A hybrid Subaru ‘Rex’? No, not the WRX – but Subaru Australia’s boss has left the door open for an affordable hybrid crossover to join the lineup should the business case make sense.
“We’re always looking at our model range and how best we can give more Australians options for Subaru. When we bring models in, they have to be right for the market, right for Australian consumers, and we also have to have permission to play in that territory,” said Scott Lawrence, general manager for Subaru Australia.
“So it’s not a no, but right now we’ve got no firm plans to bring in the Rex from Japan.”
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But what is a Subaru Rex? Not to be confused with the colloquial name for the WRX sports sedan, the Rex is a cheap sub-compact – or ‘light’ – SUV that Subaru sells in the Japanese domestic market.
Effectively a rebadged Daihatsu Rocky, which is also sold as the Toyota Raize in and outside Japan, the Subaru Rex offers three-cylinder petrol and petrol-electric hybrid engine options, with petrol-only models also offering the option of all-wheel drive.
The base 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine develops 72kW of power and 140Nm of torque and sends drive to either the front or all four wheels via a CVT automatic; while the ‘e-Smart Hybrid’ quotes system outputs of 78kW/170Nm and only drives the front wheels.
WLTC economy figures are quoted at 20.7km/L (4.8L/100km) for the petrol and a very thrifty 28.0km/L (3.5L/100km) for the Rex Hybrid, which could make it one of the most fuel-efficient non-plug-in vehicles in Australia.
Measuring 3995mm long, 1695mm wide and 1620mm tall, the Rex is as long as a Suzuki Fronx but a little skinnier in width, making this a very compact SUV indeed. It’s even tangibly smaller than the Toyota Yaris Cross (4180 x 1765mm x 1590mm).
Japanese domestic market pricing kicks off from 1,910,700 yen (A$17,631) for the petrol, with the cheapest Rex Hybrid starting from 2,216,500 yen (A$20,453).
While the Rex could become one of Australia’s cheapest SUVs if it hypothetically made it Down Under, hurdles would include investment to homologate it to strict Australian Design Rules (ADRs), as well as the likelihood of a low ANCAP safety rating.
Cheap, compact vehicles in Japan generally aren’t subjected to the same safety requirements as larger vehicles designed for export to markets like Australia and Europe, which can pose a challenge for carmakers like Subaru that are known for generally achieving five-star ANCAP ratings.
However, vehicles like the Rex pose an opportunity for legacy manufacturers to return to the affordable, entry-level end of the Australian new vehicle market.
Save for Hyundai, Kia and the Chinese brands, very few car brands in Australia currently offer new vehicles that come in under $30,000 drive-away.
Key rivals for the Rex in Australia would be cut-price crossovers like the Chery Tiggo 4 (from $23,990 D/A), MG ZS (from $22,990 D/A) and Hyundai Venue (from $23,750).
The cheapest new vehicle in Subaru’s current stable is the Impreza hatchback, which kicks off from $33,490 plus on-road costs.
Let us know in the comments if you’d like the see the Subaru Rex in Australia!