Subaru Sambar Subaru Sambar (third generation)
Subaru Sambar (Subaru Sambar (third generation)) was built from 1973 to 1982. Powertrain: 356 cc EK34 two-stroke I2; 358 cc EK21 I2; 490 cc EK22 I2; 544 cc EK23 I2. Layout: RR layout. Size: 3,195 x 1,395 mm (L x W).
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. The picture illustrates the body shape, not this car; a photograph is added when a licence-safe one exists.
Overview
The third generation appeared on 10 February 1973, this one was nicknamed the "Gōriki (Herculean strength)" Sambar due to an advertising campaign at the time. The first series still carried a two-stroke two-cylinder 356 cc engine but by now water-cooled. Maximum power is 28 PS at 5500 rpm. The engine code was EK34, the truck received the K71 model code while the van was called K81. As of February 1976, the engine was upgraded to the EK21 four-stroke water-cooled version introduced in the Rex to reduce emissions. Claimed maximum power remained the same, but at a much higher engine speed (7500 rpm) and with considerably lower torque figures than the earlier two-stroke type.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Against the other pickup / truck models in this database (50 with this body type). Computed from the dimensions in the specifications, so it changes as the database grows.
- about the same as the median of 3,195 mm, and shorter than 54% of the 37 other pickup / truck models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 1,395 mm, and narrower than 53% of the 38 other pickup / truck models in this database.
Check before you buy
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
Other generations of the Sambar
- Subaru Sambar (first generation) · 1961-1966
- Subaru Sambar (second generation) · 1966-1973
- Subaru Sambar (fourth generation) · 1982-1990
- Subaru Sambar (fifth generation) · 1990-1999
- Subaru Sambar (sixth generation) · 1999- 2012; 1999- 2009 (Subaru Dias Wagon)
More from Subaru · all Subaru models
- Chiffon (2nd generation (LA650F/660F)) · 2019 - present
- Pleo Plus (2nd generation (LA350F/360F)) · 2017 - present
- Lucra (L455F/465F) · 2010 - 2015
- Pleo · 2010-2018
- ディアスワゴン (2nd generation (S321N/331N)) · 2009 - 2020
- Stella · 2006-2023; 2025-present
Can I import a Subaru Sambar (Subaru Sambar (third generation)) from Japan?
By production year alone, Subaru Sambar (Subaru Sambar (third generation)) is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Subaru Sambar (Subaru Sambar (third generation))?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 356 cc EK34 two-stroke I2; 358 cc EK21 I2; 490 cc EK22 I2; 544 cc EK23 I2.
How big is the Subaru Sambar (Subaru Sambar (third generation))?
3,195 mm long and 1,395 mm wide. For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
- Complete guide · 12 minImport a Kei Truck, Car or Van from Japan: Rules by Country (2026)What counts as a kei car, truck or van, how to import one step by step, and what the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya say about age limits, with every rule tied to its regulator and the date we checked it.
- Guide · 8 minWhy Japan Built Kei Cars: The History of the Tiny-Car ClassKei cars aren't tiny by accident. They're tiny by law — a 1949 government class designed to put postwar Japan on wheels. How the rules created one of the world's most distinctive car cultures.
- Guide · 8 minKei Truck Import Guide: Which US States Allow Them in 2026Kei truck imports tripled in five years. Which US states actually allow them in 2026, how the 25-year rule applies, and what they really cost to land.