Subaru Brumby News

Subaru has confirmed that it is investigating different avenues back into the ute market, as the eternal search for a worthy successor to the now-legendary Brumby/BRAT of nearly half a century ago continues.However, while yet another collaboration with Toyota is likely given the latter’s 20 per cent stake in the Subaru Corporation, a version of the recently-redesigned Toyota HiLux has been ruled out.According to Subaru Australia General Manager, Scott Lawrence, there is no current or planned discussion around Toyota’s existing ute out of Thailand for one very important reason.“It's a common question, both from journalists and particularly regional areas online,” he told CarsGuide with a sigh at the recent launch of the seventh-generation Subaru Outback.“It is an interesting proposition. What I would say is we need to do what's right by the brand. And many people would say, ‘grab a HiLux, you know, and talk to Toyota about a co-brand,’ as if it was that easy.“But I don't even know if that is right for the brand.”Lawrence reckons there needs to be considerable planning, design and engineering input from both parties right from the very beginning, leaning on each of their respective strengths and experiences, for any tie-up to work successfully.This has not been the case for the current-generation of HiLux, which is a substantial facelift of the previous iteration launched all the way back in 2015.“With the collaborations between Toyota and Subaru, in fact, all brand collaborations, need to be equal,” he believes.“It needs to be input from both sides. Subaru has got great experience in building awesome cars with capability, and Brumbys comes to mind as one that you still see driving on the roads today.“There is discussion around Subaru Corporation as what that looks like in the 2020s, so it is a live discussion. Would I love a commercial ute? Yes, but it needs to be right. It needs to be Subaru.“So, the ultimate question of a co-brand collaboration, of course there are always discussions. But, I think that the big question is, what is Subaru’s territory in the commercial space? And there's lots of exciting discussions going on, but nothing, nothing is shared at this point.”Asked if the rumoured dual-cab ute based on the next-generation version of the Toyota Corolla Cross or coming Toyota RAV4 redesign is a perfect project for such a collaboration (and basis for a future Subaru Brumby), Lawrence was a little bit less forthcoming.“So, the question is, do I see a future for a monocoque style ute?” he said.“That is a really fun conversation and discussion, of ladder-frame versus monocoque. There is the Ford Maverick in the US, of course. (But that is) a much smaller segment, with very few players in that space.“That is a discussion. That is a discussion, yeah. But again, there is nothing more I can share in that space.”So, no chance of a rebadged Toyota HiLux – at least not in the current iteration.And possibly a collaboration on a monocoque-bodied dual-cab ute in the vein of the Ford Maverick, shared with Toyota, and possibly based on either a Subaru Global Platform or Toyota New Global Architecture toolset as per the Toyota Corolla Cross successor.Surely that would be the closest we would get to a modern-day Subaru Brumby!Watch this space.

Another breadcrumb has been added to the trail of rumours that the Subaru Brumby could make a return.

Subaru, we love you but you're missing a few things.Where is your ute? Your retro-revived Brumby? And while we’re at it there are so many other models you should be making and selling in Australia. Here’s our shopping list of what Subaru needs to doOK, well it does look like the Brumby might happen, with CarsGuide reporting recently that Subaru and Toyota were teaming up to produce a small electric ute. And that’s exciting even if it’s only taken 31 years to bring the Brumby back. We’re not saying Subaru doesn't have any good cars in Australia - it absolutely does. The family favourite Forester is probably the best off-the beaten track capable mid sized SUV and the WRX is a superb rally car for the road, but there are more than a few missing models from Subaru’s line-up.The most obvious is a seven seater SUV, which would be able to compete with Mitsubishi's Outlander, Kia’s Sorento and Hyundai’s Santa Fe. Imagine a Forester XL — a three row, seven-seat SUV that’s about 200mm longer than the standard Forester at 4840mm length. It’d have Subaru’s symmetrical SUV and 215mm of ground clearance and be one of the most adept light-off roaders on sale. Price it from $50,990 to $73,000. It’d sell like cakes that are hot.You actually don't have to imagine a Forester XL, because it really exists in the United States and it's called the Ascent. It's  a three-row seven- or eight-seat SUV that's basically a big Forester.What about a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol rival? Could Subaru build one of these? Not on its own, but it is very buddy-buddy with Toyota. In the same way Subaru’s BRZ sports car and Solterra electric SUV were both born out of joint ventures with Toyota, a LandCruiser Prado or 300 Series version could be entirely possible.Oh, and while we’re at it, a HiLux-based ute would also see Subaru go head-to-head with Ford’s Ranger, Nissan’s Navara and Isuzu D-Max.I’d like to think Subaru could come up with amazing names for these two new vehicles but history says coming up with a names isn’t really the brand’s strength. So the ute would likely be something like the Subaru Muster and the big hardcore off-road SUV would be the Subaru Longitude. Terrible names, great cars. And finally, a people-mover and you can thank the Kia Carnival for changing everybody’s mind about these vans being uncool and making them kind of desirable again. Subaru actually sold a seven-seater people-mover called the Exiga in 2012. It was based on the Liberty wagon, but it was discontinued in 2015 from Australia.Despite people mover sales only representing about one per cent of the total market share Kia still managed to sell 10,080 Carnivals in 2024 — that's a quarter of Subaru's total sales for the same year. Will any of these imaginary Subarus actually happen? Probably not. Well the Brumby small ute is likely. Subaru plans to make more joint venture EVs with Toyota, which also makes sense. Still a Forester XL would be nice.

The next-gen Subaru Brumby ute is champing at the bit to make a return to Australian roads.

Giant American pick-ups like the Dodge Ram and Chevrolet Siverado are proving so popular right now in Australia, but the next big thing could be little utes with Suzuki’s Aussie boss contemplating a Jimny-based ute or even the return of the Mighty Boy.Speaking with Suzuki Australia’s General Manager Michael Pachota at the launch of the new Jimny XL, CarsGuide asked if the new little off roader could be turned into a ute, given the longer wheelbase.“The thought did cross my mind,” Pachota laughs. “Let’s cut the back off an XL and make it an X-Ute. Could be cool.“I’d love to say it’s a consideration for Suzuki Global but I’m just not that close to that side of things,” he says.Asked if there’d be enough buyers for a small Jimny ute in Australia to convince Suzuki’s head office to build it, Pachota said that he could see it being popular not just locally, but world-wide.“I think from a global perspective there’s enough demand to say that it's a good export model and/or local introduction.”It wouldn’t be the first time Suzuki had made a Jimny-based ute. A long-wheel based Suzuki Sierra ute called the Stockman was sold in Australia during the 1980s and ’90s.The Stockman had a wheelbase of 2375mm, while the Jimny XL's is 2590mm.The 1980s also saw a two-door micro ute called the Suzuki Mighty Boy cause a stir on Australian streets.  “I would love to reintroduce the Mighty Boy,” Pachota says. “Can you imagine a new spec of the Mighty Boy?"The Suzuki Mighty Boy measured just 3195mm end to end making it eligible for Japan’s smallest kei car vehicle category.Its tray measured 1100mm long, 600mm wide and 300 deep, and despite the obvious impracticalities the Mighty Boy was seen as a fun and cheeky island in the conservative automotive ocean of the 1980s. “It’s a similar story to the Jimny as well in terms of its popularity back in the day and really unique characteristics,” Pachota says. “If there’s one available I’ve definitely got my hand up for it, without a doubt.”If they are ever to become a production reality, the Jimny ute and new Mighty Boy could see the Australian automotive landscape return to a retro 1980s trend, with Subaru also thought to be thinking about bringing back its small Brumby ute which was sold in Australia from 1978 to 1994.A new-gen Brumby could be possible now that Subaru and Toyota are sharing technology. Toyota’s sub-HiLux Stout pickup could form the basis of a 21st century Subaru Brumby.If the enormous sales of Ford’s Maverick baby Ranger ute and the Hyundai Santa Cruz in the United States are anything to go by the same success could be seen in Australia.“Are we considering it from a global perspective? I don’t think so. We’re a small car specialist,” Pachota says. “We definitely see ourselves continuing that kind of type of brand philosophy in terms of being small car specialists.”So for now despite the jokes we probably won't see a Jimny ute or Mighty Boy, and Aussies will continue to buy big utes. But if the market does change Pachota says Suzuki will, too.“As different markets progress, there will be a difference in terms of the demand for size of cars, so we would adapt to the market.”

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