Subaru Vivio

Lore & Background

The Vivio's name references the engine displacement of 660 cc via an approximation of Roman numerals (VI, VI, O) and the word 'vivid'. It was available with a variety of 658 cc naturally aspirated or supercharged four-cylinder engines, including the EN07E multi-point fuel-injected unit producing 52 PS in manual cars (48 PS with ECVT) in Japan, and 44 PS DIN in Europe. A carbureted version with 42 PS equipped the Vivio Van. The top-of-the-line RX-R featured a Twin Cam 16-valve engine that claimed no more power than the SOHC versions to comply with kei car regulations, but torque was higher at 88 Nm versus 84 Nm.

In May 1993, the T-top version arrived as a special-order model celebrating Subaru's 40th anniversary, with only 3,000 units built. It was assembled by Takada Kogyo, a convertible specialist. An additional 1,000 GX-T models followed in February 1994, fitted with the supercharged EN07Z engine and ECVT. The Vivio Bistro, introduced in November 1995, featured a retro theme with Mini-esque fascias and became a hit, spawning multiple variants such as the Bistro B-Custom, Bistro Chiffon, and Club Bistro with a British black cab appearance. The suspension setup was inspired by the Legacy, avoiding strict use of MacPherson struts to reduce production costs.

Reader's Guide

The Subaru Vivio holds a unique place in rally history despite its kei car classification. The supercharged RX-R and RX-RA grades were widely used for rallying in Japan, with the RX-RA featuring closer ratio gearing and stiffer suspension. In 1992, a private entrant ran a Vivio RX-R in the Paris-Beijing marathon raid; it was faster than the Mitsubishi Pajero works team during the prologue and ran for over a week before breaking its suspension, eventually finishing unofficially after repairs. The most famous international appearance came at the 1993 Safari Rally, where three Vivio Super KK (the FIA homologation name for the RX-R) were entered by Noriyuki Koseki. Driven by Masashi Ishida, Patrick Njiru, and Colin McRae in his Safari debut, the 658 cc engine produced 85 PS in rally trim. Only Njiru finished, placing 12th. McRae set the fastest stage time before retiring with suspension failure, later remarking that 'You can hide the whole car in every single pothole along the route!' The car's appearance was satirized by cartoonist Jim Bamber, depicting McRae driving a Vivio underneath an elephant. Some entrants still enter Vivios at WRC Rally Japan.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Vivio' is a reference to the engine's 660 cc displacement written as an approximation of Roman numerals (VI, VI, O) and also inspired by the word 'vivid'.
• Only 3,000 T-top versions were built to celebrate Subaru's 40th anniversary, assembled by Takada Kogyo.
• At the 1993 Safari Rally, Colin McRae set the fastest stage time in a Vivio Super KK before retiring with suspension failure.
• The Vivio Bistro series became a hit, leading to multiple retro-themed variants including the Club Bistro with a British black cab appearance.