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15/11/2009
By EWAN KENNEDY
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The Subaru Liberty station wagon has always ranked as the sort of vehicle you buy if your budget won't run to a Volvo wagon. Like the Swedish load carrier, the Japanese Liberty leans in the direction of function before fashion. Forget the pretty ‘boutique’ wagons from some other marques, this Subaru is a real proposition for the buyer who needs to carry bulky loads, gear for a bunch of kids or whatever else is too large to fit into a sedan or hatchback.
But these potential buyers don’t want to go for the bulk and parking hassles often created by 4WDs of this size.
Like the Volvo designers, those at Subaru have managed to give their wagon a square look without it being over bulky in its shape. Viewed from directly behind the latest Liberty wagon for 2010 has a hunkered down European look. The body is a bit slab-sided, with doors that don’t look to have enough tumblehome (the inward slope below the waistline). However, this goes with the functional nature of all Subarus – which is something that has appealed to Australian buyers since Subaru first made its appearance here almost four decades ago.
The European theme is also evident inside the Liberty wagon, with a boldly curved upper area on the centre console, and large easy-to-read dials in the neatly laid out instrument panel.
Liberty is now larger than ever before, with every dimension being improved. There's 30 mm extra width between the front seats and 68 mm in length between the front and rear rows. Front seat space has been improved with the handbrake lever being removed from between the seats – it's now an electric push-pull switch placed in the dash.
Rear legroom is up 99 mm and rear shoulder room 62 mm. Liberty can now take three adults in the rear seat in relative comfort, though anyone in the centre-rear seat will find it's a fair bit higher than the others. To the extent that it can compromise headroom.
There are many useful stowage areas in the cabin, including a deep central bin between the front seats.
The wagon’s rear cargo area is spacious and reasonable square. It can be expanded by folding down the rear seat backrests by way of easy-to-use levers just inside the cargo area. The backrests go down almost perfectly flat in moments. The seat split is the now traditional 60/40 per cent.
Somewhat oddly, the cargo floor has been raised by about 50 millimetres to make space for a full-sized spare, yet the vehicle we tested had a space-saver.
The larger interior is due mainly to the Liberty wagon being expanded in all directions, it is 65 mm longer, 50 mm wider, 65 mm higher and sits on a wheelbase that's 80 mm greater than before.
The engine now sits in what Subaru calls a safety cradle to stop it pushing back into the cabin during a major crash. A further benefit of this is that the setup helps reduce in-cabin NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) to levels rarely found in this class of car. It's delightfully smooth and quiet on motorways. Even the notoriously noisy el-cheapo concrete surface of the M1 between Brisbane and the Gold Coast managed to upset the Subaru's equanimity.
Indeed, the overwhelming feeling when riding in the 2010 Subaru Liberty wagon is of quietness, smoothness and comfort. There are some European machines costing considerably more that don’t pamper you the way the Subaru does.
Engines have been completely redesigned and fuel consumption is down by 11 per cent in automatic Liberty GT variants and 9.7 per cent in automatic 2.5i models. That's partly due to the fitment of a high-torque continuously variable transmission (CVT) behind the engine.
On test we found our Liberty auto wagon consuming petrol at the rate of about seven to eight litres per hundred kilometres on the highway, and eight to ten litres per hundred in suburban running.
The continuously variable transmission has a sharper feel than some of its breed so it will take less time for drivers to become accustomed to its characteristics. Steering wheel paddle shifters, or a +/- floor shifter, let the driver choose from one of six preset ratios for specific conditions. After playing with the presets for a while we came to the conclusion that the computer programmers really do have it right. The continuously variable transmission is in the correct ratio virtually all the time. After all, that's what continuously variable is all about.
Development of the 2.5i naturally-aspirated engine focused on delivering torque at low revs. The engine now produces 123 kW of power at 5600 rpm and 229 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. But that 4000 revs is deceptive and there's plenty of pulling power from about 1600 rpm upwards. The high gearing at the top end of the CVT scale means the engine is only turning at around 1800 revs at 120 km/h. Which helps minimise consumption and emissions, as well as making for extended engine life.
Liberty has five -star ANCAP safety rating thanks to a driver's knee SRS airbag and an engine cradle that folds to absorb energy in frontal crashes.
Subaru Liberty prices have not increased with this new, larger model. Indeed, some variants are cheaper than in the outgoing models. Prices start from $33,990, excluding on-road costs.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Liberty 2.5i 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $33,990 (manual), $36,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $35,990 (manual), $38,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $39,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $41,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports Premium 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $43,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports Premium SatNav 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $46,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports Premium 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $45,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Sports Premium SatNav 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $48,990 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Premium 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $39,990 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Premium SatNav 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $42,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Premium 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $41,990 (CVT automatic)
Liberty 2.5i Premium SatNav 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $44,490 (CVT automatic)
Liberty GT 2.5i Premium SatNav 2.5-litre four-door sedan: $52,990 (manual), $54,990 (six-speed automatic)
Liberty GT 2.5i Premium SatNav 2.5-litre five-door wagon: $54,990 (manual), $56,990 (six-speed automatic)
Liberty 3.6R Premium SatNav 3.6-litre four-door sedan: $51,990 (six-speed automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard on all models
Air Conditioning: Standard on all models
Automatic Transmission: Optional on base model and GT, standard on all other models.
CD Player: Standard on all models
Central Locking: Standard on all models
Cruise Control: Standard on all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard on all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard on all models
Stability Control: Standard on all models
Traction Control: Standard on all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Subaru Liberty 2.5i 2.5-litre five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.457 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders horizontally opposed
Head Design: SOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 99.5 x 79.0mm
Maximum Power: 123 kW @ 5600rpm
Maximum Torque: 229Nm @ 4400rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: All-wheel drive
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Continuously variable
Final Drive Ratio: 4.111:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4785 mm
Wheelbase: 2750 mm
Width: 1780 mm
Height: 1535 mm
Turning Circle: 11.0 metres
Kerb Mass: 1538 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 65 litres
Towing Ability: 750 kg (1500kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, coil springs
Front Brakes: Ventilated Disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.5 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Petrol 91RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 8.9 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 6/10
Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km
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