3BD-S700B · 5BD-S700B
Subaru Sambar S700B specs
S700B 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 2023–2026 under 2 model types 3BD-S700B, 5BD-S700B. A genuine car’s chassis number starts S700B-.
S700B at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Sambar
- Model code
- S700B
- Model types
- 3BD-S700B, 5BD-S700B
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2023–2026
- Engines
- KF 658 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- 5-speed manual, CVT automatic
- Drive
- rear-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 880–970 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 14.7–20.5 km/L (42–58 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-S700B
Listed 2023–2026. The 3BD prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol goods vehicle or bus certified to Japan’s 2018 emissions rules. Check 3BD-S700B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 880–900 kg | — | 18 km/L51 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2023–2026 |
| KF658 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | rear-wheel drive | 880–900 kg | — | 14.9 km/L42 mpg, WLTC test | 2023–2026 |
| KF658 cc petrol | CVT automatic | rear-wheel drive | 910–970 kg | — | 19.7–20.5 km/L56–58 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2023–2026 |
| KF658 cc petrol | CVT automatic | rear-wheel drive | 910–970 kg | — | 14.7–15.6 km/L42–44 mpg, WLTC test | 2023–2026 |
5BD-S700B
Listed 2023–2026. 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-S700B against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KF658 cc petrol | CVT automatic | rear-wheel drive | 910 kg | — | 20.5 km/L58 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2023–2026 |
| KF658 cc petrol | CVT automatic | rear-wheel drive | 910 kg | — | 15.6 km/L44 mpg, WLTC test | 2023–2026 |
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.
S700B 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 |
|---|---|
| 2021 | S700B-000051 to 000381 |
| 2022 | S700B-000382 to 002047 |
| 2023 | S700B-002048 to 003660 |
| 2024 | S700B-003661 to 004882 |
| 2025 | S700B-004883 to 006290 |
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 S700B before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start S700B-, 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 S700B have?
MLIT lists the Subaru Sambar S700B with KF 658 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the S700B get?
Officially between 14.7 and 20.5 km/L (about 42–58 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 S700B?
Between 880 and 970 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is 3BD-S700B the same as S700B?
Yes. 3BD-S700B is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and S700B is the model code. The chassis number starts with S700B-.
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.