This Bubble Era Supercharged Convertible Is Everything Subarus Aren't
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- The classic Subarus are turbocharged rally monsters or low-key all-wheel-drive wagons. The Subaru Vivio GX-T, complete with a three-part Multi-Top, is neither of those things, and all the more wonderful because of it.
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![[ENG CC] Track Race #56 | Mira vs Alto vs Vivio vs Cappuccino vs Estima vs Odyssey vs RAV4](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GogpLX4r970/mqdefault.jpg)
![[ENG CC] Track Race #56 | Mira vs Alto vs Vivio vs Cappuccino vs Estima vs Odyssey vs RAV4](/img/tr.png)
VI = 6 in roman numerals
VI - VI - O = 660 cm3
You’re welcome
Mind is officially blown.
@@antonyingram Same! WoW!!
Oh. For anyone unfamiliar, the Kei car specification requires that the engine displacement be no more than 660cc (thereabouts) and not produce more than 63 HP (I think). There are also length, width, and wheelbase requirements, all to create a market for a cheap, reliable, small car that got you a break on taxes and didn't have to pay to park in the neighborhood. I may be a tad fuzzy on the details, but this is general ballpark. What do you want, I'm partaking in my arthritis treatment and have no desire to research this.
@@pdahandyman if im not mistaken its gotta be at most 3.4m long, 1.48m wide n 2m tall, it made a Honda Fit look like a big SUV in comparison.
i know I am kind of randomly asking but does anybody know of a good website to stream new tv shows online ?
For those that don't know, the Japanese voice at 6:09 is an Electronic Toll Collection box. You slide your toll card into it and it charges you automatically every time you drive through certain toll booths.
These cars are amazing. The creativity they squeezed into an affordable price point was amazing
Yay! More Vivio content. I have a Vivio Bistro T-Top, which is the pike era version. Its funny that you say the market is a few dozen people, which I agree with, but they have so many different vivio variants it's insane. There's an RX-R up here in seattle at Sodo-Moto that has a manual, I'm sure they'd let you test drive it. Some more fun facts about the vivio: It's a Kei car which engine is limited to 660cc yeah? The name spells this out in roman numerals VI VI O. World famous Colin McRae drove a Vivio Super KK at the 1993 safari rally.
Subaru actually did rally Vivios
and they did make them with AWD
Colin Mc Rae actually drove one of those, 1993 i believe, an African rally event with blue rx-r vivio's.
That rear window function. I want that.
Absolutely!!
If you lived in Asia at that time you'd remember these (mostly the regular 3-door hatchbacks) dominating autocross events
After last week’s Bubble Car episode, I wasted 1-1/2 hours looking at all the JDM at this dealer’s website...what an astonishing selection!
You absolutely need to test one of those gorgeous Mazda Cosmo Rotaries! Do it!!
You guys need to go and do a show from Japan , I spent an inordinate amount of my time there checking out the cars and bikes . Totally worth the trip , Japan is awesome .
Wow. I've been visiting my relatives in Christiansburg since I was born, and I knew Duncan's existed, but I had no clue it was so full of cool stuff.
Now imagine if it made 500whp, like strapping a rocket to a go-kart
Sounds like overkill
knowing the hopped up mini community, 250whp would feel 700+ in that kind of car. anything above really can't be put down on the pavement, it's just too light, and the wheels are too small.
Man. Making me miss my rxr. Coolest thing out there
Are you guys going to review the Ark of the Covenant that's sitting in the back of that warehouse at 6:34?
Just dont look at it when its opened. Honestly it looks like an old skool Japanese hearse. Google it
Jalopnik has a live stream on Facebook from a previous visit to Duncan, and they show it in more detail.
It's like a Daihatsu Copen, you don't know whether its going forward or backwards !
Great stuff! Glad to see the return of some good content!
Keep 'em coming, guys! - can't get enough of it :D
3:39 “it’s like going to a funeral for one of your best friends. It’s just sad.”
Fun fact: The name Vivio stands for 660 in roman numerals, they named it as a successor of Subaru 360
Another fun fact: Subaru made the first electronically controlled CVT, and Vivio was the only kei car at the time, to feature CVT transmission
Some of you may remember the Subaru 360 from the Gran Turismo series of games.
Subaru actually attempted to sell these in the US in the late '60s, despite abysmal performance and safety. The Consumer Reports article on the car (linked to on its Wikipedia page) is absolutely hilarious, culminating in this sentence: "It was a pleasure to squirm out of the Subaru, slam the door and walk away." It shows just how far the Japanese car industry as a whole and Subaru in particular have come.
Yet their CVTs still suck
Umbra says Can’t blame their decisions though, they started developing Lineartronic CVT in mid-2000s, both CVT and DCT were fairy new to the industry and no one knew which one to go for. Subaru knew how to make CVT while had zero knowledge about DCT, so naturally they went straight for CVT. Yes their decision eventually bite back to their sporty reputations but, I can’t blame them
@@INUMIMI28 there was a third option. Stick with the regular automatic gearbox.
Umbra says No one had hopes for torque converter auto for a long long time. I mean up until 2016, everyone thought regular auto is dead for good and DCT was the absolute, the best way to go, so basically Subaru wanted to jump into next generation transmission.
This car is the only four-seat kei convertible I'm aware of. With the trunk, rear luggage rack, and read bench seating, it has _far_ more storage space than other kei convertibles like the ABC cars, the Daihatsu Copen, the Leeza Spider, and the Honda S660, which has essentially no storage space at all: no rear trunk, no front trunk, no rear seats, not even a rack. With all the other kei convertibles, you can't carry both passengers and groceries because the only place to put a bag is in the passenger seat. With the Subaru, you can put a bag with the rear seats, on the rack, or in the trunk (although like the Suzuki Cappuccino, with the roof segments in the trunk there may not be significant space remaining). Those rear seats are really handy. You can give someone a lift in a pinch, but most of the time it can be treated like a two-seater with room behind the seats to put your luggage.
I also really like the targa top, because most of the other kei convertibles look like you will almost certainly die if they roll over, with flimsy roofs and frames offering no protection and no roll bars. This Subaru Vivio T-top looks like it shouldn't collapse and crush your head into the pavement if it's upside down. If it's designed properly, it won't. And a hard-top is more desirable and durable than a fabric top. Even the new Honda S660 has a fabric top, like the Honda Beat. Being a modern design, I expect the S660 is probably king in the airbag and crash safety department, but it won't be imported into the US for decades and having no storage space besides the passenger seat it is very impractical as anything other than a toy for brief recreational riding.
The other kei convertibles are sporty and fun to drive and usually have good manual transmissions. The Vivio has some racing history and I'm sure it can be a lot more fun to drive than this video indicated. I can't imagine it's that much worse than the Honda Beat or Suzuki Cappucino, which are generally considered a blast to drive in even at relatively slow kei car speeds. I had desired a Suzuki Cappuccino, but this Vivio, while uglier, looks far more practical and ultimately more satisfying. Rear seats, a more robust targa top, and a trunk with a metal rack on it. I can imagine actually using this as my only car. The Cappuccino would be a struggle-I'd have to the top up to clear the trunk if I wanted to take both a bag and just one passenger.
Like the other keis, the Vivio has excellent gas mileage and is a durable, low-maintenance car. It's also fun to drive under the speed limit, being "slow car fast" with high revs and lots of shifting at low speeds in the manual. People who don't care about the responsive driving experience would be fine with the CVT.
The only downside to all these importable kei cars over 25 years old is safety in American traffic. With big American vehicles, drivers of variable quality, and doubtful crash safety, the keis generally seem risky to drive. I'm confident they seem that way because they really are risky, being hard for other drivers to see, being of very light construction, and rarely having even one airbag. In some areas the danger posed by other drivers is more of a concern, in others not so much. On the Japanese roads these cars were made for, with much lower speed limits and more cautious, polite, and circumspect drivers, I wouldn't worry nearly as much about danger from other drivers. I would be inclined to buy this car or one like it if I am ever living in Japan. In the right locality, I'd also consider owning one here in America.
Thanks for the video, Jalopnik. I am excited to learn about this car.
There is also a beautiful Subaru Vivio Bistro T-Top variant that makes the car much more attractive, with retro styling inspired by older British cars, particularly the Mini I suppose. That's definitely the one I want. I'd say it rivals the Suzuki Cappuccino and first-generation Daihatsu Copen for best looking factory kei convertible. It looks like the car features are the same, though I haven't seen a full rundown, just photos.
It’s for the one person who says “ no, the delsol is much too big to park”
I love that the luggage rack looks like a chrome wing.
Didn't the Cappuccino have a similar back window ? Really nice cars these
Am I the only drooling over the fire apparatuses?
I need this car in white to drive in the Australian summer!
So, did this come before or after the X-90? That’s what it makes me think of. Those were some unique looking vehicles!
Can you please show more of the car ..wondering how the trunk looks and the interior
660ccという限られた枠の中で技術を競っている軽自動車は茶道が狭い四畳半のなかで究極の美を追い求めてきた事に通じる、日本人ならではの精神性を表していると思います。
ヴィヴィオRXR、アルトワークスそしてミラターボに乗ったらさらに驚くと思いますよ。
You guys know that Kei cars are the dominant Japanese vehicle right?
Oh yeah so many white Kei vans like the Stingray all over the place with TVs in the console
Yes that is Correct!
I think should review the Vivio RXR!!
I don’t know how Virginia plate works but the syllables on the left that saids
エ
ロ
really resembles エロ(pervert) in Japanese
I am in Virginia, and those letters are "I" and "D" for Independent Dealer.
Jacob Belcher 35 Ah, now I get it, thanks for the info:)
You guys forget /don't know cars were largely sold door to door in the bubble era. Guess who was home when car salesmen came to deliver the latest literature and offer a look at the latest Daihatsu Mira TR-X.
This people are also importing Japanese firetrucks?
What i think when you say Subaru
*_Subaru Brat._*
That first description of average Subaru drivers is spot on. Parents and young vapers. Hahaha
Kindly shoot more on car descriptions, instead we saw both of ur face more in this video
The opening is lit,as lit as anime opening
Is the person reading the Japanese intro Tim Rogers from Kotaku?
I still want that mits toppo
wish u guys can review 90's daihatsu mira
That’s funny, the taillight pattern is that of an R34 skyline
But its Better
99_Fiαt multiplα
Hell yea lol
What's under the trunk lid? A trunk?
Pls review the hottest version of the vivios, the RXR!!
この先、異国でずっと『カードが挿入されていません』と言い続けるのかと思うと笑える👍
Weird but cool
The front end looks alot like this old Mitsubishi Kei car I've seen before. I just can't remember the name of it.
I think you're talking about the Mitsubishi Minica
@@jimmy1395 yes that's it.
ナレーション上手ですね！
Its everything Subarus arent?
So its reliable...
Where in Virginia is this?
I love the car adventures of discount Doug Demuro and his Homeless Jewish friend.
Pat Booth you should also check out Sideways Sid, the budget Chris Harris. Honestly, why would you pay full price?
Nice music.
BUBBURU
I am in the market for this vehicle.
I daily drive a "rebadge of Daihatsu Mira L201 that re-rebadged into another Daihatsu" 😆,2004 made , 850cc 3 Cylinder 6 valve, carburettor, supposed to be 37PS. It sure is fun to drive a slow car fast than drive a fast car slow🤭
Its Either A Kelisa or a Kancil.
@@trii.spokes Kancil 😆
My friend owns a vivio, not as cool as this one unfortunately:(
Kei car is specifically made for Japan
I imagine a fairly successful female Office worker in Tokyo owning this new.
The shipping is the more expensive than the car
The steering wheel has the same styling as the Autobianchi A112 Abarth.
Nope, its a nardi torino wheel
Japanese audio with English dub. WHY!? FOR WHOM!?
what?
For white weaboos who live for their exoticized image of Japan.
@@juicysushi or for fun, but I'm weaboo and easily offended by anonymous internet comments
Body reminds me of my x90
ナンバーにエロって書いてあるよう見えるw
Why's the Ark of the Covenant behind them in the shop?
I think its a Japanese hearse. Do a Google Image search
2:19 Nice white S-class 👀
ヴィヴィオ いい車ですよ(^^)
cut the back off and make a mini truck
I'm guessing these two have some knowledge of American cars because they seem to know nothing about non-American cars
Since you guys are struggling to imagine people outside your life experience, allow me to lay out the target market: single, employed women who want independent transportation with a sense of style. They’re not necessarily driving enthusiasts, they don’t need speed. They just need a car for road trips and fun, but don’t care about speed. Or crash safety...