Subaru E-Wagon (1997) – Into the Wild

The Japanese are masters of building small cars that offer a lot of space for their size. They have to; after all, the regulations for the so-called kei-cars stipulate that limited dimensions and small engines must be used in order to enter a fiscally attractive category. It has already produced quite a few striking cars, several of which also came to the Netherlands. Think of the Daihatsu’s Move and Copen, the Subaru Vivio and of course the Suzuki Cappuccino. Vans also came to the Netherlands that had been created on the basis of the Kei regulations. One of them was this recently spotted Subaru E-Wagon, which you have here on your screen thanks to AutoWeek forum member Quadrifoglio Verde.

Those who have their kei-cars in order know that what you have just read about the E-Wagon is not entirely correct: it did not comply with the regulations mentioned. The car it was based on, the Subaru Sambar developed for the domestic market, did. The E-Wagon, which also appeared on the European market under names such as Libero and Combi, was the brother of the Sambar, sold in Japan as Domingo. Between the bumpers they were almost identical, but it is precisely those somewhat protruding bumpers that make the difference. With that, the E-Wagon (Libero/Combi/Domingo) had to offer just a little more crash safety than the Sambar.

Because of those extra centimeters, it no longer complied with the kei regulations, so a larger engine could also be fitted in it. For example, we got a 1.2 three-cylinder in the E-Wagon that we knew from the Justy. A displacement of no less than twice as large as the four-cylinder in the Sambar, but still modest with 54 hp. Four-wheel drive is of course also present, as befits a Subaru!

The power is certainly modest when you consider that Subaru has managed to cram no less than six seats into the E-Wagon. With six people in a narrow 3.52 meter long and 1.42 meter wide van, it’s a small miracle that it fits. The fact that the E-Wagon with its barely 1.92 m is quite high, of course helps. All in all, it also makes it nice and remarkably proportioned. In its totality it is just a nice and special thing, such an E-Wagon, so extra nice that this white copy is still among us. It breaks through the gray unity on the country’s roads beautifully, even if it does not have the most inspiring ‘colour’ itself. Here and there it looks like there is also an edge of brown and that is unfortunately not really exceptional among boulder carlike species in Europe. Hopefully the current owner, who has had it for over four years now, will see the chance to show the rust ghost the door.