1993 Subaru Vivio GLi

Summary:

Cheap to buy and run, but a pain for parts

Faults:

He rocker wear i.e the rubber around the head gasket is worn off. Therefore oil is leaking from engine.

The CV joint on the left is gone.

General Comments:

The car is comfortable, economical and reliable. However, all these faults have proved very hard to repair as parts are hard to get and if available, cost more than what I paid for the car! The car is now parked as the CV joint is badly worn. Apparently there are two different sorts of CV joints under the Subaru Vivio 1993, but my one is the rare one! Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th April, 2003

1993 Subaru Vivio SLX 0.65

Faults:

It always was very reliable.

General Comments:

A tiny car with a twin cam 16v 650cc engine.

Responsive enough when revved to the edge, so very noisy, but having to go through 4500 revs just to accelerate past 60 mph/100 kph isn't much fun.

Very reliable, this 650cc engined car passed 100,000 miles and just kept going.

Too small and light to use safely on motorways, was written off when actually blown off the road by a gust of wind on a Scottish road!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th August, 1999

27th Jun 2001, 06:50

I agree with you about the reliability of the VIVIO. It's great.Although the car is reasonably small, it's the first car of its kind that I seen ever to have four wheel drive!! Which has got me out of some tricky situations. It's Fab!!

I think that other cars have a lot to compete with in regards to the reliability and financial running against that of the VIVIO. I LOVE MY CAR!!

9th Dec 2003, 20:34

I own a Subaru Fiori, which after looking at the Vivio seems pretty similar, particularly appearance-wise. I am considering an engine swap, thus ditching the current 800cc, 4 cylinder and installing a Vivio 660cc supercharged unit.

I had a shudder when I read your last sentence about being blown off the road and writing the car off. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I can imagine how that would happen, and the mental picture had me laughing for ages. I hope you weren't hurt though.

Regards...

21st Aug 2004, 16:35

In regards to the post above, I too own a Fiori and am contemplating the Vivio engine swap. Have you now completed yours? If so, how do you find the result?

26th Jul 2009, 11:24

Hi all.

I too am the proud owner of a 1993 Vivio GLI, and think it's a fantastic reliable little car.

Being 6ft4, I do get a few strange looks, but hey it does the job perfectly.

Recently fitted a towbar and roofbars, and on occasions tow a small camping trailer... I love it.