Justys used to be so common here; where did they all go? Looks like one survived, although it appears to be a 2WD and not a 4WD. In today’s traffic, these tiny things are the modern equivalent of the original Fiat 500.
This one is pretty stuffed to the rafters with…stuff. Don’t tell me someone is using this as a micro-home.
My paean to the Justy is here:
Curbside Classic: 1988 Subaru Justy 4WD – The Mother Earth Newsmobile
I think I understand why small, simple cars like this are no longer available for sale in the US, but I still miss them.
These were awesome cars, not sure if we got the 2wd versions in UK but the 4wd ones were a relatively common sight, rust killed most, as well as them being bought as cheap hacks by farmers and the like and run into the ground (to be fair most that suffered this fate were already pretty far gone)
The replacement that was based on the Suzuki swift (Geo metro to US folks) was never as popular.. and not as neat looking imho.
The non-badge-engineered Suzuki Swift was sold in the US too, although it seems to have been nearly forgotten whereas the Geo Metro has a cult following, in part for its hybrid-like fuel economy without hybrid complexity or cost. The Suzuki-badged versions were a bit upscale from the Metro, and all had four (not three) cylinder engines, and there was a sporty version of the 2 door hatchback. Canadians also got a Pontiac Firefly that had similar specs as the Metro.
Wow, I haven’t seen one of these in a very long time, either. There was a lady who had a white one that was parked in the same Lake Tahoe complex where a buddy of mine had a bachelor pad for a few years before he got married. Probably made for a pretty good little scooter in the snow. It seemed scarce and noteworthy even then, some 10+ years ago.
I too wish that we lived in a world – or at least maybe a country – where small simple cars like the Justy were still something that people would buy. But we don’t, that seems pretty clear.
I also wish that Subaru hadn’t moved away from simple rugged transportation like the Justy. If there was still a Justy, it’d have to be a “WRX” version; and that just wouldn’t be the same.
A quick scan of Wiki shows that Subaru still sell a Justy…however it is really a badge-engineered Daihatsu/Toyota(?). Subaru also sells a few mini-mini vans, a size bigger than those teeny-tiny vans often advertised on CL, again, re-badged Daihatsu vehicles.
I really liked this car even though it was a Subaru. But that transmission? Never. I have always liked these kinds of cars of this era. They were the epitome of honesty and purposeful design.
I’ve been taking pictures of old cars for over ten years now, and in that timespan I have never once even glimpsed a Justy. Obviously the 4WD wasn’t a major selling point in Southern California, but it’s still frankly astounding how they’ve completely vanished. Oregon’s probably the last place in the US where any exist at all.
I saw a very nice bronze coloured one just yesterday so some are still plying the roads here too