3BD-S331B · 5BD-S331B · EBD-S331B · GBD-S331B · HBD-S331B
Subaru Sambar S331B specs
S331B is the model code of the Subaru Sambar, a kei car (registered in Japan as a goods vehicle). Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2013–2025 under 5 model types 3BD-S331B, 5BD-S331B, EBD-S331B, GBD-S331B, HBD-S331B. A genuine car’s chassis number starts S331B-.
S331B at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Sambar
- Model code
- S331B
- Model types
- 3BD-S331B, 5BD-S331B, EBD-S331B, GBD-S331B, HBD-S331B
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2013–2025
- Engines
- KF 658 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual
- Drive
- four-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 890–1,010 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 13.4–17.8 km/L (38–50 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
3BD-S331B
Listed 2021–2025. The 3BD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2018 emissions rules. Check 3BD-S331B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 960–1,010 kg | — | 16–17.4 km/L45–49 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2021–2025 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 960–1,010 kg | — | 13.7–14.1 km/L39–40 mpg, WLTC test | 2021–2025 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 940–990 kg | — | 17.8 km/L50 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2021–2025 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 940–990 kg | — | 15.2 km/L43 mpg, WLTC test | 2021–2025 |
5BD-S331B
Listed 2021–2025. The 5BD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2018 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check 5BD-S331B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 960–970 kg | — | 17.4 km/L49 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2021–2025 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 960–970 kg | — | 14.1 km/L40 mpg, WLTC test | 2021–2025 |
EBD-S331B
Listed 2013–2020. The EBD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2007 emissions rules. Check EBD-S331B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 910–1,010 kg | — | 13.4–17.4 km/L38–49 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2013–2020 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 890–990 kg | — | 16.2–17.8 km/L46–50 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2013–2020 |
GBD-S331B
Listed 2013–2015. The GBD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2007 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check GBD-S331B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 910–950 kg | — | 15.2 km/L43 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2013–2015 |
HBD-S331B
Listed 2016–2020. The HBD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2007 emissions rules, 75% below their limits. Check HBD-S331B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 940–970 kg | — | 16–17.4 km/L45–49 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2016–2020 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
S331B build year by chassis number
Japan’s carmakers list the chassis numbers each code was built with every year from 2015. Find the serial below, or use the build year finder.
| Built | Chassis numbers |
|---|---|
| 2015 | S331B-008303 to 011163 |
| 2016 | S331B-011164 to 013841 |
| 2017 | S331B-013842 to 016101 |
| 2018 | S331B-016102 to 018340 |
| 2019 | S331B-018341 to 020542 |
| 2020 | S331B-020543 to 022307 |
| 2021 | S331B-022308 to 024046 |
From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.
Check an S331B before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start S331B-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Other Subaru Sambar model codes
Questions
What engine does the S331B have?
MLIT lists the Subaru Sambar S331B with KF 658 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the S331B get?
Officially between 13.4 and 17.8 km/L (about 38–50 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the S331B?
Between 890 and 1,010 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is 3BD-S331B the same as S331B?
Yes. 3BD-S331B is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and S331B is the model code. The chassis number starts with S331B-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Subaru model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.