Subaru Brat

Subaru Brat: which version to buy and why

If you are choosing a Subaru Brat rather than reading a history of the name, the catalogue is seven versions across two generations of Pickup single-cab, from 1978-01-01 to 1992-12-31. All seven are named exactly as in the data: first generation 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT; second generation 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 1.6 MT.

If you are choosing a Subaru Brat rather than reading a history of the name, the catalogue is seven versions across two generations of Pickup single-cab, from 1978-01-01 to 1992-12-31. All seven are named exactly as in the data: first generation 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT; second generation 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 1.6 MT. The useful differences are arithmetic: 67 hp versus 94 hp, 1598 cm³ versus 1797 cm³, 4-speed Manual versus 3-speed Automatic versus 5-speed Manual, AWD versus FWD, Turbo only on two first-generation 1.8 versions, and a long list of figures that are not measured (weight, 0–100, top speed, mpg, tank, wheels, ground clearance). There is no 2026 Brat in this data, no sale price, and no Hoonigan or Gymkhana specification — only these seven rows.

Which generation to buy: 1 generation vs 2 generation

1 generation (1978-01-01 to 1981-05-31) is the short catalogue window: four versions, all Pickup single-cab, all AWD. The 1.6 pair is 67 hp / 49 kW from 1598 cm³ Gasoline, 4 cylinders. The 1.8 pair is 94 hp / 69 kW from 1797 cm³ Gasoline, 4 cylinders, with boost labelled Turbo. Front suspension on all four is Independent, spring; front brakes are Disc. That generation is the only place in this data where Turbo appears.

2 generation (1981-06-01 to 1992-12-31) is the long window: three versions, still Pickup single-cab. The 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT keep 94 hp / 69 kW and 1797 cm³ Gasoline, 4 cylinders, AWD — same power and displacement as the first-generation 1.8 pair, but boost is not measured (not listed as Turbo). Fuel is labelled 92. The extra version is 1.6 MT: Gasoline, 5-speed Manual, FWD; power, kW, displacement and cylinder count are not measured.

What the second generation “buys” you in numbers: calendar length from 1981-06-01 through 1992-12-31 versus a first generation that stops 1981-05-31; one FWD 5-speed 1.6 MT that did not exist in generation 1; loss of a measured Turbo label on 1.8; and no extra horsepower on the 1.8 pair (94 hp in both generations).

People search “subaru brat 1978”, “1984 subaru brat horsepower”, “1986 subaru brat dimensions”. In this data a 1978 truck can only be 1 generation. A 1984 or 1986 truck can only be 2 generation. Horsepower for 1984 is 94 hp on 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT; for 1.6 MT horsepower is not measured. Dimensions, bed length, wheel size and curb weight are not measured in either generation.

Subaru Brat specs: engine size, horsepower and power per litre

Power per litre is hp divided by displacement in litres. It is the cleanest way to compare engines when weight is not measured.

(First-generation 1.6 AT fuel is not measured, same as 1.6 MT; the table line above is the same 67 hp / 1598 cm³ / Automatic / 3 / AWD.)

Engine type in every named row that states it is Gasoline. Cylinder count, where stated, is 4. Cylinder layout is not measured on any version — do not read a boxer or inline story into an empty field. Engine bay, rebuild kits, swap kits and engines for sale are not in this catalogue.

1.8 versus 1.6 (1 generation). Displacement rises by 199 cm³ (12.5% more volume: 1797 − 1598). Power rises by 27 hp and 20 kW (94 − 67; 69 − 49): 40.3% more horsepower. Specific output rises from 41.9 to 52.3 hp/l, a gain of 10.4 hp/l. That extra output sits with Turbo on first-generation 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT only.

Same name, two generations. First-generation 1.8 MT and second-generation 1.8 MT both make 94 hp / 69 kW from 1797 cm³. Distinguish them by generation and boost: Turbo is stated only on 1 generation; 2 generation 1.8 fuel is 92 and boost is not measured. The same split applies to 1.8 AT. Two 1.6 MT names exist: 1 generation is 67 hp, 1598 cm³, 4-speed Manual, AWD; 2 generation is FWD, 5-speed Manual, power and displacement not measured. If you quote horsepower, say which 1.6 MT you mean.

Manual versus Automatic at the same engine. In 1 generation, 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT share 67 hp, 1598 cm³, AWD; the gearbox is Manual 4 versus Automatic 3. 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT share 94 hp, 1797 cm³, Turbo, AWD; again Manual 4 versus Automatic 3. In 2 generation the same gearbox split is on 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT at 94 hp. There is no Automatic 1.6 in 2 generation. Extra “money” for Automatic, in numbers only, buys one fewer ratio (3 instead of 4) at the same horsepower — prices are not measured.

Subaru Brat performance, mpg and top speed

0–100, top speed, city / highway / combined consumption, CO2 and eco class are not measured on every version in this data. That includes first-generation 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT and second-generation 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 1.6 MT. A search for “subaru brat top speed” or mpg cannot be answered with a catalogue figure here. Do not treat silence as “this truck has no top speed”; the value is not measured.

Subaru Brat dimensions, weight, bed and wheels

Kerb weight, gross weight, ground clearance, fuel tank, wheel size, bed length and overall size are not measured on any of the seven versions. “Subaru brat weight”, “1978 subaru brat weight”, “hoonigan subaru brat weight”, “subaru brat curb weight”, “1986 subaru brat dimensions” and bed-dimension queries have no number in this source. Weight per horsepower cannot be calculated: mass is not measured, so 67 hp and 94 hp cannot be turned into kg/hp. Rear-seat packaging is not a measured field; body type is Pickup single-cab on both generations.

Which version to choose

If you want the highest measured horsepower: any of the four 1.8 versions — 1 generation 1.8 MT, 1 generation 1.8 AT, 2 generation 1.8 MT, 2 generation 1.8 AT — all 94 hp / 69 kW / 1797 cm³. Among those four, 1 generation is the only pair with Turbo stated; 2 generation is the only pair with fuel labelled 92 and with production running to 1992-12-31.

If you want AWD and a smaller engine: 1 generation 1.6 MT or 1.6 AT — 67 hp, 1598 cm³, 4 cylinders, AWD. You give up 27 hp versus any 1.8. You keep Independent, spring front suspension and Disc front brakes, same labels as the 1.8 pair in that generation.

If you want a 5-speed and accept FWD: only 2 generation 1.6 MT. It is the sole FWD row and the sole 5-speed. Horsepower, displacement and cylinders are not measured, so you cannot rank it against 67 hp or 94 hp with a number.

If you want Turbo in this catalogue: only 1 generation 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT. Second-generation 1.8 trucks at the same 94 hp do not carry a boost label.

If you want Manual with AWD: 1 generation 1.6 MT (67 hp, 4-speed), 1 generation 1.8 MT (94 hp, Turbo, 4-speed), 2 generation 1.8 MT (94 hp, 4-speed, fuel 92). If you want Automatic with AWD: 1 generation 1.6 AT (67 hp, 3-speed), 1 generation 1.8 AT (94 hp, Turbo, 3-speed), 2 generation 1.8 AT (94 hp, 3-speed, fuel 92).

If calendar year is the filter: 1978 through 1981-05-31 → 1 generation four-version set. From 1981-06-01 → 2 generation three-version set. There is no Brat model year 2026 in the data.

What extra displacement buys. +199 cm³ on the 1 generation 1.8 versus 1.6 is +27 hp. That is +0.136 hp per extra cm³ (27 / 199), or +10.4 hp per litre of specific output. Gearbox choice at a given engine does not change hp in this table. Generation choice at 1.8 does not change hp (still 94); it changes Turbo labelling, fuel label (92 on generation 2), and how long the version was listed.

Reliability, problems, engine swap, Hoonigan / Travis Pastrana / Gymkhana horsepower, Brataroo, Brattleboro, California for-sale listings: not measured in this source. Use the seven version names as they stand; do not rename 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.8 MT or 1.8 AT.