Subaru's own line on this redesign: the only parts carried over from the old rear-engined Rex were "two connecting rods and an ashtray."
Median 64 hp across 157 similar cars
Lead trim: 544 cc EK23 (31 PS) · up to 36 hp
Subaru Rex second generation1981–1986
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Subaru Rex second 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.
FactSubaru's own line on this redesign: the only parts carried over from the old rear-engined Rex were "two connecting rods and an ashtray."
Front-wheel drive from August 1981 with all-new bodywork and independent suspension all round: the only parts said to be left from the rear-engined Rex were "two connecting rods and an ashtray". Power stayed at 31 PS from a twin-barrel carburettor in three- and five-door hatchbacks. On-demand 4WD (electrically engaged by a switch on the gear lever) arrived after October 1983, a first for the class, and a turbo was added to the 4WD Rex in December 1983 to offset the drivetrain's weight. The mail-order "Rex Dinos" trim came in 1982. In Europe it was the Subaru 600 or Mini Jumbo, and from September 1982 the 700 with a 665 cc EK42 of 37 PS (35 PS on lower-octane fuel) and 78 mph, on 12-inch wheels and 9 cm longer. Built under licence in China as the Yunque GHK 7060 (1991–2005), and stretched and widened into the original Subaru Justy, which outlived the Rex badge (to 1994).
Collectors Spotted in the Subaru Rex Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Subaru Rex yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 544 cc EK23 (31 PS) | 1981–1986 | 0.5 L Inline-2 | 31 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| 544 cc EK23-T turbo 4WD | 1983–1986 | 0.5 L Inline-2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 665 cc EK42 export Subaru 700 (37 PS) | 1982–1986 | 0.7 L Inline-2 | 36 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
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
The third-gen Rex's four-cylinder engine was a kei-class rarity — the first since the Mazda Carol, in a segment almost entirely built around two-cylinder engines.
Subaru's own line on this redesign: the only parts carried over from the old rear-engined Rex were "two connecting rods and an ashtray."
When Subaru replaced this rear-engined Rex in 1981 with a front-wheel-drive redesign, engineers joked only two parts carried over: two connecting rods and an ashtray.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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