Subaru Justy: PH Heroes

The fact it looks nothing special is what makes the original Subaru Justy exactly that

PistonHeads is a broad church. So we'll live in hope that there are enough folk out there who appreciate the Subaru Justy to merit its inclusion among the typically faster, more exotic and apparently exciting cars usually granted PH Hero status.

Certainly this will be one of the rarer machines we've ever featured in this slot, the Justy among the many mainstream cars to have seemingly just vanished from the roads having lived out their working lives. In the case of the Justy these will have been harder than the average supermini too, the country folk who did buy them not afraid of making the most of the little Subaru's USP of startling all-weather and off-road ability. Survivors like this, therefore, are a very unusual sight and worthy of celebration.

This unique character is all symbolised - and engaged - by a big red button on the gearstick. Call us childish but that, as much as anything, marks the Justy out as something rather cool.

It's a humdrum supermini from the outside...

Four on the floor
Qualities not lost on young owner Tom Story, who deserves credit for his dedication to seeking out something a bit different from the Corsas and Citroens his mates drive. He bought his first Justy for just £500 but soon discovered there was more to it than met the eye, little of it good. But the bug had bitten and, after failing to convince a local owner to part with his, the hunt was on for a replacement. He spotted this facelifted 1993 five-door on eBay and was instantly smitten. But not quick enough with his bid.

Fortune was on his side though, and when the original buyer pulled out he was immediately on the train to East Sussex with every intention of driving it home to Yorkshire if everything checked out.

It did. The Justy's original owner had kept it fastidiously and, for not much more than Shed money, Tom had himself a pristine example of a very rare and interesting car.

Why the excitement over what, on the face of it, is a nondescript and not especially fast 80s Japanese supermini? When the Justy arrived on UK roads in 1987 four-wheel drive wasn't bought by those wanting to make a lifestyle statement, just folk who needed to get about whatever the weather and conditions under foot. Cars like the Justy and Panda 4x4 were ideal for those living at the end of bumpy lanes and not wanting to be stuck there when the weather turned grotty, but for whom a Land Rover was simply too agricultural. And to this day a Justy will get you places your 22-inch wheeled, electronic driving mode enhanced luxury SUV would fear to tread.

... but inside lies a little party trick

Faux-by-faux
The aforementioned Panda 4x4 was its real rival at the time and our predecessors at Autocar clearly had a lot of fun attempting to prove which was better by driving them both along the Ridgeway in suitably muddy conditions. The leaf-sprung, live-axle Panda might have packed the hardware of a half-scale 'proper' 4x4. But it was just as crude, and actually outclassed in the rough too.

The Justy combined nifty, forward-thinking technology and the kind of quirky engineering Subaru is well-known for. Its three-cylinder motor - originally carb fed, fuel-injected in Tom's facelifted car - packs just 72hp but revs with enthusiasm and is just about enough for the Justy's sub-tonne kerb weight. Autocar certainly appreciated its character when it first drove the Justy in 1987. "The engine is distinctive, a bit like an Audi five-cylinder in its gruffness at low revs but a bit more like half a Porsche flat six as it gets into its stride," they enthused. Possibly a little generous but compared with some of the wheezy lumps used by contemporary rivals it's still a zingy little motor.

Driven normally it's just your typical front-drive 80s supermini, the low-geared, non-assisted steering requiring a heave on the skinny, plastic-rimmed wheel at parking speeds and plenty of arm twirling with a few mph on the dial. The spindly pillars, wafer thin doors and flimsy grey plastic are all very much of the era and mean great visibility but a sense of vulnerability compared with modern equivalents.

And it works too!

Starts getting interesting
Five forward gears are noteworthy for a basic supermini of this vintage, likewise the all-independent suspension and plush ride it gives on the kind of bumpy back lanes the Justy calls its own. This won further praise from Autocar's testers back in the day, the Panda criticised for its harsh and uncomfortable ride.

But it's that red button atop the gearshifter that really sets the Justy apart. Selectable on the move you get a barely detectable clunk through the drivetrain and four green lights on the 'wheels' of the stylised Justy on the dashboard when four-wheel drive is engaged. And then your little Japanese supermini really is close to unstoppable. We're used to selectable driving modes these days but back in the late 80s this was properly quirky stuff, executed with commendable polish and attention to detail. First is a super low gear for off-road use and Subaru went to the bother of a full sump guard under the engine and gearbox. The level of engineering for what was essentially a niche product with a very specialist audience is really quite extraordinary and the kind of thing the bean counters at mainstream manufacturers would run a mile from. But Subaru's quirkiness in such matters has always been one of its more endearing qualities, even if it meant the £5,999 starting price in 1987 was nearly £900 more than the Panda it was up against.

But as a car for knocking about on slithery country lanes - or simply taking a direct, off-road route between them - the Justy remains unequalled. And will always have a place in the hearts of those who know a proper 4x4 when they see one. Even if everyone else just thinks it's an old Japanese supermini.

SUBARU JUSTY 1.2
Engine: 1,189cc 3-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive with manually selectable four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 72@5,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 71@3,600rpm
0-60mph: 13sec
Top speed: 91mph
Weight: 763kg
MPG: 32.9 (see below)
CO2: N/A
Price new: £5,999