Subaru’s ho-hum presence at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show - only the new Impreza made the trip to Germany - may have been a disappointment for fans of the brand, but not all is lost because the Japanese automaker will be out in full force at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show in October. We already know that it plans to unveil a special edition version of the BRZ at the event. Now, it’s adding to its list of debuts by rolling out three “concept” versions of its three best-selling models: the Impreza, XV, and Outback.

Truth be told; none of the concepts are actual concepts, at least in the traditional way we know of concepts. Instead, they’re more like “special variants,” each coming with unique exterior and interior features that none of their standard counterparts feature. Subaru even says as much, describing them as previews of what it calls the “new Subaru story,” presumably a launching pad for what future versions of these models could look like. The company hasn’t made it clear if it plans to roll out these models in limited edition numbers like the BRZ STI Special Edition, but don’t be surprised if it does, especially if the public reacts to it as favorably as Subaru hopes.

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What should we know about these three vehicles?

If you’re imagining that these concepts resemble the Subaru Viziv Concept, prepare yourselves to be disappointed. The three cars are actually more production in design, albeit with a few design upgrades that create a little bit of differentiation between them and their standard counterparts.

Let’s start with the XV first, which Subaru is officially calling the “XV Fun Adventure Concept.” Of the three concepts, this is the one that appeals to me the most, mostly because it finally showcases the XV the way I always envisioned it being: off-road capable. The yellow exterior is a nice touch and the XV isn’t the only concept that received it. But its body color isn’t the real reason why I’m digging this interpretation so much. The real highlight of this concept is Subaru’s off-road treatment of it. It gets new cladding on a number of sections, including the front fascia, side fenders, and the rear diffuser. There’s also a bike rack on the roof and a new set of off-road of tires. Look a little closer and you’ll also notice that the XV’s ride height appears to have been raised slightly, presumably to hammer home the point of it being fully capable of getting down and dirty in less-than-ideal road conditions. It’s unclear if Subaru gave the concept any interior upgrades and since there are no interior photos at this point, your guess is as good as mine.

Next up is the Impreza, or as Subaru calls it, the “Impreza Future Sport Concept.” Similar to the XV Fun Adventure Concept, the Impreza gets the full-on mustard yellow body treatment, a color that Subaru seems to have no issue doling out on its vehicles. I don’t mind it personally because I’ve always enjoyed Subaru’s attempts at injecting more personality out of their cars.

As far as the Impreza Future Sport Concept goes, the yellow body is complemented by a sportier look that Subaru achieved by installing redesigned front and rear bumpers, adding aesthetically aggressive centrally mounted exhaust tips, and going for the complete blacked-out treatment on the wheels. Smoked-out taillights and a unique LED light fixtures on the front fascia complete the concept’s attempt at creating a future design treatment of one of Subaru’s most popular models. Once more, there are no interior photos of the Impreza Future Sport Concept so, at this point, it’s best to wait for the car’s official debut in Tokyo to see if there are things in the cabin worth mentioning.

Last but definitely not least is the Subaru Outback, which really is the outlier of the three because it’s technically not a concept, not even by the loose standards we’ve attributed to both the XV Fun Adventure Concept and the Impreza Future Sport Concept. On the bright side, the Outback does get some exclusive treatment in both the exterior and interior, including a new front grille and a new set of wheels in the body. Inside, Subaru decked out its resident mid-size SUV with Ultrasuede seats and panels, dark embossed silver accents, and on the tech front, a new eight-inch display that’s equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Like I said, none of these concepts appear to have production futures written all over them. That’s not to say that Subaru won’t change its mind because it could still happen. Just don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.

References

Subaru XV

Read our full review on the Subaru XV.

Subaru Impreza

Read our full review on the Subaru Impreza.

Subaru Outback

Read our full review on the Subaru Outback.

Read more Subaru news.