1989 Subaru Sumo

The Sumo of 1989 was in its seventh year, a cabover microvan whose three cylinder engine made it too large for the Japanese kei class and whose bumpers were extended front and rear. The engine left it quite exposed to damage if the van was hit from behind, a drawback of the longer unit in a vehicle built around a smaller one. The Sumo shared many characteristics with the Sambar. The name Sumo was meant to evoke the strength of a sumo wrestler.