Subaru Sambar For Sale

Subaru Sambar For Sale

Can you believe that a vehicle as diminutive as this can be useful? Yup, Subaru’s Sambar kei truck and minivan has been a mainstay of the Japanese small business landscape since 1961 when it was introduced. Named after the Sambar species of deer, the first generation sported an air-cooled, two-stroke rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. It quickly became a hit thanks to its diminutive size, cab-over configuration, and nippy performance. It was only offered as a van.

The second generation came in 1967 and introduced the truck body style. A padded dashboard was added for safety, and the tiny engine gained a little more power. However, the third generation of 1973 would see major changes. These included a full restyling, a water-cooled four-stroke engine with more power, and some refinements. 1982’s fourth generation brought further improvements to the model. It now came with larger wheels and upsized brakes, a high-roof variant of the van, and later on, four-wheel drive.

1990’s fifth generation saw the first appearance of a 658cc supercharged engine, paired with an optional eCVT gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive system. A retro-styled variant was also available. This would carry on into the sixth generation of 1999. The engine dropped carburetors for fuel injection. Later on, this generation would receive power-sliding doors and dual front airbags.

2009 saw the seventh generation revealed. Since Toyota was now a part owner of Fuji Heavy Industries (the parent company of the Subaru brand), the Sambar was now a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet. This is because Toyota owns Daihatsu as well. This change means that the Sambar is now a semi cab-over, because in the Hijet, the engine is mounted up front. This trend of rebadging the Hijet continues for the current eighth generation of the Sambar, which has been around since 2014. 

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about any JDM cars for sale on our website, please reach out to [email protected] and we'll respond back to you as soon as possible!