5 Vintage Subaru Models From The 1970s (And What They're Worth Today)

Japanese automakers have steadily increased their presence in the United States market over the last few decades, but that was not always the case. You look back in time, and you will see far fewer options than you do today. However, these companies still had their presence felt in the American market, such as Subaru. Although the company has been around since the early 1950s in Japan, it didn't really make a splash in the States until the late 1960s and early 1970s. None of those models remain in production today, but they were some of the company's most successful automobiles and are sure to be catnip for fans of vintage automobiles.

When these vehicles were first released, they were just your normal, run-of-the-mill production vehicles. Over time, they've become something akin to collector's items. If the idea of indulging in your nostalgia or your fascination with older cars, then we are going to look at five different Subaru models that were available in the United States during the 1970s, and we are going to let you know what you would expect to pay on average if you were to get yourself one today. Some of these prices could shock you, both for how expensive or relatively inexpensive they can be.

One of the more popular Subaru models of the 1970s was the Subaru Leone, though the car never got a proper name in the United States, making it something of the generic brand Subaru. The Leone first hit the Japanese market in 1971, but it wouldn't make its way over to the States until the following year. These would continue to be sold into the 1990s until being replaced by the Impreza.

Because these are not necessarily the most outrageous or specialized vehicles, these can be gotten for extremely low prices, even in very good condition. For example, a 1978 Subaru GL Wagon sold at auction in 2023 for just $4,750, and a DL sedan from the same model year sold for $3,500 a year earlier. Meanwhile, a 1979 DL Wagon sold in 2022 went for $8,300. J.D. Power has the average price for a 1976 DL model set at $1,125, with the high-end estimate still being under $2,000. If you want an inexpensive vintage vehicle, these 1970s Subarus are a fantastic place to look for some great deals.

There was one model of the Leone that Subaru did give a proper name to in the United States, and that was the Subaru BRAT. Yes, before we had Brat Summer, we had BRAT 1978, which is when the pickup truck version of the Leone made its way to the marketplace. This was a two-door, four-wheel drive iteration of the Leone to satiate the growing desire for the compact pickup truck in the United States. For the record, BRAT is an acronym for Bi-Drive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter, but it was also known as the Brumby and MV Pickup in other territories.

The Subaru BRAT is a much more specialized product than the Leone DLs and GFs that are on the market, so the average price of these vehicles is going to be a bit higher than its non-pickup truck sister. J.D. Power sets the average sale price of one of these 1978 trucks at $2,450, but that is going to be a vehicle in a condition commensurate with being average. Auction prices for those in terrific condition are much higher. There have been three auctions for 1978 models since September 2023, and the average sale price they go for is about $12,100.

Prior to the Leone, Subaru had a vehicle that went by a bunch of different names, such as the Star, but by and large, it was known as the Subaru FF-1. The two Fs in its name stood for front-engine and front-wheel drive. That is the same setup the Leone used, though it also had the option for all-wheel drive. The FF-1 was also known as the 1100 to indicate the 1.1L F4 engine under the hood, one of many boxer engines made by Subaru.

The proper FF-1 Star from Subaru had only a two-year run in the United States, and in Japan, it was only one year longer. They sold extremely well at the time, but today, it is actually quite difficult to find them being sold. Many auctions and used car sites have zero instances of these models being sold in recent years. Back in 2013, Bring a Trailer spotlighted a refurbished FF-1 from 1970 that was being sold for $15,000, which would be a bit over $20,000 today. You'll have to do some digging if you are looking to find yourself a 1.1L Subaru FF-1, and you may be paying a bit more than you would like.

Like the Subaru FF-1 Star model, the Subaru FF-1 1300 G is a little hard to find on the used market, either by private seller or auction. This model was the bridge that linked the original FF-1 Star model to the Leone. It was outfitted with a slightly larger 1.3L F4 engine, but it maintained that front-engine, front-wheel drive setup of its predecessor. This model was only in production for a couple of years as well, so there's a fairly limited pool from which to select. You probably see this one being sold a bit more because of the slightly larger engine, but it is still not changing hands at a whole lot.

In March 2024, a 1970 Subaru FF-1 1300 G sold at auction for £2,576, which converts to about $3,255. Back in 2021, a Japanese version of the 1300 G from 1971 went for ¥503,910. That equates to a little over $2,800 in 2021 when adjusted for inflation. Today, that would be around $3,275. Although the listings for the Subaru FF-1 1300G are not plentiful, it seems like the pricing for it is far more consistent than the 1.1L Star. That being said, if you are willing to put in the work to find one, there are good deals to be found.

While all of the other vehicles on this list emerged in the 1970s, the Subaru 360 first hit the streets in the late 1950s and came to an end in 1971. Despite being in production for over a decade, it only sold around 10,000 units in the United States and was widely lambasted for its aesthetics and safety. However, it was cheap, with a starting price of $1,297 in 1970, which is around $10,500 today. 

The Subaru 360s produced in the 1970s also have the highest average asking price on today's market by a pretty decent margin. Auctions over the last five years have shown there to be an average selling price of around $20,000 for a 1970 360 model, which is nearly double the original price after adjusting for inflation. One even sold for $44,800 in 2020, which had been utilized as a police car in the past, and a 1971 Deluxe model sold in 2021 for $26,000. J.D. Power estimates that the average retail value of these cars should be around $2,550, but when you actually look at what is being sold, those estimates are way off. It may have taken over 50 years, but the Subaru 360 has found its market in the United States.