Subaru’s traditional four-cylinder + four-wheel independent suspension

The Subaru Pleo was released in October 1998 as the successor to the Vivio. Notably, the “RS” model featured the world’s first Sportshift i-CVT with a seven-speed manual mode. This model was indeed a Subaru model that did not lack technical topics despite being a light car.

There was also a DOHC supercharger model

The tall wagon style became the new standard for kei-cars with the introduction of the first generation Suzuki Wagon R in 1993. As you know, the Wagon R was followed by the Daihatsu Move in 1995 and the Honda Life in 1997. The last of these tall wagons was the Subaru Pleo, which appeared in October 1998.

Until then, Subaru had continued to sell the Vivio, which had been developed from the Rex, but it was no longer possible to compete with light sedans alone, so Pleo was released as the successor to the Vivio. However, the traditional four-cylinder engine and four-wheel independent suspension of Subaru’s kei-cars remained unchanged in the Pleo, and the line-up also included a supercharger version, which had existed since the Rex era. In particular, the DOHC supercharged engine, highly acclaimed in the Vivio era, continued to be used in the “RS” model, making it a unique model with high driving performance despite being a tall wagon.

In addition to the basic 5-speed manual transmission, the CVT, which Subaru had been the first to continue to use in production models, was adopted as the transmission, and the sporty models RS and RM were equipped with a 7-speed Sport Shift to achieve a sporty driving experience.

Pleo offered a range from the practical basic grade to the sporty grade RS, but the line-up also included vans registered for commercial use, and in June 1999, the Nesta was added, the substantial successor to the Vivio Bistro, which was popular for its retro-inspired exterior. In December 2000, the Nicot, with a front mask somewhat reminiscent of a popular national character, was also introduced.

Although the Pleo boasted such a wide range of variations, many fans were still expecting a hotter model, and in October 2001 revamp, a long-awaited five-speed manual transmission was added to the RS equipped with a DOHC supercharged engine, which had previously only been available as a CVT model.

Not only was a manual transmission added, but also a high-octane version with a lightweight flywheel and higher compression ratio using metal gaskets, as well as special cams and pulleys. Of course, the body was also reinforced and the suspension was specially designed.

The RS model also disappeared when the R2 appeared in December 2003, and although the Pleo itself was sold side by side with the R2 after that, it was discontinued in the spring of 2010.

As the Pleo’s real successor, the Stella, which appeared in June 2006, also had a model equipped with a DOHC supercharged engine, but the Stella’s DOHC supercharged engine model did not have a manual transmission version, so there are still some people who love the Pleo RS. Many fans continue to patronize the Pleo RS.

translated by DeepL