Subaru SVX Model Overview

At the time of its debut in 1992, the Subaru SVX sports coupe seemed an oddity in the Subaru lineup, which tended more towards utilitarian AWD vehicles. The SVX also featured all-whee drive, but was marketed as a luxury performance car. It replaced the previous Alcyone XT and featured an impressive 3.3-liter, 230-hp, DOHC flat-6 engine. Saddled only with a 4-speed automatic and a heavy body, however, the SVX couldn't do this engine full justice.

Its most unique design was the Lamborghini-inspired two-piece window-within-a-window, which was unusual for a two-door coupe. But stretching from end to end and all the way to the roofline, this window design supposedly increased visibility and improved aerodynamics.

Trim designations changed slightly over the years, but hovered around the LS, LS-L, and LSi. All featured all-wheel drive, full power features (windows, doors, mirrors), and cruise control. The LSi and Touring packages added leather seats, a sunroof, heated mirrors, and power seats. The backseat folded down for more cargo room in the compact coupe.

The Subaru SVX had some notable problems with the transmission overheating and early brake rotor wear, perhaps due to the inappropriate size of the rotors for the car's weight. For some reason, the car never sold well, perhaps because its sporty image did not appeal to the conservative staple Subaru consumer, or perhaps because its actual performance wasn't sporty enough for true driving enthusiasts. Subaru only sold a little over 14,000 SVX coupes in the U.S., and stopped producing them after 1997.