Subaru Vivio
Subaru Vivio was built in 1992 1998, as a 3-door hatchback/van; 5-door hatchback; 2-door targa top. Powertrain: 658 cc EN07A carbureted I4; 658 cc EN07E MPI I4; 658 cc EN07Z supercharged I4; 658 cc EN07X SC DOHC 16V I4. Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive. Size: 3,295 x 1,395 x 1,385 mm (L x W x H). Weight: 650 kg-700 kg.
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 Subaru Vivio is a kei car that was introduced in March 1992, and manufactured by Subaru until October 1998. It is small enough to place it in the kei car class, giving its owners large tax breaks in Japan. The Vivio has a spacious interior considering its small size, thanks to a relatively tall profile and large windows. The name "Vivio" is a reference to the engine's displacement of 660 written in an approximation of Roman numerals (VI, VI, O), and also inspired by the word vivid. It replaced the Rex nameplate that was introduced in the 1970s, and was itself superseded by the Subaru Pleo.
Drivetrain
The Vivio was available with a variety of 658 cc naturally aspirated or supercharged four-cylinder "Clover" engines with different gearbox options (including ECVT – an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission) and multiple trim packages. Aside from the top-of-the-line RX-R, all engines were SOHC 8-valve designs. The ECVT equipped supercharged model claimed 64 PS with such a setup, and while the Twin Cam 16-valve RX-R version claimed to make no more power than the SOHC, this was only to stay within the limitations laid down by Japan's kei car legislations.
Motorsport
In 1992, at the Paris-Beijing marathon raid, a private entrant ran the Vivio RX-R with the EN07X engine. Most people who saw the car thought it wouldn't last long, but it was faster than the Mitsubishi Pajero works team during the prologue stage, and ran for more than a week until it broke its suspension. The car made it to the finishing line unofficially after repairs were carried out, with no other serious troubles.
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 van / MPV models in this database (40 with this body type). Computed from the dimensions in the specifications, so it changes as the database grows.
- 100 mm below the median of 3,395 mm, and shorter than 68% of the 38 other van / MPV models in this database.
- 80 mm below the median of 1,475 mm, and narrower than 87% of the 38 other van / MPV models in this database.
- 205 mm below the median of 1,590 mm, and lower than 75% of the 24 other van / MPV models in this database.
Who it suits
- Families, groups and shuttle work: the people-carrier body is built around seating and access.
- City and mixed driving: hatchbacks are compact outside and flexible inside.
Check before you buy
- Test the four-wheel-drive system (transfer case, differentials) and look for uneven tyre wear.
- 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.
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 Vivio from Japan?
By production year alone, Subaru Vivio 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 Vivio?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 658 cc EN07A carbureted I4; 658 cc EN07E MPI I4; 658 cc EN07Z supercharged I4; 658 cc EN07X SC DOHC 16V I4.
How big is the Subaru Vivio?
3,295 mm long and 1,395 mm wide and 1,385 mm tall (3-door hatchback/van; 5-door hatchback; 2-door targa top). 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.
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