Subaru Justy: the small Subaru with a CVT

The Subaru Justy is a subcompact hatchback that Subaru has sold since 1984. The original car was a widened and lengthened Rex with a three-cylinder engine and, from 1987, an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission; later Justys were rebadged models from Suzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota.

Subaru Justy at a glance

Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Subaru Justy.

History of the Subaru Justy

The first Justy was introduced in Japan for the 1984 model year. It was a widened and stretched version of the Rex kei car, using the same doors and pressings, but long and wide enough to escape the kei rules while keeping its engine just under 1,000 cc to limit the annual road tax. It was offered with low or high roofs, and the flat-roof version gradually left production.

Early CVT

In February 1987 Subaru added the electronically controlled continuously variable “ECVT” transmission, which used steel pushbelts from Van Doorne. Supplies were so limited that production was capped at 500 cars a month, and when supply improved Subaru used the belts for the smaller Rex instead. A conventional automatic was rejected because the small three-cylinder engine would have made performance unacceptable.

European and American versions followed in 1987 and all models were restyled in 1989. In Sweden the car was sold as the Subaru Trendy, and in some regions it was known simply as the J-series, J10 for the 1.0-litre and J12 for the later 1.2. In many markets the Justy came only with four-wheel drive, as with much of the Subaru range. It was aimed at the one-litre Daihatsu Charade; the 1.0 was considered underpowered and the 1.2 eventually became the only engine, with 80 PS in catalysed European form.

United States and Taiwan

Japanese-built Justys were sold in the United States from the 1987 to 1994 model years with the 1.2-litre engine. Early cars had a low roof, the 1989 models a high roof; four-wheel drive became optional in 1988 and multi-point fuel injection arrived late in 1991. From 1990 three-door front-wheel-drive cars had motorised passive seat belts, and a five-door with four-wheel drive was sold from 1990 to 1994. In Norway the 1.0 four-wheel-drive car had 54 bhp and a top speed of 145 km/h.

In Taiwan, Subaru’s partner Ta Ching built a notchback sedan version of the Justy called the Tutto, with a fuel-injected 80 PS 1.2-litre engine. From 1994 the Justy name went onto rebadged cars: a Suzuki Cultus built in Hungary, the Suzuki Ignis-based G3X Justy of 2004, and from 2007 a Daihatsu Boon sold in Europe with a 1.0 or 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine. The Trezia replaced it for 2010, and the name returned in 2016 on a rebadged Toyota Tank.

Design and features

• Three-cylinder engine: 1.0 and 1.2-litre EF units just under the 1,000 cc tax break.
• Early CVT: the ECVT of 1987 used Van Doorne steel pushbelts.
• Four-wheel drive: standard in many markets, optional in others.
• Rex origins: the body was a stretched Rex with the same doors and pressings.
• Rebadged successors: later Justys were Suzukis, a Daihatsu and a Toyota.

Subaru Justy versions

• Justy 1.0: the original engine, 54 bhp in four-wheel-drive form.
• Justy 1.2: the later engine, 80 PS in catalysed European trim.
• Trendy: the Swedish market name.
• Tutto: Taiwanese notchback sedan by Ta Ching.
• G3X Justy (2004): rebadged Suzuki Ignis.
• Justy (2007): rebadged Daihatsu Boon with a 1.0 or 1.2 three-cylinder.

The Justy was based on the Rex, and its place at the bottom of the range was taken by the Trezia. More Subarus are in the Subaru collection.

Video: Subaru Justy II Turbo 4×4

Video by VWPoloR31 on YouTube.

Sources

• Subaru Justy, English Wikipedia: origins, CVT, markets, rebadged models