What is the difference between a Subaru Brat and Brumby?
The Subaru Brat and Brumby are essentially the same family of compact pickups built on Subaru’s early Leone platform, but they were sold under different names in different markets. The Brat is the U.S. market version famous for its rear-facing jump seats in the cargo area, while the Brumby is the Australian-market name for a similar ute, generally without those rear seats and tailored to local tastes.
Origins and market placement
Subaru rolled out small pickups based on the Leone platform in the late 1970s. In the United States, this concept became the BRAT — Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter — a name that stuck through the 1980s. In Australia, Subaru marketed a very similar pickup under the Brumby badge, adapting the design for local buyers and regulations.
- The Brat was the US-market version, produced roughly from 1978 to 1987, and is best remembered for its two rear jump seats located in the cargo bed area.
- The Brumby was the Australian-market variant, produced in parallel and through the late 1980s into the 1990s, with styling and equipment aligned to local preferences and road rules.
Both models share a common lineage—the Leone-based pickup—yet their branding and minor design choices reflect their respective markets.
Design, seating and bed layout
The most visible distinction lies in interior layout and how the cargo area is used for passengers.
- Brat: Notable for its rear seating arrangement in the cargo bed area — two small rear jump seats that could be folded away to expand cargo space. This setup gave the Brat a distinct, quirky appeal in the U.S. market.
- Brumby: Generally featured a conventional cabin with standard seating in the rear (and without a pair of rear-facing jump seats in the cargo bed). The bed remained a traditional open cargo area.
In short, the Brat’s standout feature is the rear jump seats in the cargo area, while the Brumby sticks to a more conventional two- or four-door cab with a standard ute bed.
Mechanical specs and drivetrains
Both versions trace their roots to Subaru’s small four-cylinder lineup and commonly offered all-wheel-drive variants, but equipment and tuning varied by year and market.
- Commonalities: Four-cylinder engines and all-wheel-drive options were broadly available across Leone-based pickups, with manual transmissions being standard in many configurations.
- Market adjustments: Emissions controls, trim levels, and suspension tuning reflected local regulations and consumer preferences in the United States (Brat) and Australia (Brumby), leading to some differences in ride quality and equipment.
While the underpinnings remained closely related, the Brat and Brumby diverged in interior layout and market-specific details rather than a fundamentally different mechanical design.
Legacy and cultural footprint
The Brat has become an icon of the late-1970s and 1980s American automotive imagination—a quirky, practical compact pickup with a unique seating concept. The Brumby, by contrast, occupies a more regionally focused place in Australia, cherished by enthusiasts who value Subaru’s early ute lineage and the brand’s rugged, small-footprint capabilities.
Both models are now seen as early steps in Subaru’s long-running history of practical, all-weather vehicles. They laid groundwork for later Subaru crossovers and the brand’s enduring appeal in markets around the world.
Summary
In essence, the Subaru Brat and Brumby are two names for the same early Leone-based pickup platform, differentiated primarily by market and interior layout. The Brat is best known for its rear jump seats in the cargo bed and its U.S.-market identity, while the Brumby represents the Australian-market variant with a more conventional cabin and bed setup. Both share Subaru’s compact, all-weather philosophy and a pedigree that continues to influence the brand’s rugged, small-pickup image.
What does BRAT mean in Subaru?
BRAT is an acronym for Bi-Drive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter. It was a small pickup truck produced by Subaru that was sold in the United States and other countries but not officially in Japan. The name reflects its part-time all-wheel-drive system, its use as a recreational vehicle, and its ability to handle off-road terrain.
- Bi-Drive: Refers to the vehicle's part-time, selectable all-wheel-drive system.
- Recreational: Indicates the vehicle's purpose as a fun, recreational vehicle.
- All-Terrain: Describes its capability to be driven on various types of terrain.
- Transporter: Highlights its function as a vehicle for carrying cargo and people.
What is a Subaru Brumby?
The Subaru BRAT is a four-wheel drive coupé utility by Subaru from 1978 to 1994, based on the Leone. Depending on the market it was known as the Brumby, MV Pickup or Shifter.
What is another name for the Subaru BRAT?
The Subaru BRAT, short for "Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter", known outside Canada and the United States as the 284 in the United Kingdom, Brumby in Australia, and Shifter, MV, or Targa in other markets, was a pickup truck that was made by Subaru from 1978 until 1994.
Why was the Subaru Brumby discontinued?
Despite their enormous popularity in Australia, the local market was said to be too small to warrant their continued manufacture globally and, having first brought the Brumby to Australia in 1978, Subaru discontinued the iconic line in 1994.
