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In the world of rally cars for the road, a gearhead can get lost in the sheer number of models produced with motorsport in mind over the last five decades or so. Many of these models are homologation specials, meaning the manufacturer needs to build a certain number of them for road use to qualify for competition in a certain class within the World Rally Championship (WRC). Because of this, many of these models can be quite expensive and hard to come by.

However, some homologation specials are rarer than others, and a few even get their own spin-offs, creating scarce models, too. Such is the case with today’s subject matter, an old Subaru. Specifically, the model in question is called the Impreza Gravel Express. Before you kick yourself for not knowing what the heck it is, rest assured, the model is incredibly rare and exclusive to the Japanese market. The good news is, thanks to the Gravel Express being over 25 years old now, you can import one into the United States, too.

Once Again, Japan Got The Good Stuff

Subaru Impreza Gravel Express Quick Facts

• Introduced in 1995
• Approximately 1,300 examples were built
• Employed the use of a turbocharged flat-four engine
• Only sold new in the Japanese domestic market
• Discontinued following the 1996 model year

During the mid-1990s, Subaru was enjoying its proverbial heyday. At the time of the Impreza Gravel Express’s release, the brand had entered into what many WRC buffs call its most successful period of rallying of all time. The team was scoring wins left and right in the venerable Impreza WRC rally car. To showcase all the Japanese company had learned on the world’s rally stages, Subaru began to branch out from building just Imprezas with quickness in mind.

Well, sort of, because while the Gravel Express is an Impreza, it uses the five-door wagon body as a starting point rather than the more common four-door sedan body. In Japan, Subaru gained an immense amount of popularity thanks to its rallying success. The automaker decided to expand its sporty offerings into the wagon segment and kicked off the idea with the limited-production Impreza Gravel Express wagon. The five-door Impreza has been around since 1992 in Japan, but this model injected some performance into it.

The resulting model, the Gravel Express, stole many of its mechanical parts from the existing Impreza WRX. While the Gravel Express shared some aspects with the American Subaru Outback Sport, the Gravel Express was, basically, a WRX wagon through and through. It employed the same engine, all-wheel-drive system, and many of its suspension components as the WRX. They even shared a few styling elements.

However, despite the Gravel Express’s exciting looks, performance, and wagon-ness, it didn’t sell nearly as well in Japan as Subaru had hoped. Over two model years, the company only shifted about 1,300 of them. While the Gravel Express wasn’t meant to be a big-time mass-produced model, Subaru had, reportedly, hoped to move about 1,000 per year. With less than half their target reached after two years, the automaker pulled the plug on the sporty wagon at the end of the 1996 model year.

Detailed Specs & Features

Unlike the USDM Subaru Outback Sport, which the Gravel Express was somewhat based on, the hot JDM wagon received the full-blooded Impreza WRX engine. The 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four from the automaker’s EJ engine family produced 217 horsepower. Sadly, for Americans, our wagon received a naturally aspirated 2.2-liter flat-four.

Gravel Express buyers were able to select a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The power ran through Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive (SAWD) system. It was a relative to the tech in the Impreza WRC rally car.

The Gravel Express also boasted several key suspension upgrades over the standard Impreza wagon. For starters, there was additional ground clearance and taller, firmer struts. The on-road feel was, reportedly, still soft enough to live with every day. The Gravel Express also received a set of larger, more robust tires and wheels. While the suspension as a whole was majorly changed from the standard Impreza wagon, it wasn’t nearly as rough-and-tumble as the Impreza WRC rally car.

We lay out the 1995–1996 Subaru Impreza Gravel Express’s detailed engine and performance specs in the table below:

*Specs courtesy of CarFolio.com

Features

While the Gravel Express boasted numerous mechanical and exterior upgrades over the standard Impreza wagon, Subaru still peppered some go-faster bits into its cabin. For starters, the model featured a turbo boost gauge on the steering column, along with an upgraded stereo courtesy of the company Clarion. All Gravel Express examples came with a two-tone paint job. There was also a set of badges on the rocker panels denoting its all-wheel drive system and “Gravel EX” logo.

Want One? Here’s What You’ll Have To Do

Of course, you can always wait for a Gravel Express wagon to come up for sale on a domestic auction site. A few have been available even recently, with most selling for around $10,000–$20,0000. However, because the model is well over 25 years old and the 25-Year Rule barring its importation has expired, it can be legally brought into the United States. However, importing a car comes with a few fees that you have to contend with, some of which are:

• Vehicle Price
• Import Duty
• Merchandise Processing Fee
• Harbor Maintenance Fee
• State Sales Tax
• Shipping
• Registration & Insurance

Another Hot Subaru Wagon To Consider

If you’re interested in a sporty Subie wagon but either don’t want one as old as a Gravel Express or simply don’t want to deal with importing a car, you can opt for something like the Subaru Legacy GT Wagon. Instead of 1996 being the final model year, such is the case with our Gravel Express; the Legacy GT Wagon was in production up to 2005. In addition, the model was available in the US, meaning importation – or having to wait to import one, rather – isn’t an issue.

The Legacy GT Wagon employed the use of a 2.5-liter EJ257 turbocharged flat-four engine, the very same mill found within the Subaru WRX STI of the time, albeit with a downgraded state of tune. In total, the Legacy GT Wagon produces 250 hp and an equal amount of torque. The model can hit 60 mph in roughly 6.4 seconds, which is pretty quick for a family-hauling five-door. The suspension is upgraded over the standard Legacy wagon, and it uses Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system. If you’re interested in one for yourself, be prepared to pay around $ 8,000 for a decent one, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Sources: Road And Track, CarFolio.com, Subaru, CarThrottle.com