Both Toyota and semi-affiliate Subaru are notorious for the dichotomy between their export model lineups and the significantly broader model range offered in the Japanese Domestic Market. Insofar as Subaru, their current export models are the stalwart and familiar all-wheel-drive, boxer-engined Impreza (including WRX and STI performance versions), Forester, Legacy (and its Outback derivative) and Tribeca lines. Within Japan, though (as well as in a handful of European and Asian markets), Subaru kei microcars and A and B-segment small hatchbacks, as often as not front-wheel-drive and powered by inline-cylinder engines, also bear the Pleiades constellation badge on their noses. Alas, that badge is their only claim to quirky “Subaruness”, for the current line of sub-Impreza Subarus are rebadged products from Toyota and its majority-owned Daihatsu affiliate.
Currently, that lineup consists of the Subaru Dias Wagon (a rebadged Daihatsu Atrai microvan), Subaru Pleo (a rebadged Daihatsu Mira kei hatchback), Subaru Stella (the one remaining Subaru kei model seemingly unrelated to a Daihatsu), Subaru Lucra (a rebadged Daihatsu Tanto Exe kei hatchback-cum-microvan) and, one or two sizes up, the Subaru Dex (a triplet to the Daihatsu Coo/Materia and 2nd-generation Toyota bB). It appears, however, that one more “Toyobaru” is in the works. And, no, we’re not talking about the much-awaited production version of the Toyota FT-86, but, rather, something far more mundane. At the top of our story, as well as just below, appear two images (via minkara.carview.co.jp) of a so-called Subaru Trezia, yet another boxy hatchback-cum-microvan vehicle that appears to be the largest yet of Subaru’s sub-Impreza JDM models. Euphemistically described as a “Touring Compact” due to debut on Monday 11/29, it offers a “Type Euro” version with a EURO-Suspension, Aluminium wheels, Disk brakes and a – gasp! – Muffler Cutter (presumably polished exhaust tips).
What little we see of the Trezia’s exterior, however, gives us a strong sense of déjà vu, and with good reason: we have strong reason to believe that this newest Subaru is nothing more than a rebadged 2nd-generation Toyota Ractis, a vehicle that will, for the first time, also be sold in Europe as the Toyota Verso-S. A derivative of the Toyota Yaris’ NBC platform, the Verso-S competes against other European B-segment mini-minivans such as the Opel Meriva, Fiat Idea, Renault Modus and Nissan Note. The resemblance between the Subaru Trezia, as shown above, and the Toyota Verso-S, shown below, seems pretty obvious…
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