Subaru Liberty 2016 Review

Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium
Road Test

The new Subaru Liberty blasted onto the scene in late 2014 and with a lower price, sharper design and loads of safety tech, it exceeded all expectations. In 2015 sales trebled, up almost 300 per cent. Popular? Just a bit! On test is the mid-spec Liberty 2.5i Premium, which at $35,990 offers plenty of whiz-bang tech and luxury to boot. But is the medium-sized Subaru sedan still at the cutting edge?

One of the biggest complaints witnessed in the previous Subaru Liberty was the 'Americanised' look. Simply put, it wasn't to everyone's taste.

But what of the current-generation car..?

It has mainstream appeal written all over it, thanks to a more international aesthetic, whether inspecting the little details or regarding it from 20 paces.

Why is this important?

Research suggests that a car's exterior design is one of the key (initial) attractors for any new-car buyer, and Subaru has done a top job with this new model.

Take our test car for example. It rides on stylish 18-inch alloy wheels shrouded by the Liberty's confident, ground-hugging body work, the combination of angles and curves ensuring eye candy from every angle.

Couple the new look with a much lower price plus more technology and the result was a massive sales spike in 2015, as buyers trebled.

However, the pleasant exterior design doesn't extend to the interior of the Liberty, certainly not in such an assertive manner.

Once comfortably seated in the welcoming, medium-sized front seats, the dashboard design is a bit of letdown. The plastic chrome trim around the large touchscreen infotainment display looks dated already and it doesn't compare favourably to rivals in the class like the Mazda 6, Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat.

It's not a deal-breaker, nor is the low touch sensitivity or 'lag' of the colour screen, whose slow processing will be annoying for anyone used to a smartphone, but it's a shame the centrepiece of interior design doesn't match the exterior.

The infotainment system is straightforward and easy to operate, and I liked the grace note album covers that are displayed when playing music. Plugging in your smartphone via USB or connecting via Bluetooth works well.

There's plenty of room inside Subaru's flagship sedan, for front and rear occupants, and the front seats in particular are supportive and comfy, with no back aches or pains to speak of after a two-hour cruise on the freeway.

There's lots of incidental storage including good-sized cup and bottle holders, and the boot is big enough (493L) to cram in loads of sports gear and shopping. I even managed to squeeze a surfboard into the car by folding down the rear seats, though it poked into the front seat compartment slightly.

Still, that's a six-foot plus board, not too shabby!

The steering wheel has many buttons, allowing you to activate voice control and adjust the radar cruise control distance – and, thankfully, the annoying lane-departure warning can be toggled off.

The instrumentation is modern and legible and the colour trip computer display located in the middle of the instrument cluster is a pearler. You switch between road speed, instant and average fuel economy and even the idle-stop system. This feature engages a timer showing how long the engine has been stopped at traffic lights, for instance.

After a week of driving the measuring device reckons I stopped for a total of 18 minutes, which saves me 325ml fuel. That works out to about 50c worth of petrol. Over a year it could be a decent saving, and it's a novel feature I've not seen before.

Overall fuel economy after a week of mainly freeway driving is 9.7L/100km, the lowest reading when cruising at 100km/h was roughly 7.3L/100km. That's not a bad figure considering the Subaru's overripe 2.5-litre Boxer engine has been around for donkey's years.

That said, the car was driven as gently as possible for 90 per cent of the test, which results in a cruising range of around 700km from a full tank of fuel.

A lot of this car's newfound efficiency comes from the CVT or continuously variable transmission. It's a smooth unit, particularly when accelerating from low speeds, and the fact that I didn't notice the CVT is probably a good thing (CVTs can be notoriously whiney!). It's diligent and does what's expected.

It's a quiet car too, imparting an upmarket feel.

At low speeds I really like the way the distinctive Boxer thrum can be felt on the accelerator pedal and like all Subaru vehicles – except the BRZ – the Liberty is an all-wheel drive (AWD) car. The instant you plop into the driver's seat and pull away there's a sense of solidity and assurance about the way it motivates.

Part of that could be its weight too. At 1568kg the Liberty could probably lose a bit of flab, and this is felt no more clearly than when the accelerator is stamped. It gets thirsty very quickly and struggles to pull the cars weight.

That said, AWD is part of the car's unique selling proposition and, to its credit, the Liberty handles well. On a blast along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, after a pumping autumn swell blitzed the coast, it whipped through corners with gusto.

The suspension is compliant enough to deliver a smooth ride but in such corners there's enough firmness to ensure good body control, so it doesn't wallow when shoved into a bend. The steering ain't bad either.

The weakest link in the chassis is probably the tyres, which protest and squeal as the AWD system works to deliver its impressive road-holding.

A few niggles included attempting to open boot with key fob, which requires a prolonged push and if you've switched the engine off and left a window open, you'll have to start it again.

Like all Subaru's it's got a five-star ANCAP safety rating and although it's offered with capped-price servicing for the life of the vehicle, the three-year warranty is not class-leading.

The Subaru Liberty had a massive year in 2015, coming off a small base with the previously unloved model. This is a superior car to the one it replaces and ticks a lot of boxes. It's roomy, comfy, well-priced and has some pretty spiffy safety technology.

But a quick glance at 2016's sales so far show an almost 14 per cent drop. This is reflective of stronger competition, less advertising hype and the fact that the Liberty is no longer at the cutting-edge in its segment.

Let's call it the pre-cut, perforated edge, because it's still a very competent vehicle and worth taking a closer look.

2016 Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium pricing and specifications:
Price: $35,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 129kW/235Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: TBA
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Honda Accord (from $32,990 plus ORCs)
>> Mazda6 (from $32,490 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Passat (from $34,990 plus ORCs)