1990-1994 Subaru Justy: Road Test

Justy stood apart from other diminutive imports by offering 4-wheel drive and ECVT. Its fuel-injected engine also earned plaudits for efficiency, being one of the few naturally aspirated powerplants to eke out one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. And, in fact, the engine is quite lively when teamed with a conventional 5-speed manual transmission. The unique ECVT transmission manages to get more performance out of the Justy's 3-cylinder engine than a conventional automatic ever could. It's nearly as good as a 5-speed in acceleration. Even so, there's little zip in the 25-50 mph range. The variable-ratio transmission responds readily, but lacks sufficient torque for quick, safe passing on flat surfaces. When heading uphill, the ECVT Justy loses its momentum rather rapidly. Though easier to drive than a stick-shift in stop-and-go congestion, ECVT can be frustrating on freeways because the engine lags far enough behind the driver's throttle foot, so you can't move as quickly as the traffic flow. EPA mileage ratings are impressive with either transmission. We averaged nearly 30 mpg with ECVT in a mix of city and highway driving, but the 5-speed Justy did better. Like other minicompacts, such as the Geo Metro and Suzuki Swift, the Justy is noisy, suffers from a bouncy ride, and has a cramped back seat. Its biggest advantage over rivals is the standard 4-wheel-drive system on the GL model, which made it one of the lowest-priced, most economical 4WD vehicles on the market. If 4-wheel-drive is a priority, few other low-cost choices exist.

Value for the Money
Apart from the ECVT unit, Justy is typical of low-priced minicompacts in most categories. With the exception of the 4WD GL, for a combination of low price and high fuel economy, other models would probably be more suitable, including the Ford Festiva and its 1994 Aspire replacement.