Subaru to end internal combustion engine cars in Europe by 2027
Subaru will completely phase out internal combustion engine vehicles in Europe by the end of 2027, transitioning to a strictly battery-electric lineup by 2028, according to Autofácil. The decision ends decades of production for the brand’s signature horizontally opposed boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel-drive systems across the European market.
Regulatory Pressures Drive Out Combustion Engines
Stricter European Union fleet carbon dioxide emissions limits and rising safety requirements have made upgrading legacy internal combustion engines increasingly costly. Rather than spending capital to recertify current powertrains, Subaru is shifting its regional strategy toward electric vehicles built in partnership with Toyota.
Models Facing Discontinuation Across European Showrooms
The manufacturing shift will remove several established nameplates from European dealerships. The Outback, equipped currently with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated boxer engine producing 169 horsepower, leads the departures. During 2027, the Impreza, the Crosstrek, and the Forester will also exit the European market, as noted by automundo.com. These three models currently rely on e-Boxer powertrains that pair a 2.0-liter gasoline boxer engine with mild-hybrid technology to generate 136 horsepower.
| Model | Current European Powertrain | Discontinuation Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback | 2.5L Boxer (169 CV) | 2027 |
| Subaru Forester | 2.0L e-Boxer Hybrid (136 CV) | 2027 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2.0L e-Boxer Hybrid (136 CV) | 2027 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2.0L e-Boxer Hybrid (136 CV) | 2027 |
The Upcoming Electric Lineup Shared With Toyota
Beginning in 2028, Subaru’s European portfolio will consist exclusively of three battery-electric vehicles developed alongside Toyota. The lineup will feature the Solterra, which shares its architecture with the Toyota bZ4X; the E-Outback, derived from the bZ4X Touring; and the Uncharted, sharing technical foundations with the Toyota C-HR+, per Autofácil. This industrial alignment allows Subaru to bypass the immense costs of developing an independent electric platform from scratch.
Diverging Strategies Between Europe and North America
While European buyers face a complete cutoff from internal combustion and hybrid models by 2028, operations in other regions will maintain different timelines. In North America, Subaru continues to sell gasoline-powered boxer models alongside new hybrid variants of the Crosstrek and Forester featuring a 2.5-liter setup that generates 197 horsepower, according to automundo.com. No plans have been confirmed to bring those specific hybrid variants to European markets, leaving European consumers reliant on existing inventory through the final production run in 2027.