1996 Subaru Sambar Van Classic · 2WD · 127,800 mi

Up for sale: a 1996 Subaru Sambar Van Classic, finished in Green, brought in from the Japanese domestic market. The specification is 2WD and an automatic box. Its chassis number is KV3-175313.

About the KV3 Sambar Van

KV3 is the rear-drive van from Subaru's 1990s Sambar range, sold plain as the Sambar Van and in trimmed form as the Dias. The rear-mounted 658cc EN07 four sits under the load floor at the very back, which leaves a long, flat, square cargo bay ahead of it and gives the van a distinctly rear-biased feel on the road.

Six figures on the clock at 127,800 miles, about 205,700 km. The Sambar's four-cylinder 658cc engine was never a high-output design; it was built to run at a steady commercial pace, and plenty have.

As listed

• Year: 1996
• Make: Subaru
• Model: Sambar Van Classic
• Chassis code: KV3
• Drivetrain: 2WD
• Transmission: Automatic
• Odometer: 127,800
• Engine: EN07 660 cc
• Colour: Green
• Chassis number: KV3-175313
• Body type: Van
• Stock reference: BUC83959

Why this configuration

A rear-drive Sambar van carries its engine behind the rear axle, so the load bay sits entirely ahead of it: a long, square, flat-floored box with the drivetrain out of the way at the back. The rear weight bias that makes the truck notable makes the van quieter and more settled at the back than most of its rivals.

The $5,000 to $8,000 band is the heart of the imported van market. For a working vehicle that has to keep tools dry and out of sight, it is the point where supply and specification meet.

How to take it

The 1996 build year puts it outside the 25-year window that restricts importing vehicles built to a foreign specification. We handle the import and title paperwork, and delivery is available to all fifty states. A walkaround clip sits with the photographs on this page. The figure is $5,750, and a message is all it takes to put it aside.