Subaru Loyale
Subaru Loyale was the name given to the former GL and DL model series in 1990. The name change was triggered by the introduction of the entirely new Legacy line of cars.
Subaru GL/DLs became very popular in the 1980s in snowy areas due to their adaptability to extreme cold (you can count on a Subaru to start at 40 degrees below zero, this cannot be said of all cars), low price, good fuel economy, and most importantly, the four wheel drive option. As Subaru GL/DLs were purchased as utilitarian vehicles, mainly for their practicality in icy environments, it is rare to find front wheel drive examples in areas where GL/DLs were popular, and almost as rare to find sedans or coupes.
However, though these may be the cars that gave Subaru their popularity in northern climates, they were not perfectly well adapted to the cold. CV axles and related parts on these vehicles (even more so than most front wheel drive and four wheel drive cars) had a tendency to break or wear out quickly in cold weather, and were relatively expensive to replace (compared to many other makes). Also, in part due to the width of the boxer engine, making access difficult, repairs to the engine could be notoriously difficult, to the point that even in some areas where these vehicles were very common you could find mechanics who would refuse to work on them at all.
GL/DL-type names had been in use since the mid 1970s. All GL/DLs were powered by 1.6 or 1.8 liter carburated flat-4 engines. The Loyale was similar to the GL-10, but added fuel injection.
- DL - Base model, with few options. Manual transmission only. Most examples were Front wheel Drive.
- GL - More options than the DL, power windows and locks available, larger engine available on early models, turbo option available on later models. Air conditioning, automatic transmission, and power steering available.
- GL-10 - Radios, power door locks and windows, power moonroofs standard. Turbo option available on all years, and very common on later models.
- RX - GL-10 without a moonroof, but with an upgraded suspension, standard turbo, and a 5 speed manual transmission and dual-range 4WD standard. Comparatively rare. There were two major versions: a sedan and a coupe, which differed mechanically as well as in body-style. The sedan has part-time dual-range 4wd which is not synchronized, so it cannot be shifted while in motion. The coupe has a unique synchronized dual-range full-time 4wd transmission with manual differential lock. It can be shifted between high and low range while in motion.
- Loyale - Replaced all GL and DL models. Essentially the same as a GL-10, but with fuel injection instead of a carburetor.
Production of the Loyale ended in 1994.
