ice in June? Check. Mud in August? You betcha, bub. Subarus come standard with all-wheel drive, making them trusty cars for driving the wild weather of Vacationland.

My mom has a Subaru, and she's absolutely in love with all the space it offers. It's a Swiss Army knife on wheels.  All your L.L. Bean gear will fit in the back. Want to fit seven pounds of lobster in a Subaru? Easy. Even a lady could have a baby comfortably in a Subaru.

In Maine, spotting a Subaru is like spotting a fellow member of a secret club. You wave, they wave back. Subaru owners have a cool vibe. They don't need to rev their engines, because they've got nothing to prove.

Downeast Magazine wrote an article about ten years ago on how beloved Subarus are, and I believe that love is still the same. Eeven though Subarus are not the most popular car, they are driven by over 50,000 of our residents.

What is the most popular car in Maine?

A Ford. Go figure. That data comes from Edmunds. 

I stand by Subarus being Maine's spirit animal because of what it stand for: sensibility and sexy ruggedness.

These are some of the reasons why Maine's spirit animal is a Subaru, thank you. Do yourself a favor and get a Subaru. If you are a true Mainer, then join the club, and embrace the rugged folks that like to high-five Mother Nature. Happy driving.