Subaru Liberty 2009 Review

Subaru Liberty 2.5i Sport and GT

What we liked
>> GT's performance
>> Substantially improved packaging, NVH
>> Liberty's all-wheel drive USP

Not so much
>> Subjectively, styling is a retrograde step
>> Steering lacks feel at times in atmo models
>> Power delivery in atmo models 'soft'

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine and Drivetrain: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW

That first potential misstep notwithstanding, the Liberty has not put a foot wrong in this market. With each successive new generation, it has improved substantially on the last, without ever diverging from the car's recipe of quality, comfort, a longitudinal boxer engine and, latterly, all-wheel drive across the range.

Positioned to rival other cars in the VFACTS medium-car segment, the new Liberty marks a significant change for the better in many ways. It's larger, inside and out, it's quieter, safer and more frugal in its fuel use. If there were one issue to stand in the way of purchasing the new model, it might well be the car's styling. But polarising looks have not stood in the way of Impreza sales, so perhaps the Liberty will prove to be another success for Subaru -- one that will fly in the face of popular wisdom.
 

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

The Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) option adds $2500 to the price of the vehicle and the wagon is $2000 more than the sedan. Pricing for the Liberty (and the Outback SUV based on the Liberty) range is outlined in full in our news story.

Standard features fitted to the entry-level Liberty 2.5i ($33,990) comprise: Hill-start assist; dual-zone climate control; electric parking brake; height and reach adjustment for steering column; height adjustment for driver's seat; leather gear knob; leather-bound steering wheel with audio/cruise control switches; MP3/WMA-compatible six-stack in-dash CD audio system; trip computer; shift paddles for CVT variants; electric windows/mirrors; remote central locking; 60/40 split-fold seat (wagon) and 17-inch alloy wheels.

For an extra $3000, the Liberty 2.5i Sports adds: alloy sports pedals; Bilstein suspension; carbonfibre decorative trim for dash and doors; leather door trim inserts; xenon headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels.

A further $4000 secures electric sunroof; leather trim and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, in the Liberty 2.5i Sports Premium. $3000 on top of that buys satellite navigation, single-disc DVD player, premium audio system, reversing camera and rear vents.

Buyers preferring luxury over sporting fixtures can opt for the Liberty 2.5i Premium, a car which features electric sunroof, leather trim, rear air vents and eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory and lumbar support. This grade is priced $3500 higher than the entry-level model.

The satellite navigation system for this level of trim costs $2500 and integrates Bluetooth connection/voice recognition; single-disc DVD player and a reversing camera.

With its turbocharged engine, the Liberty GT offers a conventional five-speed epicylic automatic transmission as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual -- in lieu of the CVT in naturally-aspirated models. Priced from $52,990, the Liberty GT is trimmed largely as for the Liberty Sports Premium with satnav, but adds a power-adjustable front passenger's seat, rain-sensing wipers, SI-Drive, keyless access/start with push button and 18-inch alloy wheels. The automatic transmission costs $2000 extra and the wagon is $2000 more expensive than the sedan.

As the flagship of the luxury range -- as opposed to the sports variants -- the Liberty 3.6R Premium with satnav is priced at $51,990 and is available in just the one variant, an auto sedan. Standard features include: Bluetooth connection; single-disc DVD player; dual exhaust; auto-on/off headlights; electric sunroof; leather trim; premium audio system; power-adjustable front seats (eight-way adjustment for driver's); rain-sensing wipers; rear air vents; reversig camera; satellite navigation; SI-Drive; keyless access/push-button start; faux woodgrain decorative trim; xenon headlights and 17-inch alloys.

SI-Drive is fitted as standard to GT and 3.6R Premium variants, providing three drive modes. 'Intelligent mode' ensures optimum fuel consumption and smoothest power delivery. 'Sport mode' is the default mode and is considered by the manufacturer to be the best choice for daily driving in the city and on the open road. 'Sport # mode' enhances throttle response and raises transmission shift points for sportier motoring.

MECHANICAL

The DOHC flat six in the Liberty now displaces 3.6 litres, as per the Tribeca SUV, and features variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust. Powering the most luxurious of the Liberty sedans, it develops 191kW and 350Nm, driving through its standard five-speed automatic transmission.

The six complies with the Euro 4 emissions standard and achieves a fuel consumption (combined-cycle) figure of 10.3L/100km, emitting 242g/km of CO2. According to Subaru, the engine requires no more under-bonnet space than the 3.0-litre unit of the superseded Liberty.

Four-cylinder variants, with the exception of the Liberty GT, are fitted with a naturally-aspirated SOHC boxer (horizontally-opposed) engine displacing 2.5 litres. This engine is a development of the powerplant featured in the superseded Liberty, but Subaru has put it on a diet, reducing weight and friction, leading to fuel efficiency stats comparable with the 2.0-litre boxer engine in the previous generation Liberty.

Peak power is 123kW at 5600rpm and the engine's maximum torque figure of 229Nm occurs at 4000rpm. Changes to the engine's internals include revised port shaping, cam profile and the adoption of lighter pistons. A new plastic resin intake manifold replaces the previous model's aluminium unit. The exhaust now comprises a single muffler for reduced weight (down 6kg). Subaru claims that the single-muffler configuration has led to improved power output and reduced vibration.

For the 2.5-litre turbocharged Liberty GT, Subaru has found efficiency and performance gains by relocating the turbocharger directly under the crankshaft to reduce the distance travelled by the exhaust gases; increasing the compressor size and enlarging the intercooler. Changes to the engine's (lower-friction) piston skirts, variable valve timing control system, cam profile, oil pump, alternator, exhaust system and a host of other engine-related tweaks improve efficiency and reduce weight and NVH.

The turbo engine develops 195kW of power and 350Nm of torque across a plateau from as low as 2400-5200rpm.

All three engines drive through longitudinally-mounted transmissions to a centre differential transferring torque to front and rear axles.

The big news for the new Liberty is almost certainly the introduction of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which is standard in higher-grade models or optional in the entry-level variants. Limited as it is in handling engine torque higher than 250Nm, it's not available in the Liberty GT and six-cylinder variants.

Drive between the CVT’s pulleys is handled by chain, rather than a belt. With smaller-diameter pulleys, the Lineartronic transmission is more compact and more efficient than similar systems marketed by other manufacturers, although Subaru has had to raise the top of the transmission tunnel by 60mm to accommodate the new option. A manual/sequential-shift facility with shift paddles is a feature of the Lineartronic CVT. Drivers can manually select up to six different 'stepped' ratios using either the shift paddles or the floor-shift lever.

The five-speed automatic transmission for the Liberty GT and 3.6R has been revised for lighter weight and lower friction. Principally, that refers to a wave-plate clutch for forward and reverse drive plates. Subaru has also adopted an automatic transmission fluid warmer for cold-start operation, in order to ensure optimum fuel efficiency.

Enthusiastic drivers will note the transmission's improved 'blipping' control on downshifts, a feature that also works when shifting from fifth directly back to third.

The six-speed manual transmission, now 20kg lighter than its counterpart in the previous generation Liberty, is also more efficient through the use of revised lubrication channels. Reverse gear is now the constant-mesh/syncromesh type and a cable improves shift quality and NVH.

Suspension comprises MacPherson struts at the front and a double-wishbone-type independent system at the rear. Rack and pinion steering features variable power assistance according to engine speed and the turning circle is 11.0m, measured from kerb to kerb.

Brakes are discs front and rear, with all variants boasting vented front rotors, but only the Sports and GT variants gaining vented rear discs.

The driving position is very good in the new Liberty. Seats were comfortable and supportive from the word go and there was plenty of adjustment in seats, steering column and mirrors to find the ideal position -- one that provides a clear view of instruments and easy access to controls.

The electronic parking brake is tucked out of the way, but is marked with plain English text for ease of operation. You'll rarely need to use it since it automatically disengages as soon as you apply a little throttle with the transmission in gear.
 
The new Liberty provides impressive levels of head and legroom in both front and rear; especially compared with the old car, which was beginning to look pretty cosy, even against the smaller Impreza.

That added roominess may have impinged on the length of the luggage capacity, although Subaru says that the new Liberty's luggage capacity is larger than the previous model's. The company claims that the cargo volume is up by 47 litres for the sedan or 31 litres for the wagon. Width between the rear wheel arches has improved by 19mm or by 35mm overall.

The boot volume is good, by the standards of a mid-sized car with drivetrain components beneath the boot floor, but a similar size of car, front-wheel drive only, would offer a deeper boot. And of course, in terms of width and length, the Liberty sedan's boot doesn't really compare with some of the 'super-middies' either -- cars like Toyota's Camry.

Subaru has equipped Australian-spec Liberty and Outback models with a standard steel spare wheel. It's not the alloy, but it's preferable in many minds to a spacesaver.

Plastics were hard in parts, but the Liberty's build quality was otherwise right up there among the upper echelon of entrants in the VFACTS medium-car segment. Doors, which Subaru claims now open wider and are larger than before, secured with a gentle nudge. The frames around the windows, as was the case with the migration from the previous Impreza to the new one, have enhanced the car's perceived solidity.

SAFETY

Crash safety protection has been improved over the previous car's, with the introduction of a knee airbag for the driver. The Liberty has also scored a three-star rating for pedestrian safety, through design elements such as an energy-absorbing bonnet with an optimised under-bonnet area.

Front seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters, side, curtain and frontal airbags are fitted as standard in all models, which are also equipped with standard stability control. Other driver safety aids include ABS, EBD and Brake Assist. All Subarus offer all-wheel drive safety for driving on low-friction surfaces.

Self-shifting models require brake pedal pressure before the electronic parking brake can be disengaged. The parking brake also will not disengage if the door is open.

An engine-cradle frame, which also contributes to the new Liberty's lower levels of NVH, shifts the engine down -- away from the cabin -- in the event of a frontal collision. The manufacturer has resorted to high-tensile strength steels for B pillars and side sills. Changing the vehicle's structure to a simpler one with fewer components (rear floor, under-bonnet area, boot lid, for example) has reduced weight without detriment to crash safety.

Other cars that nominally compete in the same market segment you might also consider include the Holden Epica, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Magentis, Skoda Octavia  and Superb and Renault’s Laguna.

Moving further up the tree, the cars most likely to give the Liberty a run for its money (in either GT or 3.6R form) are Audi A4, Volkswagen Passat and even your basic Saab 9-3 or Volvo S60.

Some of those cars are interesting alternatives to the Liberty, but it's virtually a medium segment axiom that the more interesting the car, the greater the gamble for the buyer. In the main, buyers of midsize cars find conservative choices more appealing -- and all-wheel drive and new looks aside, the Liberty is a safely conservative car.

Some of the competitors mentioned offer diesel power where the Liberty doesn't and others are larger, better packaged and/or marginally nicer to drive. As a counterpoint, the Liberty provides a combination of active and passive safety, plus its well-founded reputation for reliability and resale. Now that it's also larger and more luxurious, it's hard to ignore, for those who have placed their trust in the Subaru brand in the past.

There is, of course, one other competitor to the Liberty (wagon) that might appeal and still provide everything the Liberty does and more -- the Outback. It's a Subaru that for all intents and purposes, is a Liberty with added offroad capability – and soon a diesel engine..
 

ON THE ROAD

For the entry-level 2.5i (without the sports-oriented suspension), the ride understandably erred on the side of comfort.

Although turn-in was steady and consistent, yet responsive, steering feel was a little lacking at open-road speeds. It just didn't fill the driver with the confidence the Liberty deserved on the sweeping bitumen corners of the drive program.

In fairness to the Liberty, the roads were wet during the drive, rain bucketing down that morning.

Subaru engineers have done excellent work with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and the 2.5-litre flat four can launch surprisingly well, particularly given it's 'hampered' by all-wheel drive traction.

It's at least as lively as other four-cylinder midsize cars of similar displacement and the Subaru's power delivery is linear -- neither especially muscular down low or peaky up top. The engine remains refined right up to 6000rpm, at which point the CVT will 'change up a cog' -- in manual mode -- whether you want it to do so or not. Once the engine's really on the boil and the car has some momentum, acceleration picks up further, making forward progress akin to a slow-motion slingshot.

Further to the engine's credit, it shows real potential to be a frugal plugger, registering an average fuel consumption of 9.4L/100km over the course of the drive program. Considering the temptation is there to give it a damned good thrashing, the 2.5-litre engine acquitted itself pretty well in that respect.

By comparison, fuel economy for the Liberty GT, based on our brief drive, was 12.6L/100km. The turbocharged engine in the GT pumps out plenty of go. Its willingness is apparent from the moment you press the accelerator to keep pace up a hill, for example. The turbomotor also combines very well with the fove-speed automatic box. So equipped the GT is a deceptively quick yet fuss-free machine from point to point.

In that respect, it's helped by steering that offers what felt like better feedback than the 2.5i Sport and the turn-in is slightly better too. As in the Liberty 2.5i Sport, the paddle shifters provide the means of finding the right engine speed for optimum power and torque. They are responsive and easily reached, turning with the wheel.

So there's much to like in the latest Liberty. There's no doubt whatsoever that Subaru's brains have made significant and worthwhile changes in this new model.

Frankly, we're not convinced by the car's styling, but when has that ever stood in the way of sales success for Subaru in this country? And in every other respect, it's a car that takes some beating.

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