MotorWeek | Retro Review: '82 Subaru Brat

[@anihtgenga4096]

The rear seats were added to avoid the Chicken Tariff.

[@the80sguy24]

For less witnesses in a car crash

[@ScottaHemi440]

the idea of the brat was cool! such a thing should make a comeback! especially with the "small" trucks being about the size of the 90's fullsize trucks...

[@rallyecars7449]

it did come back and it was called the Subaru Baja

[@TheMattc999]

X Æ A-12 that's because they have all rusted into nothing.....

[@alejandrobarranco9582]

Ford maverick

[@westerlywinds5684]

I wish it came in a single cab. I never use the backseat.

[@chieftp]

can we have something like this today? small, fun, practical, affordable? no. no, we can't.

[@lifeofmike556]

id so want something like this in 2017 lol

[@Offshore1977]

chieftp They sold the Subaru Baja (same thing as the Brat) through 2008 new with the last model year being 2006. They did not sell well so it was discontinued. You should have bought one then or look around for one used.

[@chieftp]

not even similar. the baja was just another 4 door, front wheel drive car with the trunk lid missing.

[@Offshore1977]

chieftp the Baja was an all wheel drive just like the Brat. Just no low range.

[@chieftp]

not interested in a 4 door family car. and price difference?

[@vinceruland9236]

When I was a kid in San Diego in the early 80's, these things were everywhere. I swore this would be my first car. I wanted one so bad.

[@jerlaine1638]

That is some top notch audio quality right there

[@lobmin]

Change from mono to stereo sound and it will be fixed. I don't know what it is that causes this, but it can be fixed on your end.

[@efranklin85]

I absolutely love these Retro Reviews! I like seeing what passed for luxury and what was unacceptable

[@XXMETAL4LIF3XX]

this is one of those cars you remember having as a matchbox toy as a kid and being like wtf is this thing? lol

[@MWorsa]

Stomper!

[@jonsmith3574]

My buddy had one of these in high school. I used to ride in the seats in the bed. They actually had seat belts too..... awe the good old days

[@fritzkuhne2055]

be happy you grew up back then. these days everything is going to crap.

[@catjudo1]

I miss the BRAT, the Toyota Hilux, the Nissans, the Mazdas. Back in the 70s and 80s, when I was growing up, we could get small trucks that were like small tanks. Today's small trucks are things like the Ford Ranger and the Chevy/GMC twins, which are almost the size of an old full size from years ago. The Hilux X-Tra cab I drove was a delight and could take a bunch of heavy stuff too.

[@aquateen77723]

This trucklet was so cool! Loving the 2 jump seats in the bed. The sound quality of the video is pretty bad, unfortunately.

[@McRocket]

Motorweek had a much better sense of humour way back when.

[@nedaCFilms]

I love these old Subaru Brat models lol. My favorite toy back in the early '80s was "stompers" and I had the Brat stomper.... and it was awesome lol. I bet most people don't know what an old stomper was.

[@jacklope1]

Stompers were cool! My brother and I even had the Stompers track!

[@nedaCFilms]

Yes!!! Someone else remembers Stompers lol. They were the best!

[@nedaCFilms]

Henry Bowman yep, those were Stompers. Some even head working headlights lol.

[@nedaCFilms]

Ok, I must check eBay for some old '80s "Stompers" now, lol.... maybe I can get my Son off Minecraft and Roblox, lol.

[@MWorsa]

+nedaCFilms / Mustang-Town Had one and introduced me to Subaru :D

[@edwu8253]

The motor would run forever & the body would rust overnight 👎

[@johncollins7423]

Ed Wu So true. My brother had one his senior year in high school. There were hardly any obstacles it couldn't get around, but it had rust holes around the rear wheel wells before he'd even had it 2 years!

[@bongodave13]

@@johncollins7423 Yup. The engines were reliable, but they rusted away in no time. That's why you don't see them anymore.

[@justinbloomfield2999]

No way I have a brumby (brat) and the engine is brand new basically 40 years later it’s a great little farm Ute and there are plenty still getting around

[@OhioGuy216]

@@johncollins7423 That’s why you live down south, no salted streets!

[@Ideo7Z]

@@justinbloomfield2999 Outside of Australia, those things rusted pretty quickly, particularly in the colder parts of North America and Europe.

[@DeltaOps3]

"took he-Man pedal pressure" oh my this is definitely the 80s lol

[@nlpnt]

Studio car is an '83 model (four headlights, fully rubber-covered bumpers), test car's an '82. Same color and decal package.

[@Motorweek]

MOTORWEEK NEWS FLASH: It's Friday in Sydney, Australia.

[@ved94073]

Good afternoon!! Subaru Forester 2012 third -generation engine FB25 2,5 is a reliable car? In the hars conditions in the asphalt as not behave? Should i take?

[@ryanhull1381]

I learned to drive in one of those on our private road when I was 12. My dad had a silver one. It was easy to shift and fun to drive. Also had the seats in the back. Good times😎

[@mackchannel6348]

The parents of a friend of mine had a Subaru Brat. It was one of the coolest little cars ever.

[@GT6SuzukaTimeTrials]

Honestly I prefer Motorweek over Top Gear. Substance > Style. The Brat is like the Baja's daddy.

[@rodmunch69]

I enjoy them both - different styles, different eras.

[@KiloByte69]

Jesus those brakes are so bad you might as well rear end the car.

[@letsgonow5641]

+KiloByte69 lol

[@jared7263]

How did people get away with building cars with braking like that?

[@letsgonow5641]

KJU 4375 The regulations were very lose back then. You could put kids in the back payload w jumper seats and it was ok. People would pack a whole bunch of kids in a station wagon no seat belts bouncing around not a problem. Now a days forget about any of that. Youll get a ticket if your kid isnt wearing a helmet while riding a tricycle.

[@falconater68]

They were fine...Jesus Christ. Grow some.

[@logant5595]

I have one and the brakes are fine

[@manthony1956]

I had one, and i loved it. It is agricultural slow, but I was able to achieve EPA mileage figures. I never trusted the factory roll bar, AC was great and roof never leaks. Always wished more aggressive tire treads were available as 185/70 - 13 was the standard tire, but never got stuck. Also, never try making that tight turn with 4 wheel drive engaged on dry pavement, the whole drivetrain locks up.

[@falconater68]

Don't roll.

[@1400IntruderVS]

I had an '84 Brat. The brakes were scary when you needed a an immediate halt, but if you drove her slow and kept your distance it was a fun little car. The rust promotion concern is funny because almost all the Asian imports rusted pretty early back then.

[@milfordcivic6755]

Ah, the good ole Scooby-doos that would turn into a piece of swiss cheese after 4 winters in New England.....

[@dave_thomas]

Another vehicle that was ahead of its time. Wish Subaru would back the Brat and the Baja.

[@jakebob5101]

I had a Brat back in the day. I got it Christmas morning in my stocking in the form of a Stomper 4x4 with a pk of Duracell AA batteries.

[@jeremyb4493]

Ah Stompers...good times

[@johnhiram1207]

They were tough little cars. Great run about here in Rural Maine. Amazing where you could drive it.

[@PantomimeHorseMusic]

I love these cars! Those back seats and carpeting were put in to get around the chicken tax, because they were considered passenger cars, not pickups.

[@tonyhelton7013]

My dad had one of these back in the day. It was a lot of fun to drive. I would not mind having one now just to knock around in. They are pretty rare now though....

[@aaroncostello8812]

Early 1980s Subarus were a lot of fun! I had a few of them, but never found a BRAT that wasn't beat to hell.

[@ConstantXplorer]

That was a funky little car back in the day, but I liked it and still do.

[@dentonarmstrong7470]

Please keep these coming!!! LOVE it!

[@Porsche996driver]

Always tripped out on these back in the day. The video didn’t really show but those rear seats have like bicycle handles! Did John spend sleepless nights coming up with snappy closings like “one you can hope to rope and ride?” 😬😂

[@Dankcatvacs]

thanks for uploading i love vintage subarus!

[@MichaelD8393]

Memo to Subaru: Please make the Brat (or its spiritual descender the Baja) again. A small, fun to drive, all-wheel drive pickup - possibly with rear-facing bucket seats in the bed - is just what we need in this day & age.

[@FreeTheRocks]

I see these RETRO clips go back to around 1982....I wish I could see a few just a bit older so I can see a review of the first gen Ford Fiesta. I had one and it was bulletproof.

[@thetreblerebel]

How collectable is the Brat today in 2021? Subaru is actually going up in sales versus the other auto makers that are going the regular route... But if you see a Brat, you definitely notice that thing!

[@TheOzthewiz]

Not quite accurate! The RAV 4 is STOMPING everybody in sales! The Toyota BRAND dominates!

[@TheRealPaul527]

it's for the Japanese a-team lol

[@BobMarley-ji9cn]

Had a 86' GL 4x4 that would go anywhere. It's size made it unbeatable in the woods, similar to the Samurai. The biggest concern was burying the front end in ditches and such because the flat 4 engine location in front of the driving wheels.

[@erich84502ify]

71 horsepower! Sold!

[@Romulan112]

+erich84502ify I dont believe that hp crap. For example, going up a big hill in the Brat in second gear, at 2,000 rpp, I am going 20 mph. Now, with a 2011 Chev. Colorado, in second gear, I am going still 20 mph at 2,000 rpm.The Brat has 71 hp while the 4 cyl. colorado has supposedly 185. Go figure.

[@erich84502ify]

Romulan112 They created better acceleration with less power in the past because of smog. Ive driven older cars that are faster that have hundreds of thousands of miles. The newer cars have more weight to pass crash safety tests too. My Mazda has 130 horsepower and its kind of slow.

[@1400IntruderVS]

+Romulan112 Weight, gear ratios, tire sizes, and rate of incline need to be considered. More over 2000 RPM will only represent the power put to ground at 2000 RPM by either vehicle. Those same vehicles will produce different power at different RPMs. Probably ever more relevant, would be the amount of torque that is being produced. Since torque is what is going to push the weight up the hill

[@blancaw6280]

5:27 short in the headlight causes smoke? WTF?

[@eldridgederring9325]

Motorweek is one of the best things in life.

[@StoneCold75]

3:20 Instant death head on collision into oncoming traffic!

[@Ken00753]

+StoneCold75 Yeah, you definitely dont want to lock up the brakes on a car! If this is a problem on these, a proportioning valve would be in order.

[@1400IntruderVS]

+StoneCold75 One time a cop pulled across an intersection through a red light in front of me and I had to hit the brakes pretty hard. My Brat slide side ways and I came about three inches from rear ending a car waiting in the left turn lane. Of course the cop watched and then continued across traffic with his lights flashing (no sirens or horn).

[@stevewalther9965]

We don't need all the junk they put on cars today like airbags and antilock.

[@cespo77]

I actually had two of these around 10 years ago. I tell you this, I did get in a head on collision. I certainly didn't die. In fact, it was the 2007 Toyota Camry that I got into an accident with that was destroyed. I had some damage, but it was all repairable. Don't undermine these cars because the metal and chassis were very strong in impact. Yes, it is true that these cars had rust issues especially in the East coast weather, but other than that very strong cars.

[@earnedmystripes2382]

Ok. I take it back. THIS was the worst brake test I've ever seen.

[@Y10Q]

I just searched craigslist and there are about a dozen of these for sale right now in the entire country, and they are all about $5k

[@ziginox]

Do you have reviews for other Subarus of the time? I'd love to see a review of an 85 or newer GL, especially an RX coupe.

[@tenofdiamonds6440]

God bless you, Subaru. I love you! Lol!

[@pjames8077]

In 'Napoleon Dynamite' this vehicle pulls in the driveway when the "Rex Kwon Do" guy comes home haha

[@Wesley_C]

This Brat is national treasure, it’s a off roader truck.

[@jimmycline4778]

My step dad also bought a new bratt. It was red with white logo and stripes, he traded his 77 Chevy Bonanza 3 quarter ton 4x4! I remember how upset I was! I couldn’t believe he traded his awesome pickup for this POS!

[@realazduffman]

Those seats in back remind me, I want to have chicken for dinner tomorrow.

[@Romulan112]

My father had this vehicle. It had its pluses and minuses. pro: great traction, good gas mileage, and easy to drive. Con: 4 speed standard transmission sucked. Too much 'space' in between 3rd and 4th. Also, would rust out on inside bed, near wheels.

[@joeguitargod]

I always thought this was a cool little run-about type of vehicle. Even though most of it's stats were sub-par compared to today, I think the cargo capacity was quite good, and the mileage they quoted was really impressive, certainly for the day. I think they should make a modern-day version of this. If done right, I'm sure it would do quite well.

[@grumpyoldfart7302]

I'd buy another one tomorrow if they made them. I've owned 3.

[@insomniafun8751]

Can we (US market) have another one of these with a modern engine (read:turbo), 6 speed MANUAL, but without the stupid back seats? Also, put the spare tire someplace else, like, IDK, on the roof. Or strap it onto the tailgate, just don't change the dimensions, pureez?

[@TA1199]

I always liked these Subaru's. I had the GL 4wd wagon. I loved it. I could take it anywhere and I would load that thing up with cargo and hit the road. MY only complaint was the 3speed transmission lacked overdrive. The thing would scream at 70mph.

[@DeathMetalThrasher]

I actually saw one of these on the road today, in mint condition it seems.

[@mos6146]

Good then , fantastic now ! I have 3 ( MK1 , early "Hookback" MK2 and chrome trim bed MK2) here in England. Prices are climbing... So get one now ! ;-)

[@Jhihmoac]

40 years later, they should bring a more modern iteration of this back, but _CHEAP,_ it would not be!

[@markholland1578]

0:43 I wonder if that's his "good" hat......

[@johnsumner6185]

Those cowboys in the back, instant roadkill in a crash!

[@bobhill3941]

I love those graphics and colour.

[@403patriot3]

if i could find one of these in good shape i'd be psyched.

[@brutalictesku]

Plaid seats are so adorable! Pity we don't have them anymore in new cars.

[@nappiral]

I wonder how many owners shit their pants panic braking one of these death traps.

[@AmesiesCorner]

Chicken Tax!!

[@Noname-ki9mu]

Amesie's Automotive Corner what came first the tax or the chicken?

[@bongodave13]

I had one for awhile. Great in snow, but it wasn't fast or good handling.

[@billthompson5644]

Can you redo this with louder audio? I used to love Subaru brats, thank you.

[@OldThomMerton]

That was my winter car in Montana . . . great in the snow (compared to my Z28) and that thing would climb into places offroad that would surprise many. - I looked for one about five years back, hoping to find a cheap gem or a easy fixer-upper . . . they are either rusted out or overpriced. Sad.

[@rodmunch69]

I wish they still made stuff like this. I don't want an SUV or truck, I don't need the extra seats, but I'd love to have a big back open area like that while still being able to have fun when I'm driving, which you can only get from a car and its slow seating position. I will say some of the newer 'sport' SUVs aren't bad, they don't feel like they're going to tip over if you take a corner at 12mph, but you're still sitting too high and too upright. This would be perfect for me in a new modern car, of course with all the luxury I'm used to as a BMW and Cadillac buyer, so none of that methhead garbage like cloth seats, thank you.

[@jtafoya88]

Love is what makes a Subaru, my dad had a 1980s Subaru it was fun

[@kirbyswarp]

Love is what *used* to make a Subaru a Subaru. Now it's boring and money that makes a subaru.

[@lochzoch8987]

He sounds like max headroom

[@DUNEATV]

I remember seeing these everywhere In Arizona back then. Don't know why they were so popular?

[@TheOzthewiz]

Why was the "Yugo" so popular?

[@jasoncarpp7742]

I've never owned or driven a Brat, but I've seen plenty of them when I was a boy. :)

[@robertsise7898]

Not much of a delight when the rear seated personnel were ejected at highway speeds.

[@rodmunch69]

People used to ride around in the back of trucks all the time, not everyone was always a sissy like yourself.

[@MyDyerMaker]

Should have done the road test with the hay and cowboys in back.

[@TorqueEffect]

Gotta love that the audio is only coming out my left speaker.

[@Dodger2204]

If I could find a decent one, I'd buy it.

[@donnabanning3747]

The spare was behind the motor? I never knew that!

[@borisstaudt9158]

thank you for the fantastic video

[@borisstaudt9158]

82er Subaru Brat (Subaru Truck)

[@davidvalenzuela4529]

Here's a MotorWeek Retro Review of the Subaru BRAT from 1982.

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

The most important point I gleaned from this video is that the driver doing the brake test had the "Power of Grayskull" behind him! My generation will understand that! Keep them coming! LOVE IT!

[@fernandorocha8459]

Very nice and cool this Subaru Brat

[@TorqueEffect]

Do you have reviews for the Ford Festiva, and Aspire? Would love to see those!

[@boofdfast]

Why would you want to have a review of TWO shitboxes, well the Festiva(with it's Mazda roots, was cool... Jay Leno owns a RWD turbo one) was okay, but the Assfire was pure rubbish. Only losers to poor to afford a Yugo, bought one. LOL

[@jamesslick4790]

I have only seen exactly on of these in real life, It was about 1985 in Swissvale,Pennsylvania. I've seen none before...or since.

[@grandcarriage1]

I’d still love one of these

[@ferniegarrote1838]

These things are so hard to find nowadays

[@ivorton23]

Nissan/datsun 720 pickup?

[@blubayou2551]

Aren't those brats what became to be later on the years as Baja?They look fun to drive,,,,,,,

[@daredevil7442AUTOMOTIVE]

good stuff.....keep em coming!

[@robkenna2795]

what does that engine heat do to the poor spare tire

[@308_Negra_Arroyo_Lane]

It would really really cool to have one today.

[@workingcountry1776]

Walter Black they tried 12-15 years ago but didn't sell

[@Greatdome99]

I drove a couple and owned an '84 wagon, the worst car I ever owned. Seats were harder than granite and hurt after only a few miles. They were peppy and fun to drive if you kept them under 45mph--above that and they began to shake violently due to overly soft suspension bushings. They could not climb freeway hills without drafting a semi in the slow lane. Manual steering was heavier than anything I've ever driven.

[@cameronc3061]

Audio is terrible please remaster this video

[@coreygaller3328]

Cameron C , it is I had to turn my volume all the way up just to hear it and it sounds terrible

[@lucasechenique39]

It's supposed to sound old like it's from the 80s

[@goqwertygo]

it sounds great in surround sound. The normal front audio volume is reversed to the rear speakers for some reason. it actually sounded better than any of the other Moterweek retro videos I've watched.

[@jamesslick4790]

1982 TV sound was "Low FI". Stereo wasn't even a thing on TV until 1984. I guess you are PISSED that "The Great Train Robbery" was not in widescreen and color too!

[@KC9UDX]

Nothing was this bad in the 80s.

[@spoolinekrhdhulk-urban-c-w5709]

Ihi turbo I put one on a civic hatchback made manifold and it ran good pvc pipe shout out to my old crew have to get documented first section title for verification thanks

[@peterpanassow7814]

Never had this car but looks awesome!

[@dwarf365]

Thank you so much! Keep them rolling!

[@SableMediaGuys]

Can you guys upload the 1986 Ford Taurus if you have it? I have been looking for that episode for years. It's my birthday on the 16th haha

[@Kalkas53]

reminds me of the dodge rampage of and why is the sound so quiet

[@LOGICNREALITY]

the roll bar shouldve been lower and the engine needed 50 more hp otherwise its cool

[@MarkMeadows90]

Do you guys have a review for the Subaru Alcyone?