Subaru Brumby could return as an all-wheel drive electric ute

The legendary Subaru Brumby could make a long-awaited comeback – in spirit at least – as an EV.

A modern compact ute with off-road ability is shaping up as one of eight electric vehicles promised by the Japanese car-maker by 2028.

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Subaru Solterra – the first of those eight EVs – Subaru Australia managing director Blair Read hinted that the importer had put a Brumby replacement on the medium-term shopping list with its Japanese headquarters.

“Would it interest me? Yes,” said Read when asked about a lifestyle electric ute.

Subaru HQ has pushed back on repeated requests to recreate the Brumby for several years, arguing the brand had moved on from those basic roots of decades ago.

But it seems the looming EV era and fresh technology could revive the Brumby legend and provide Aussies – from farmers to suburbians – with a compact ute that doesn’t mind getting its tyres dirty.

“It would need to be core Subaru product and true to the brand,” said Read, adding that the influx of new Subaru electric vehicles meant expanding beyond the Japanese brand’s current line-up of models.

“With eight new models, one of those could be something in that [lifestyle electric ute] space, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Read added that the company was in regular contact with its Japanese parent company and that Australia was an important market.

“We’ve got a fantastic working relationship with Japan, whether it’s on production, future models… they’re really interested in growing the Australian market. It’s an important market for them in terms of the volume right-hand drive market outside of the domestic market.

“We’re having really, really great conversations about what the future line-up looks like and what are the right decisions to make for the brand and for our models.”

However, if a compact ute was in the wings, Read wasn’t giving any clues as to whether it would revive the Brumby name – or just its spirit.

“Would we consider reviving the Brumby name? Yeah, of course we would – it’s an iconic nameplate. Are there plans at this point? No there’s not.”

One thing working in a battery-powered Brumby’s favour is the relative simplicity of an electric vehicle architecture, which can rely on a skateboard-style platform that packages the suspension and battery into one unit that can then have different bodies plonked on top.

Not having to worry about engines, fuel tanks, exhaust pipes and other major mechanical components also makes it easier to consider right-hand drive production – something that has not always occurred with North American-focused Subaru models in recent years.

One of those was the Baja ute, which was based on the Outback and is pictured here in an unofficial render.

“The basis of the technology provides greater flexibility for the manufacturer and that is something we’re working really closely with the factory on,” said Read.

Another plus for a Brumby revival is a Toyota small electric ute that could be positioned below the HiLux.

In playing catch-up in the EV space, the Japanese giant is looking at all options and has earmarked a new compact dual-cab as one of its future models.

Given the relationship between the two brands – Toyota has a part-ownership of Subaru and the two shared development and production of the Solterra and bZ4X – it bodes well for a future tie-up.

A single generation of the original Subaru Brumby – known as the Brat overseas – was available in Australia between 1978 and 1994, as a manual-only two-door with all-wheel drive.

While it was a basic vehicle with modest power from a 1.8-litre boxer engine, it quickly built a reputation as a rugged and reliable farm vehicle, something that has endured to the modern day with solid resale values and an abundance of restoration projects.

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