Those rear-facing jump seats bolted into the BRAT's bed weren't really for passengers — they let Subaru register it as a car instead of a truck and dodge a tariff ten times higher.
Median 79 hp across 18 similar cars
Lead trim: BRAT 1.6 EA71 OHV flat four
Subaru BRAT first generation1978–1981
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Subaru BRAT first generation yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThose rear-facing jump seats bolted into the BRAT's bed weren't really for passengers — they let Subaru register it as a car instead of a truck and dodge a tariff ten times higher.
The Subaru BRAT is a four-wheel-drive coupé utility built by Subaru from 1978 to 1994 on the Leone, known as the Brumby in Australia and New Zealand and the MV Pickup / Shifter in the UK (also the Subaru 1400 and 1600). Developed in Japan in 1977 at the request of the President of Subaru of America to match North American demand for small trucks and compete with Toyota, Nissan and Mazda, it was designed by Alex Tremulis and, unlike other makers' trucks, every BRAT was four-wheel drive because it grew from the Leone station wagon. Early models had the 1.6-litre EA71 flat four with a single-range transfer case; when the Leone was redesigned for 1980 the BRAT continued with the original Gen I body until 1982. North American and Canadian BRATs had carpeting and welded-in rear-facing plastic jump seats in the cargo area — a ploy to dodge the "Chicken Tax": passenger cars paid a 2.5% import tariff while light trucks paid 25%, so the seats let Subaru classify it as a passenger car. The BRAT was never sold in Japan (it became a popular grey import there).
Collectors Spotted in the Subaru Brat Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Subaru Brat yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAT 1.6 EA71 OHV flat four | 1978–1981 | 1.6 L Flat-4 | 67 hp | 81 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This second-generation BRAT hid a spring-loaded step door into its bed and stashed the spare tire under the hood — tricks you only notice once you go looking for them.
Those rear-facing jump seats bolted into the BRAT's bed weren't really for passengers — they let Subaru register it as a car instead of a truck and dodge a tariff ten times higher.
Plastic jump seats in the BRAT's bed made it a passenger car on paper, paying a 2.5% US import tariff instead of the 25% charged on light trucks.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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