Subaru goes off-road in US
08 November 2004
Subaru launches this B9X off-roader in the US next summer, but its prospects for the UK are hanging in the balance.
Subaru launches this B9X off-roader in the US next summer, but its prospects for the UK are hanging in the balance.
The seven-seater is based on the company’s Legacy platform and uses the same 241bhp 3.0-litre engine from that range. It is similar in size to the Volvo XC90.
Subaru bosses in the UK believe it would be popular with buyers in this country and are keen to get their hands on the car.
However, success in Japan is key to the model’s introduction in the UK. Subaru is worried buyers in Japan would find the car too big, so has not yet given the go-ahead for right-hand-drive versions.
The large off-roader’s UK chances could also be dented by the lack of a diesel engine, which Subaru has yet to engineer for any of its cars.
A decision on the future of right-hand-drive models will be taken before the end of the year. Production versions of the B9X make their debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January before US deliveries of the Indiana-built car start in June or July.
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