Why Subaru's 1985 XT Was Actually Better Than You Remember
The Subaru XT, produced from 1985 to 1991, was a total oddball from a brand that had pretty much only made sensible sedans and wagons (the quirky BRAT, notwithstanding) until that point. The WRX STI wouldn't come out until 2002, and true oddities like the Subaru Baja pickup wouldn't see the showroom until 2003.
It was a futuristic sports coupe that was available with all-wheel drive and a turbocharger to boot. What's not to like? Subaru's current lineup of more off-road focused cars, don't have the same wild charm as the XT. It was startlingly advanced for the mid 1980s, given the aforementioned all-wheel drive system, and it was equipped with what Subaru called a "Cybrid Power Steering" unit. Instead of relying solely on hydraulics or the driver's arm strength to steer, the XT used an electric motor to carry the burden of turning the wheels.
Then, there was the aerodynamics. According to Subaru, the XT had a drag coefficient (quantifying how much air resistance a car generates when its moving — lower is better) of 0.29, the lowest of any production car at the time. For comparison, a Bugatti Chiron has a drag coefficient of 0.38. The XT's shovel-like silhouette is actually functional. During fuel-economy tests in 1985, Motorweek was able to achieve 29 miles per gallon.
1980s-tastic
Base horsepower from its standard 1.8-liter flat-four engine wasn't the most impressive at 94 horsepower. The turbocharged version pumped out 111 horses, but later in the production run, the XT could be equipped with a 2.7-liter flat-six engine that boosted power to a considerable 145 horsepower. The all-important 0-60 miles per hour sprint could be accomplished in 11 seconds with the earlier model, and while that seems practically lethargic today, it was fairly competitive 38 years ago.
From a purely subjective end, how could you not absolutely love the styling? If you typed "Vaporwave Cyberpunk 2077 Blade Runner car" into an AI image-generator, you wouldn't get anything even half as cool as the XT — especially with its pop-up headlights and positively wacky interior. Subaru may have the reputation today as a family car brand with a little bit of off-road cred today, but back in 1985, it was the maker of one of the wildest cars of the 1980s.