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Subaru BRZ SUV Rendering Trades Sportiness for a Higher Driving Position

Take a look over Subaru’s U.S. lineup, and count how many SUVs are there. For the 2021 model year, the Japanese automaker offers only four high-riding vehicles if you also count the Outback. Toyota, by comparison, boasts no fewer than seven choices.
Subaru BRZ SUV rendering by Kleber Silva 50 photos
Photo: Kleber Silva on Behance
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The Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent cover the compact and mid-size segments, which means that Subaru could use a smaller crossover to attract new customers. After all, small SUVs are steadily replacing budget sedans and hatchbacks in the United States.

Pixel artist Kleber Silva proposes a new entry in the lineup in the guise of the BRZ Cross, a rendering that shares little with the boxer-engined sports car in terms of design. Based on the design study’s proportions, it is also fair to assume that we’re looking at a front-wheel-drive platform gifted with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

Using the rear-wheel-drive platform of the BRZ for a crossover would be too expensive, more so if you remember how much Subaru is charging for the Japanese coupe. At $28,845 before the destination charge, even the mid-size Outback is more affordable.

That said, Subaru has a very good relationship with Toyota. It’s easy to imagine the C-HR with different styling and different badging, but in the long term, all-electric technology is more important for both automakers. To this effect, Subaru and Toyota are collaborating on an all-electric platform for C- and D-segment cars and SUVs.

It remains to be seen how dependent Subaru is on Toyota for the e-TNGA vehicle architecture, though. When the Japanese automaker launched the Subaru Global Platform in 2016 with the fifth generation of the Impreza, we were promised a multi-energy architecture for ICEs, HEVs, and BEVs. We already have hybrids and plug-in hybrids underpinned by SGP, but electric options have yet to be presented.

On that note, what else would you like to see in Subaru’s lineup? If you ask me, I wouldn’t mind a modern revival of the BRAT or Baja. Be that as it may, a car-based pickup truck won’t sell as well as a more affordable crossover.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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