Tokyo Motor Show - Subaru

What’s on show that I can actually buy?
The B9 Tribeca SUV is a big 4x4 to challenge the Volvo XC90 and BMW X5.

It won’t go on sale in the UK until October 2006, priced from around £28,000 and with the option of five or seven seats.

Any concept cars?
The B5 TPH show car is an important car for Subaru. Forget rumours this sleek fastback hatch is the next Impreza – it’s not.

Its hybrid petrol-electric motor is the main news, and is likely to become Subaru’s favoured method of providing economical engines. Despite offering 260bhp of turbocharged punch from its 2.0-litre engine, it also travels 50 miles on every gallon of fuel.

Won’t Subaru offer diesel engines too?
Maybe not. Officials hint that Subaru could offer hybrids instead of launching its own diesel engine.

The company is developing a diesel motor, but its sales in Europe – the world’s biggest diesel market – appear to be too low to justify its launch.

Anything else new for Europe?
Not really. Subaru has already recently face-lifted the whole of its existing range (Impreza, Forester, Legacy and Outback). As well as the new Tribeca 4x4 due next autumn, it could import the R1E supermini to the UK, but no decision has been taken yet.

What about gadgets?
Most stands at Tokyo were bristling with high-tech driver aids. Subaru’s was no different, boasting its new alert system to spot impending crashes and traffic jams and warn drivers of problems ahead.