The Subaru Justy: An Underrated Car That Had Some Innovative Designs

Unappreciated and uncool, the Subaru Justy was an affordable hatchback as small as it was unique. But what if this overlooked car was actually too cool for us?
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
back of a white Subaru
Considered one of the most basic transportation options of the late ‘80s, the
Subaru
Justy was just about as small as it gets. It seemed like only the
Chevy
Sprint had a smaller engine.
Deemed as “slightly better than walking” by
consumers
, who decided this little boxy engine cutie was uncool? 

Inspired by the Rex Kei

The hatchback’s design was original, but you could argue that it was an offspring of the Rex Kei car, just more expanded. Kei cars are Japan’s “minicar,” meant to satisfy the special needs of Japanese drivers. Big on fuel efficiency, Kei’s meet strict regulations in regards to engine horsepower and dimensions.
The Rex was a large, slow rear-engine vehicle powered by a 360-cc two-stroke twin. As a result of emissions regulations, the sales of these models declined rapidly. It also didn’t help that Japanese shoppers were becoming more interested in larger cars.
Subaru tried to stay up to date with emissions rules and even added larger engines to slightly larger bodies of the series. But when the car failed to make a splash in the late ‘70s, Subaru started to work on a substitute.
The next generation had better overall packaging, front-wheel drive, and a front engine. While it kept the old engine (now transversely mounted) the car went through a complete remodel making it one of the most advanced Keis of its time
According to
OldMotors
, “1982, the company fitted the Rex with a 665-cc version of its two-cylinder, bigger bumpers, and bigger wheels and began selling it in Europe as the Subaru 700.” In the same year, Subaru worked on a bigger, wider, and longer version of the Rex. And the Subaru Justy was born.
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Just how small was this thing?

Subaru
had plenty of experience with small trucks, compact cars, and a single coupe. But the Subaru Justy was the company’s first subcompact vehicle. It’s also rumored to be one of the first cars in the U.S. to offer a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and one of the last cars to be sold with a carburetor.
Debuting in 1987, it was just 139 inches long, wore narrow 12-inch wheels, and was powered by a 1,189-cc triple. The small car sported a five-speed manual transmission and a three-cylinder 1.2-liter engine with about 66 hp. It weighed less than 1,700 pounds and came out with a 4WD option in 1988. Perfect for bad weather. 
According to OldMotors, “Small 4WD cars are uncommon because their running gear adds weight and complexity—which typically undercuts the purpose of small economy cars.” But it worked in the Justy and made the car unique. In September of 1987, the car started out with a base price of $6,525.
The subcompact hatchback was available in a three-door body style, and a five-door model was offered in the early ’90s.
The Subaru Justy was thought to compete with the Daihatsu Charade. However, “initially available with a 997 cc engine to avoid Japanese road taxes, the company realized the Justy might need more power if it wished to enter international markets,” reports
The Truth About Cars
.

Is the Subaru Justy gone forever?

Unfortunately, the Subaru Justy only lasted one generation. After 1990, sales were slim. About 6,000 cars were sold in 1991 and 3,000 cars in 1992. Money-conscious buyers flocked to Chevy instead to get their hands on a Geo Metro.
However, the Justy legend continued, as its badge was slapped on a few other compact cars. According to The Truth About Cars, “The second generation was a rebadge of the Suzuki Cultus (aka Geo Metro). Then it was a Suzuki Swift, and after that a Daihatsu Storia. Most recently, in 2016, the Justy name was affixed to the Toyota Tank.”
In 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2008 Justy was met with raised eyebrows. Attendees saw it was a rebadged Japanese Daihatsu Charade and very similar to the Toyota Yaris
In front of the flared wheel arches, the angular headlights covered the corners. The front was curved over the engine bay and featured a sloping windshield. According to
Autoevolution
, “Its thick C-pillars blocked the view toward the minimalist trunk and, from inside, the driver's view to the rear side.”
The boxer engine was absent under the hood. Instead, it was replaced by Daihatsu's inline-three gasoline unit with a five-speed manual.
As far as the interior, the dash was just like we’ve seen in the Daihatsu Charade with a larger speedometer and wider tachometer. It was surprisingly spacious for four people, but good luck squeezing three friends in the backseat. 
Despite its tiny size, the Subaru Justy packed a big punch in a small body. The Japanese-inspired underdog will remain one of the coolest ‘80s hatchbacks in automotive culture.
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