Subaru's BRAT Truck: The Meaning Behind The Acronym Explained

Despite being pretty short-lived, it's hard to forget the Subaru BRAT. Produced from 1978 to 1994 (but only sold in North America until 1987), the BRAT was a very distinctive pickup truck at the time, known for the two little seats it had in the bed as well as its peculiar blend of car and truck features and design elements, similar to other "utes" (short for "utility vehicles) like the Ford Ranchero and Chevy El Camino. 

According to Subaru, BRAT stands for "BiDrive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter." So...is it a car or truck? While it has a small bed for extra transportation capabilities and only two seats inside, the BRAT was classified variously in its day as both a light-duty vehicle and a special-purpose vehicle by different government agencies. Utility vehicles like it have always occupied an interesting middle ground, so it's not quite a truck after all. It's an all-terrain transporter, got it?

Utes are inherently interesting. Drivers have long been fascinated by these car-truck hybrids, like the underrated Subaru Baja. The Subaru BRAT is a popular one ute from the past that many car enthusiasts want to see make a comeback. 

The Subaru BRAT was discontinued back in the '80s in North America, partially due to low sales. But with a continued cult following to this day, BRAT fans were excited to see rumors swirling around online of the BiDrive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter coming back in 2025. Unfortunately, like the debunked AI images of the 2025 Baja and El Camino, thee new Subaru BRAT images are just another false lead for ute enthusiasts — the result of AI content farms. For now, the Subaru BRAT is not getting revived. And if it did, it really wouldn't be the same — there's no way they'd allow those two back seats in the bed.