UPDATE: 2026/10/23 04:00 EST BY SEAN MCMANUS
Mazda’s Famous Sports Car Got Hit, Too
We added a section to discuss the future of the MX-5 Miata, and how its 2.0-liter engine will not carry on due to EU emissions restrictions.
In 2026, Subaru celebrates the 60th anniversary of introducing its first boxer four-cylinder engine in 1966. The unit had modest beginnings, with a 977-cc flat-four making 55 horsepower to power the Subaru 1000. Since then, the flat powertrain layout has become inextricably linked to the brand. All-wheel drive, the brand’s other hallmark, arrived in 1972.
However, Subaru’s boxer engine won’t enjoy another major anniversary, at least in one market.
Subaru Going Electric Only, And Soon
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By the end of 2027 at the latest, Subaru will no longer sell internal combustion engine models in Europe. Subaru Germany confirmed the decision to the German publication Auto Motor und Sport. The choice is due to the Euro 7 emissions regulations that take effect for all new vehicles sold in the region as of November 2027. The same issue is causing the 2.0-liter-powered Mazda Miata to leave the EU.
Subaru will pull its combustion-powered vehicles out of Europe in phases. The Outback will be the first to go, leaving the market before the end of 2026, according to Auto Next. The Forester, Crosstrek, and Impreza will get the axe in 2027. The decision will also apply to the brand’s mild-hybrid-assisted e-Boxer models, which include versions of the Impreza, Crosstrek, and Forester in the region.
Once these models are gone, Subaru will only sell EVs in Europe. In Germany, the company currently offers the Solterra, Uncharted, and E-Outback. Subaru reportedly has no plans to bring the full-hybrid Crosstrek or Forester available in the United States to Europe to offset the loss of the existing combustion models.
Brand-by-brand vehicle sales in the European Union are difficult to track, but in Germany, Subaru is a fairly small player in the market. In 2025, the brand sold a total of 3,978 vehicles in the country, which was down from 4,510 units in 2024, according to the KBA – a German government agency that reports vehicle registrations. For comparison, Volkswagen delivered 560,796 models there in the same period.
Meanwhile, Subaru moved 643,591 vehicles in the United States in 2025, which was down from 667,725 units in 2024.
What Does Subaru’s Powertrain Future Look Like?
2026 Subaru UnchartedSubaru
Elsewhere in the world, Subaru doesn’t seem ready to give up on the combustion engine. In a recent patent, the company registered the idea for a hollow camshaft with a free-spinning weight inside. The idea cancels out vibration and is lighter than conventional units. Plus, less rotating mass for the camshaft would also put reduced strain on the rest of the timing system.
In the US, Subaru’s combustion-powered vehicles remain very popular. As of September 2026, sales of the Solterra EV are down 43.5%. It has moved 5,635 of them in the first nine months of the year, versus 9,972 examples in the same period in 2025. There’s not enough data about the Trailseeker or Uncharted EVs to provide year-over-year numbers yet, but they have moved 5,610 and 3,385 units, respectively, in 2026.
By comparison, Subaru’s bestseller in the US is the Forester with 156,476 deliveries in 2026. Forester sales are up 17.6% year over year through September.
Mazda’s Famous Sports Car Got Hit, Too
2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring. RF. Hardtop. Front, three-quartersMazda
Like we mentioned earlier, the same EU emissions regulations just killed the 2.0-liter MX-5 Miata. Buyers in the United States shouldn’t be affected, as far as we can tell, but European enthusiasts should act quickly if they’re to get one of the final examples before it’s gone. Not all is lost, though. While Subaru is taking an all-electric approach to its post-boxer lineup, Mazda isn’t committed to turning the Miata into an electric car. According to a statement by the Australian spokesperson for Mazda, the brand knows that there is no interest from enthusiasts for an electric Miata.
That said, the CEO stated at another time that the next Miata generation should be “EV ready.” That could mean the next model will be a hybrid, and we’re not mad about it. The automaker wants to keep its sports car around the same curb weight as the current generation. If it can do that while introducing a hybrid system, that could just mean better acceleration and more power with electrified assistance to a smaller gas engine.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
European regulations are leading the world in pushing towards vehicle electrification. The change is hitting smaller legacy automakers the hardest. Presumably, Subaru looked at the investment to keep its ICE vehicles on sale in Europe, analyzed their sales, and made the decision that it wasn’t worth the money to sell a few thousand vehicles a year there. Considering Subaru’s long history in the World Rally Championship – arguably Europe’s most beloved motorsport – the death of the boxer there is bittersweet.
It still seems like electrification is the future for passenger vehicles, but the transition process is a gradual one. After decades of availability, mainstream buyers are finally embracing hybrids. Many buyers in the US still don’t seem ready to make the jump to EVs, so, at least in this market, it’s vital for automakers to offer a variety of powertrain choices for greater appeal.
Source: Auto Motor und Sport, AutoNext, KBA, Motor1
