Subaru R2

Which Subaru R2 version to buy

Buy by job, then check the numbers:

Buy by job, then check the numbers:

• Lightest city car, 92 fuel, No boost: 0.7 MT, 46 hp, FWD, 770 kg. That is 16.7 kg per hp (770 / 46). 0–100 km/h and top speed are not measured. Gross weight is not measured.
• Same 46 hp with AWD: 0.7 MT, 46 hp, AWD, 810 kg — 40 kg more than the FWD twin, 17.6 kg per hp. 0–100 km/h, top speed and gross weight are not measured.
• Same 46 hp without a clutch, FWD: 0.7 CVT, 46 hp, FWD, 800 kg, Variable, 18 s to 100 km/h, 140 km/h, gross 1200 kg. AWD twin: 0.7 CVT, 46 hp, AWD, 840 kg (again +40 kg).
• Best naturally aspirated power-to-weight with 92 fuel: 0.7 MT, 54 hp, FWD, 780 kg — 14.4 kg per hp (780 / 54), +8 hp and +5 Nm versus the 46 hp cars (54 − 46; 63 − 58). 0–100 km/h, top speed and gross weight are not measured.
• 54 hp with Variable: 0.7 CVT, 54 hp, FWD, 810 kg, 18 s / 140 km/h; AWD twin 850 kg. Peak is 6400 rpm and 63 Nm at 4400 rpm, not 6000 rpm and 58 Nm at 5200 rpm as on the 46 hp cars.
• Most torque with Variable: 0.7 CVT, 64 hp, Compressor, 103 Nm at 3200 rpm, fuel 95, clearance 160 mm. FWD 830 kg; AWD 870 kg. Still 18 s and 140 km/h on the measured cycle. Compression 9 versus 10.5 on the No-boost 658 cm³ engines.
• Lowest kg per hp in the whole model: 0.7 MT, 64 hp, Turbo, 770 kg, FWD or AWD — both 12.0 kg per hp (770 / 64), 99 Nm at 3200 rpm, fuel 95, 5 Manual. 0–100 km/h, top speed, gross weight and engine location are not measured. AWD here does not add kerb weight (770 kg on both).

There is no second generation to “step up to”: pokoleniy = 1. Extra power is bought inside 1 generation, not by a later body.

Generations and how the twelve versions sit

1 generation ran from 2003-12-01 to 2010-03-31, Mini 5-doors, 12 modifications. All twelve use 658 cm³ Gasoline, 4 Inline cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 56 × 66.8, 30-litre tank, Independent, spring front and rear, Ventilated disc front, Drum rear, ground clearance 155 mm except the two Compressor 0.7 CVT cars at 160 mm.

The twelve rows, distinguished by power and drive because the names repeat:

Fuel 92 on every 46 hp and 54 hp car; fuel 95 on every 64 hp car. Engine location Front, transverse on all No-boost and Compressor cars; not measured on both Turbo 0.7 MT cars.

Engines and specs: three outputs from 658 cm³

Specific output on the same 658 cm³:

• 46 hp → 70 hp per litre (46 / 0.658)
• 54 hp → 82 hp per litre (54 / 0.658) — 12 hp/l more than 46 hp
• 64 hp → 97 hp per litre (64 / 0.658) — 15 hp/l more than 54 hp, 27 hp/l more than 46 hp

Torque is the bigger step at 64 hp. The 46 hp engine makes 58 Nm; the 54 hp engine 63 Nm (+5 Nm). The 0.7 CVT Compressor 64 hp makes 103 Nm (+40 Nm versus 54 hp, +45 Nm versus 46 hp) at 3200 rpm instead of 4400 or 5200. The 0.7 MT Turbo 64 hp makes 99 Nm at 3200 rpm (+36 Nm versus 54 hp). Compression: 10.5 (No boost), 9 (Compressor), 10 (Turbo).

What “the next engine” actually adds, holding gearbox and drive still:

• 0.7 CVT FWD, 46 hp 800 kg → 54 hp 810 kg: +8 hp, +5 Nm, +10 kg, same 18 s / 140 km/h.
• 0.7 CVT AWD, 46 hp 840 kg → 54 hp 850 kg: same +8 hp / +5 Nm / +10 kg.
• 0.7 MT FWD, 46 hp 770 kg → 54 hp 780 kg: +8 hp, +5 Nm, +10 kg; 0–100 not measured on either.
• 0.7 MT AWD, 46 hp 810 kg → 54 hp 820 kg: +8 hp, +5 Nm, +10 kg.
• 0.7 CVT FWD, 54 hp 810 kg → 64 hp Compressor 830 kg: +10 hp, +40 Nm, +20 kg, fuel 92 → 95, clearance 155 → 160 mm, still 18 s / 140 km/h.
• 0.7 CVT AWD, 54 hp 850 kg → 64 hp Compressor 870 kg: +10 hp, +40 Nm, +20 kg, same fuel and clearance change.
• 0.7 MT FWD, 54 hp 780 kg → 64 hp Turbo 770 kg: +10 hp, +36 Nm, −10 kg, fuel 95. 0–100 not measured.
• 0.7 MT AWD, 54 hp 820 kg → 64 hp Turbo 770 kg: +10 hp, +36 Nm, −50 kg.

AWD versus FWD at the same power and gearbox costs 40 kg on every No-boost and Compressor pair. The Turbo pair is the exception: 770 kg FWD and 770 kg AWD.

Variable versus Manual at the same power and drive: +30 kg on the 46 hp and 54 hp cars (800−770, 840−810, 810−780, 850−820). At 64 hp the Variable Compressor cars are 60 kg (FWD: 830−770) and 100 kg (AWD: 870−770) heavier than the Turbo Manual cars.

Performance, mpg and what is not measured

Measured 0–100 km/h is 18 s on all six 0.7 CVT rows: 46 hp FWD, 46 hp AWD, 54 hp FWD, 54 hp AWD, 64 hp Compressor FWD, 64 hp Compressor AWD. Measured top speed is 140 km/h on the same six. The extra 8 hp or 18 hp does not change those two catalogue figures. All six 0.7 MT rows: 0–100 km/h not measured, top speed not measured.

City / highway / combined consumption: not measured on all twelve. CO2: not measured. Eco class: not measured. You cannot rank mpg from this catalogue; you can only rank mass, power and torque.

Dimensions, weight and payload

Tank 30 litres on every version. Wheels: not measured on every version. Clearance 155 mm except 160 mm on both 64 hp Compressor 0.7 CVT cars (+5 mm).

Gross weight 1200 kg is measured only on the six Variable cars. Payload (gross − kerb):

• 0.7 CVT 46 hp FWD: 1200 − 800 = 400 kg
• 0.7 CVT 54 hp FWD: 1200 − 810 = 390 kg
• 0.7 CVT 64 hp Compressor FWD: 1200 − 830 = 370 kg
• 0.7 CVT 46 hp AWD: 1200 − 840 = 360 kg
• 0.7 CVT 54 hp AWD: 1200 − 850 = 350 kg
• 0.7 CVT 64 hp Compressor AWD: 1200 − 870 = 330 kg

On all six Manual cars gross weight is not measured, so payload is not measured.

Kerb span for the model: 870 − 770 = 100 kg. That 100 kg is the Compressor AWD 0.7 CVT versus any of the three 770 kg 0.7 MT cars.

Problems and reliability

No fault rates, service intervals or known-problem lists are in the data. Reliability is not measured here. The mechanical differences you can actually inspect from the table are: No boost versus Compressor versus Turbo; Variable versus 5 Manual; FWD versus AWD; fuel 92 versus 95; compression 10.5 / 9 / 10; engine location Front, transverse versus not measured (Turbo 0.7 MT only).

Which version to choose — short arithmetic

1. Want AWD and the least extra mass: 0.7 MT, 64 hp, Turbo, AWD, 770 kg — same kerb as its FWD twin. Next-lightest AWD is 0.7 MT, 46 hp, 810 kg (+40 kg) or 0.7 MT, 54 hp, 820 kg (+50 kg). Heaviest AWD is 0.7 CVT, 64 hp, Compressor, 870 kg (+100 kg versus the Turbo AWD). 2. Want Variable and 92 fuel: 0.7 CVT 46 hp FWD (800 kg) or 0.7 CVT 54 hp FWD (810 kg). The 54 hp car is +8 hp and +10 kg; 0–100 stays 18 s. AWD adds 40 kg on both. 3. Want Variable and peak torque: 0.7 CVT, 64 hp, Compressor — 103 Nm, 160 mm clearance, 95 fuel. FWD 830 kg (12.97 kg/hp); AWD 870 kg (13.59 kg/hp). Still 18 s / 140 km/h. 4. Want the lowest kg/hp: 0.7 MT, 64 hp, Turbo, 770 kg, 12.0 kg/hp, FWD or AWD. Versus 0.7 MT 46 hp FWD at 16.7 kg/hp, that is 4.7 kg/hp less. 5. Want 92 fuel and No boost, and will accept Variable: do not pick 64 hp; those four 64 hp cars all use 95 fuel and Compressor or Turbo. 6. Want maximum measured payload: 0.7 CVT, 46 hp, FWD, 400 kg. Each step of power or AWD on Variable cars cuts payload: 390, 370, 360, 350, 330 kg.

There is no later generation that “fixes” these trade-offs. 1 generation is the whole Subaru R2 production window in this catalogue (2003-12-01 to 2010-03-31). Choose among the twelve 0.7 CVT / 0.7 MT rows by hp, drive and gearbox; the names alone do not identify the car.