Subaru Liberty 2015 Review

Subaru Liberty

With pricing so sharp it'll leave a mark, a subtle new look and more high-tech equipment than a top-secret military test facility, the new Liberty is no longer the let-down it used to be. Priced from under $30,000, the new Liberty is now one of the most affordable Japanese medium cars available and, best of all, it's once more a very satisfying car to drive.

Subaru's sixth-generation Liberty launches in Australia 25 years after the original and is arguably its best mid-size model yet.

There's no wagon this time round (that role goes solely to the latest Outback, which was also released this week), but after its predecessor's lacklustre effort, the new Liberty will see rusted-on Subaru devotees let out a deep sigh of relief, as the car-maker seems to have finally rediscovered its mojo.

That there have been price cuts across the range by as much as $14,000 is the icing on this 1.5-tonne metal, glass and plastic cake, and Subaru rightly expects to double monthly sales from 75 to 150 as a result.

At base level, the 2.5i is $3000 cheaper at $29,990 (plus on-road costs), while the 2.5i Premium is $4000 more affordable at $35,490 and the six-cylinder 3.5R flagship costs a huge $14,000 less at $41,990.

The new Liberty is compelling not just from a cost point of view, but also raises the safety benchmark in the category. Here's why: every single Liberty is now fitted as standard with Subaru's EyeSight driver assistance package. This adds camera and sensor-based technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and pre-collision steering assist, radar-based cruise control with brake light recognition and a lane departure warning system.

Combined with seven airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and full-time all-wheel drive, and you're looking at a safety package that none of its rivals can match, dollar for dollar.

In practice, the radar-cruise control works very well and supports speeds of between zero and 145km/h. Flick it on and the car accelerates and brakes itself automatically, depending on the distance between the car in front. No traffic around? It acts like normal cruise control.

Once the sole preserve of German luxury cars, it's standard fitment to the sub-$30K 2.5i model and will soon force other car-makers to follow suit.

The lane departure warning system is also very good but can get annoying on narrow roads, constantly beeping and bleeping. Mercifully, it can be switched off in such situations.

Like the new Outback, which was developed in tandem, the Liberty scores Subaru's highest ever ANCAP occupant safety rating -- 35.99 out of 37. That's partly the result of a very strong and rigid body structure, which has a handy side effect on ride and handling.

The previous Liberty was a dynamic benchmark and although this new model is not what you'd term razor-sharp, it's now a considerably more engaging vehicle to drive.

With chassis upgrades including new shock absorbers and stiffer suspension mounts, the Liberty exhibits less body roll than its predecessor, giving drivers more control through corners. Factor in AWD and 18-inch alloys shod with (225/50-series) Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres and you're looking at a car that develops plenty of mid-corner grip.

Although the steering is still a bit woolly (similar to the Outback) when honking along and attacking corners, for everyday use it's ideal – light and direct.

The Liberty also adopts the torque vectoring system developed for the WRX, which uses the brakes to reduce individual (usually inside) wheel speeds, thus reducing understeer. The all-wheel drive system defaults to a 60/40 front/rear torque distribution but alters this on the fly, depending on various stimuli.

Ride quality hasn't been sullied by the Liberty's more satisfying cornering performance, which is reassuring as it was one of the areas the previous model got right. The new car ably absorbs cracks and potholes and keeps occupants cosseted when cruising along imperfect country roads.

Another boon for the new Liberty is a lower level of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). This car is very quiet in almost all situations, with scarce engine, wind, tyre or bump absorption noise -- an area in which it trumps the Mazda6.

Together with an improved automatic transmission, the serene interior mood contributes to a greater sense of refinement. The continuously variable transmission, or CVT, is a surprise package – and that's a good thing because it's the only gearbox option available.

In practice the CVT operates like a conventional auto, in that there are steps or ratios, so unlike most CVTs it won't simply dial in optimum revs and hold that engine speed when you floor the throttle. Ergo, there's no droning, again improving interior ambience.

We tested the 2.5i Premium and the 3.6R models at the national media launch and both are willing powerplants. The 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine in the 2.5i Premium generates the same 129kW of power and 235Nm of torque of the Outback but because the Liberty is slightly lighter it feels a little more spritely.

It's no supercar and takes time to build steam for overtaking, but can be hustled along at a decent clip if you keep the revs up. It returned decent fuel economy too at 9.2L/100km, which is nowhere near the 7.3L/100km claim but considering the flogging it copped that's not a bad result.

The Liberty 3.6R is a much beefier proposition. Priced at $42K it's a whole lot cheaper than previously too – by a whopping $14,000. But that's cold comfort for the bloke who bought one last month…

Nevertheless, with two extra cylinders and displacing more than an extra litre, the six-pot boxer belts out 191kW and 350Nm and delivers significantly stronger propulsion. As the flagship model in the range and the only performance option now the turbo Liberty GT has been canned, the 3.6R does an amiable job of getting the adrenaline pumping.

It doesn't offer the turbo-fuelled rush of the GT but it's a smooth and refined unit, firing the Liberty out of corners with decent force while consuming fuel at a claimed 9.9L/100km, which is slightly less than its predecessor.

Both engines are good in isolation but neither offers direct-injection like many of the Liberty's rivals, relying instead on less responsive and less efficient multipoint injection. As a result, the Liberty's engines are one of the few areas that don't sparkle brightly.

Spending time in the Liberty is very pleasant, chiefly because Subaru has again listened to customer feedback and improved the quality of materials used, from the soft-touch dash plastics to the seat upholstery.

We didn't get to sit in the cloth-furnished entry-level 2.5i model, but the leather in the Liberty 2.5i Premium and 3.6R is top notch. Ultra-smooth, the luxurious material wraps the seats, door inserts, steering wheel, centre armrest and gear shifter, ensuring all main touch points are covered.

As mentioned, the new Liberty is significantly quieter than before and leap-frogs many of its rivals in the process, and the updated touch-screen infotainment system is much better than before too. Together with a new-look steering wheel festooned with attractive buttons, the car has a high-tech look and feel that's not readily apparent in the photos.

Intuitive voice commands work effectively to operate the dual-zone climate-control, make phone calls, change the audio and set destinations on the enhanced satellite-navigation, but perhaps the only less-than-ideal element of the cabin is the six-speaker stereo.

That said, the 3.6R comes with a much higher fidelity 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

Other small touches like keyless entry and engine start add brownie points, as does more occupant space and a seriously deep boot, which has grown in capacity to a Commodore-like 493 litres. The front seats are now a little wider too and offer good comfort thanks to ample cushioning. Rear-seat leg room is copious and there's enough space for two tall adults.

Ownership costs are somewhat contained thanks to capped-price servicing that lasts the life of the vehicle, but a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty lags behind the likes of the Hyundai i40's five-year policy.

As an overall package however, the new Subaru Liberty is compelling. How Subaru went from such lows in the previous Liberty to such an impressive high by any car-maker's standard, is unclear. Does it matter? Not really.

The fact is that Subaru has developed one of its strongest products in recent memory, with excellent levels of comfort, technology, safety, refinement and ride/handling.

While the Mazda6 is probably sharper in a dynamic sense – and, subjectively, looks better too -- but in other areas such as cabin quietness and standard features it has overtaken its critically-acclaimed rival.

Subaru has released a convincing proposition in the form of the 2015 Liberty and its only challenge could be ensuring supply keeps pace with demand.

2015 Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium pricing and specifications:
Price: $35,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 129kW/235Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP

What we liked:
>> Ride and handling
>> Interior comfort/quietness
>> Loads of standard features

Not so much:
>> Old engines
>> Polarising looks
>> No more wagon or GT model

Also consider:
>> Mazda6 (from $33,460 plus ORCs)
>> Ford Mondeo (from $31,490 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Passat (from $38,990 plus ORCs)