Subaru Stella Grade Guide: L vs G vs Z vs ZS — All-New 4th Generation Explained

Subaru's kei tall wagon just went through its first full redesign in over a decade, gained sliding doors for the first time in its history, and — very recently — became subject to a safety recall worth checking before you buy. Here's exactly what separates L, G, Z, and ZS, and what you need to know right now.

📅 4th-generation Stella: Launched June 12, 2025 (one week after its Daihatsu Move donor car) 🚗 Grades: L · G · Z · ZS 🇯🇵 Japan Domestic Market — 660cc Kei Tall Wagon 🚪 First-Ever Sliding Doors in Stella's History ⚠️ Recall Announced September 10, 2026 — Check Your Chassis Number

Important First: A Very Recent Recall

Before anything else — if you own or are considering a Stella built between May 19 and August 29, 2025, know that Daihatsu (Stella's manufacturer) filed a recall on September 10, 2026 covering interior materials that burn faster than required safety standards allow, across the Move/Wake/Pixis Mega/Hijet Caddy family and Stella. Of the roughly 10,091 total vehicles affected across all these badge-engineered siblings, 588 are Stella units, specifically chassis codes LA850F-2000054 through 2000695 and 2000697 through 2000982, and LA860F-2000053 through 2000342 and 2000345 through 2000510. No accidents have been reported in connection with this issue. If your Stella (or one you're evaluating) falls in this build window, check the chassis number against this recall and arrange the free repair through a dealer. This is separate from an unrelated, larger recall filed in March 2026 affecting the previous, sixth-generation Move specifically — that one does not apply to the current Stella.

Subaru's Kei Cars Have Been OEM for Nearly Two Decades — Except This One Held Out Longest

Here's what makes Stella's history genuinely distinctive among Subaru's kei-class lineup: it was the last Subaru-designed passenger kei car to switch to Daihatsu OEM supply. Stella originally launched in June 2006 as a genuinely Subaru-engineered vehicle, built in-house — one of the final holdouts as Subaru progressively transitioned its kei and compact lineup to Daihatsu and Toyota OEM supply following a 2008 business realignment. The second generation, launched May 24, 2011, switched Stella to a badge-engineered version of the Daihatsu Move — and at that moment, Subaru's entire kei-and-compact passenger-car lineup became fully OEM-sourced, with no remaining in-house passenger designs.

Since then, Stella has followed Move's generational cycle closely: third generation from December 12, 2014 (based on the sixth-generation Move), production paused in 2023 when that Move generation ended, and then the current fourth generation launched June 12, 2025 — exactly one week after the seventh-generation Move it's based on.

What's Genuinely New: Sliding Doors, For the First Time Ever

The current Stella isn't just a styling refresh — it inherits every structural change Daihatsu made to the seventh-generation Move, including:

• Daihatsu's DNGA platform, expanding interior space
• Both-side sliding doors, a first in Stella's entire model history across all four generations — previous Stellas used conventional hinged doors throughout
• Electric parking brake, also new to this nameplate
• The latest generation of Smart Assist, Subaru's collision-avoidance and driver-support suite

Grade Lineup at a Glance

Prices per Subaru's official Japan-market pricing. ZS is the only turbocharged grade — L, G, and Z all share the same naturally aspirated engine. Subaru's L and ZS grades price identically to the equivalent Daihatsu Move L and RS grades, but Stella's middle grades (G, Z) use their own equipment bundling that doesn't map precisely onto Move's X and G grades — worth knowing if you're trying to cross-reference pricing between the two badges.

Sliding Doors Are Not Standard on Every Grade

This is worth understanding before you shop, since Stella's own marketing leads heavily with sliding-door convenience: the entry L grade does not get a power sliding door. The power sliding door is introduced progressively:

• L: no power sliding door
• G: adds a power sliding door on the left side only, with one-touch opening and touch-and-go locking
• Z and ZS: add a power sliding door on the right side too, giving both-side power sliding doors

If both-side power sliding doors matter to you — genuinely the headline feature of this generation — you need Z or ZS, not L or G.

Full Grade Breakdown

L — Entry Grade

From ¥1,369,500 (2WD)

• Multi-information display
• Remote keyless entry with answer-back function
• Foot-operated parking brake
• Manual air conditioning (rotary dial)
• Center tray, recessed front cup holders
• High-beam assist
• 14-inch full wheel caps
• Full LED headlamps with manual leveler
• Black front grille
• Steering wheel with six-star (Subaru logo) ornament and silver accent
• Full fabric seats

G — Mid Grade

From ¥1,534,500 (2WD)

• Pillar blackout
• 360° Super UV & IR-cut glass across front quarter, front door, rear door, rear quarter, and rear gate glass
• Power sliding door, left side only, with one-touch open and touch-and-go lock
• Left slide door easy closer
• Tilt steering
• Keyless access with touch-type request switches (driver and passenger doors) and a request switch on the rear gate
• Immobilizer (anti-theft engine start lock)
• Front center armrest with storage box
• Driver and passenger seat heaters
• Driver's seat lifter
• Seatback pocket and utility hook (passenger side)
• Instrument panel center pocket

G represents a substantial jump in daily convenience over L — the left-side power sliding door alone, combined with seat heaters and keyless access, changes the everyday experience considerably.

Z — Upper Grade

From ¥1,820,500 (2WD)

• Side sill spoiler
• Power sliding door on the right side too — combined with G's left-side door, Z is the first grade with both-side power sliding doors
• Active Multi Information Meter
• Auto brake hold function
• Genuine navigation-ready upgrade pack
• USB socket (instrument panel, one port, power only)
• Sign recognition (no-entry, speed limit, stop sign detection)
• Adaptive Driving Beam
• 14-inch aluminum wheels
• Full LED headlamps with auto leveler
• Combination front grille (gunmetal paint with chrome molding)
• Full fabric seats with silver stitching, navy color
• Steering wheel with six-star ornament and piano-black accent (still urethane, not leather)
• Shift lever with chrome button and accent

ZS — Top Grade, Turbo

¥1,947,000 (2WD)

• Turbocharged engine, exclusive to this grade
• 165/55R15 tires
• Sport-tuned suspension
• Smart Cruise Pack: all-speed-following Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Control, Cornering Trace Assist, and dedicated steering switches for driver-assist functions
• 15-inch cut-and-polished aluminum wheels
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with six-star ornament and piano-black accent — the only grade with a leather (not urethane) wheel
• Leather-wrapped shift lever with chrome button and accent
• All Z-grade equipment carried over (both-side power sliding doors, Active Multi Information Meter, auto brake hold, sign recognition, Adaptive Driving Beam)

Full Feature Comparison Table

✓ = Standard/Available | ✗ = Not offered. Features sourced directly from Subaru's official grade pages (subaru.jp/stella).

What Changed in the August 2026 Update

Shortly after this generation's launch, Daihatsu rolled out a running update across the entire Move-derived family — Move, Wake, Pixis Mega, Hijet Caddy, and Stella — bringing Smart Assist detection improvements (expanded to crossing cyclists and oncoming vehicles during right turns) and, on the Move side specifically, a new 7-inch TFT meter. Stella received the equivalent Smart Assist enhancements as part of this same coordinated update wave across all five badge-sharing siblings.

Which Grade Should You Buy?

💴 Best for Lowest Cost

Choose L. Full LED headlamps and the full Smart Assist suite are standard even at entry level — you're mainly giving up the power sliding door, seat heaters, and keyless access that G and above carry.

⭐ Best Value

Choose G. The left-side power sliding door, seat heaters, and keyless access represent a substantial daily-usability jump over L for a reasonable price increase.

🚪 Best for Full Sliding-Door Convenience

Choose Z. It's the most affordable grade with both-side power sliding doors — the feature most associated with this generation's redesign — plus sign recognition and Adaptive Driving Beam.

🚀 Best for Performance

Choose ZS. The only turbocharged grade, with the Smart Cruise Pack's full driver-assistance suite, larger wheels, and the only leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever in the range.

Importing a Subaru Stella

For buyers sourcing a Stella from Japanese auction, a few identification points matter:

• Check the chassis number against the September 2026 recall if the build date falls between May and August 2025 — this applies specifically to interior material flammability and should be confirmed and resolved before purchase.
• Confirm you're looking at the 4th generation (June 2025 onward) — a Stella with conventional hinged doors, no electric parking brake, or older Smart Assist branding is necessarily from an earlier generation, a mechanically different vehicle from what's described in this guide.
• Power sliding door count is the fastest way to narrow down grade: no power sliding doors means L, left-side only means G, both sides means Z or ZS.
• A leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever confirm ZS — every other grade uses urethane.
• This is genuinely the same vehicle as the Daihatsu Move, sharing chassis, engine, and most mechanical specification — cross-referencing Move information can be useful, though Stella's G and Z grades use their own equipment bundling that doesn't map precisely onto Move's X and G grades, so confirm exact equipment independently rather than assuming a direct match.

Always confirm the exact grade, generation, drivetrain, recall status, and accident history against the chassis number before bidding, since equipment details are easy to misread from auction photos alone. If you're bidding from overseas, running the chassis number through a Japanese auction sheet and history check before you commit is the safest way to confirm the car in front of you actually matches the grade it's listed under — that's exactly the kind of check we built JPChecker to make simple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Subaru Stella the same as the Daihatsu Move? Essentially yes. The current Stella is a badge-engineered (OEM) version of the seventh-generation Daihatsu Move, launched one week after its Move donor car, sharing the same DNGA platform, engines, and Smart Assist technology. Stella's G and Z grades use their own equipment bundling that doesn't map exactly onto Move's grade structure, so don't assume a precise one-to-one equivalence.

Was there a recall on the Subaru Stella? Yes. On September 10, 2026, a recall was filed covering interior materials that burn faster than required safety standards allow, affecting Stella units built between May 19 and August 29, 2025 (588 units), alongside related Daihatsu-family vehicles. Check your chassis number and arrange the free repair through a dealer if applicable.

Does the Stella have sliding doors? Yes, on G, Z, and ZS grades — a genuine first for Stella across all four generations. The entry L grade does not have a power sliding door. G has a power sliding door on the left side only; Z and ZS have power sliding doors on both sides.

What is the cheapest Subaru Stella grade? The L grade, priced from ¥1,369,500 (tax included) for the 2WD version.

Does the Stella have a turbo engine option? Yes, on the ZS grade only. L, G, and Z all share the same naturally aspirated engine.

Is the current Stella a completely new model? Yes. It's the fourth generation, launched June 12, 2025, following an approximately two-year production gap after the previous (third) generation ended in 2023. It introduced sliding doors and an electric parking brake to Stella for the first time.

Was Subaru ever building its own kei cars, or has it always used Daihatsu? Subaru built its own kei cars, including the original Stella, until a 2008 business realignment led to a phased switch to Daihatsu and Toyota OEM supply. Stella specifically remained Subaru's last in-house-designed passenger kei car until its second generation switched to Daihatsu Move OEM supply in 2011 — after which Subaru's entire kei-and-compact passenger lineup became fully OEM-sourced.