The sport of sumo, as we know it, originated in Japan over 300 years ago. It was in 1864 that the first professional sumo tournaments began. Wayward samurai would compete against each other to prove their strength and earn a living. But sumo was more than competition, and it was used within the Shinto religion. Sumo is about power, strength, and ritual. Even today, sumo is dictated by strict tradition. However power, strength, and tradition aren't the first things that come to mind when you take a look at the Subaru Sumo
The Subaru Sumo was an odd little microvan that was manufactured from 1983 to 1998. The sumo was sold only in Europe and Asia, and was known by mamy aliases including the Libero, Domingo, Columbuss, and Estratto. The Sumo is sometimes referred to as the Sambar, which was actually a separate vehicle all together. While the Sumo and the Sambar are very similar, the Sumo has extended front and rear bumpers and a larger engine than the Sambar.
The Sumo came with a couple of different engine options. You could either go with the measly 1-liter engine, or if you really wanted to let your engine roar, you could go with the whopping 1.2-liter engine, both of which were water-cooled straight-three engines. To be clear, neither of these engines were whopping or roaring.
Ultimately, the Subaru Sumo couldn't compete with the Forester, which offered permanent 4WD and was much more powerful, attractive, and comfortable. It offered a 2.5-liter boxer engine, modern lines, and more interior space.
The Sumo maxed out at eleven and a half feet long, which would be a good-sized adult male American alligator. In comparison, the 2015 Subaru Forester has a length of 15 feet 0.9 inches
The mighty little Sumo was just over four and a half feet wide, which is slightly wider than a hippo can open its mouth. The Forester has a width of 5 feet 10.7 inches.
It was six feet and four inches tall, which is the standing height of an adult emu. The height of the 2015 Forester is a little lower at 5 feet 8.2 inches
The Subaru Sumo weighed in at just over 2,200 pounds, as does the southern elephant seal. The Forester is much heavier, weighing in at 3,391 pounds.
It's for the best that the Forester ended up replacing the Sumo. The Forester has become one of the most popular vehicles in the Subaru line!
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