1993, Subaru, Leone 1.8
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PostedOct 27, 2025
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The Subaru Leone is a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Subaru from 1971 to 1994. The word leone is Italian for lion.
It was released as a replacement for the Subaru 1000 and was the predecessor of the Subaru Impreza. All Leones were powered by the Subaru EA boxer engine. Most cars were equipped with optional four-wheel drive. At the time of its introduction, the Leone was Subaru's top model until 1989, when the larger Legacy was introduced.
Although released in Japan and some export markets as the Leone, for many years, this was the only vehicle sold internationally by Subaru where Subaru's smaller kei cars were not commonly sold. As a result, in major markets such as Australia, Europe and North America, it was instead identified with a trim level designation, some of which included: DL, GL, GLF, GLF5, GL-10, and RX. The car is thus often referred to simply as the Subaru GL or the Subaru L series.
I purchased this car while I was living in Papua New Guinea. I needed something strong and reliable, and this Subaru certainly proved to be both. The roads were terrible—full of potholes—and many expats’ cars were damaged by hitting them. I certainly hit a few myself in this car. Larger SUVs were very expensive at the time and hard to find in good condition.
The only issue I ever had in the three years I owned it was a broken fan belt after hitting a particularly bad pothole on the way home from work. The rule in PNG was not to drive too slowly for fear of being car-jacked, so sometimes there wasn’t enough time to avoid a pothole or an oncoming vehicle, leaving you with no choice.
I have great respect for how solid Subarus are. The bodies are light, but underneath, the suspension and mechanical components are extremely sturdy.
Front wheel drive- Rear wheel drive
- Four wheel drive
- Limited slip differential
- Overdrive