Subaru bet on its smallest SUV — and the bet paid off. The Rex in Z HYBRID trim is interesting for reasons that go far beyond its size. This is the top trim of the Japanese crossover built on the Daihatsu Rocky, and it hits a very sore spot in the market: fuel economy that would make half the hybrid segment blush.
The Rex is dimensioned for the city: 3995 mm long, 1695 mm wide, 1620 mm tall. The minimum turning radius for the version with 17-inch wheels is just 5.0 m. That means in dense urban grids, on tight parking lots and in daily errands this crossover behaves the way many modern “compacts” have long forgotten how to. And the packaging didn’t eat into the cabin.
The main trump card of the Z HYBRID is the e-SMART HYBRID system. And here’s where it gets interesting. The 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine doesn’t drive the wheels at all. It works purely as a generator. The wheels are driven by an electric motor — meaning this is, in essence, a series hybrid, closer in logic to Nissan e-Power than to Toyota’s classic setup. Hence the smoother throttle response in town and the near-silence at low speeds. The declared figure is 28.0 km/l on the WLTC cycle. That works out to roughly 3.6 l per 100 km.
Among all Subaru SUVs this is, hands down, the best result. But there’s a catch, and it’s a fat one: the Rex Z HYBRID is offered only with front-wheel drive. For light off-road, weekend country trips and winter city driving this will most likely be enough. But for anyone used to associating Subaru with its signature symmetrical all-wheel drive, it’s time to switch to other models in the lineup. That, frankly, is the main ideological crack in the Rex project.
The top version stands apart visually too: a gunmetal-finish hybrid grille, dedicated Hybrid emblems on the side and rear, and 17-inch wheels of a special design with a black finish and diamond-cut machining. Equipment includes Smart Pedal — a feature that lets you control deceleration more actively through the accelerator. You get used to it in a couple of days, and a regular brake pedal starts to feel redundant.
But the most practical detail is tucked away inside the hybrid system. An AC100V outlet with 1500 W of power and emergency supply. Camping, weekend in the wild, blackout at home — the Rex turns into a rolling power station. For a compact SUV this is a rare option, and it’s exactly what makes the Z HYBRID not just a frugal car but a mobile energy source.
The price of the Subaru Rex Z HYBRID in Japan is 16.3 thousand dollars including tax. Against its relatives, the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize, it looks far less mass-market. But that’s exactly the point: anyone looking for an efficient compact SUV without the feeling that the same car is parked at every second neighbor’s gets a rare combination — economy, a hybrid layout, and the blue Subaru wings on the grille.
