1991 Subaru Justy review from North America

Slow oil leak in valve cover gasket replaced under warranty. Still leaks, but so slowly that I've never had to add oil.

Seatbelt buckles tend to get caught when closing the door and gouge the interior.

Has always had a tendency to stall when coming to a stop in the first few minutes of operation. Frequent use eliminates this.

Okay, my wife finally replaced her 18-year old vehicle, so my turn for a new car is up next. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't need one. This machine still runs and is anything from a commuter to a utility vehicle.

While small, the car is solid. I believe that its curb weight is 2,650 pounds. A month after I bought it, I rear-ended someone and supposedly totaled their car. Me, I had to spend $5 on a new license plate frame.

Years ago, I would get 44MPG city. This is no exaggeration. These days due to the vehicle's age, personal driving style, and local terrain, fuel economy is in the 30s. The 1.2 liter engine provides consistent, albeit slow acceleration. Top speed is unknown, but over 100.

The small footprint of twelve-inch tires probably help the MPG. Also, they're the cheapest ones you can buy.

I have heard bad things about the automatic transmission in the Justy, so watch out for that. My manual is fine.

The hatchback has carried some fairly impressive cargo that nothing, but vans and pickup trucks should be able to manage. A mini pool table, 27-inch TV, 32-inch TV, 8-foot aluminum ladder, and 10-foot PVC pipe (admittedly bent into an arc). Actually, the ladder and pipes wouldn't have even fit into a truck without hanging out the back.

It's starting to rust around the wheelwells and inside the door frame, but after 13 years, I guess that's pretty good.