By Karl Peskett.
Buy local, buy Australian. We’ve had that message drummed into us for years, and both Holden and Ford were very successful at pushing the “true blue” patriotism. Problem is, when the bottom fell out of the Australian manufacturing segment, both companies turned into importers.
Which means that it’s a level playing field, and national loyalty goes out the window. So when it comes to buying a full size sedan, the Commodore is no longer the default choice. In fact, there’s only one true large sedan, and that’s the Skoda Superb.
So buyers opting for a sedan now fall back to the medium sedan class where there are a few more options. And one of them that deserves closer consideration is the Subaru Liberty.
It’s a vehicle that often gets overlooked, but that’s no fault of the car – it’s because it has often looked a little plain in comparison. But today, it’s a very smart design. Sure, it’s not ostentatious, but it’s also better than the vanilla designs of yesteryear.
Particularly nice are the LED daytime running light signatures, and the chrome foglight “eyebrows”. But it’s inside that it looks the best.
The build quality is excellent, and the materials are high-end, making its interior one of the best in this price range. Only the Mazda6 comes close to bettering the Liberty, but you’ll also pay more for the privilege.
There’s a large, high-res touchscreen up front, easy to use HVAC controls and plenty of storage spaces. Finding your driving position is easy, however the real improvement has been to the seats.
You see, traditionally, Subaru’s front seats have been lacking in lower back support. It’s a problem that it has across all models, but the Liberty and Outback were the ones which suffered the most. However, the lumbar support has been massively improved, creating a far more comfortable car than ever before.
The rear seats have good legroom and headroom, and the boot space is 493 litres, which is enough for this category. Plus, you can drop them down if you have longer items to carry.
Under the bonnet lies a horizontally opposed (boxer) six-cylinder petrol which makes a healthy 191kW and 350Nm. Because each piston moves in exactly the opposite direction, the balance is perfect, and that results in a very smooth, vibration-free engine.
It’s happy to rev, but it doesn’t need to, with enough torque to hustle it along at a decent pace. Subaru quotes a 0-100kmh sprint time of 7.2 seconds, which feels very conservative, given its immediate throttle response. In fact, it’s a little too sensitive, but you do become accustomed to it.
The power is channelled to all four wheels via a CVT (continuously variable transmission), which features artificial ratios, creating steps in the gearing that mimics a conventional automatic. It’s only really noticeable under heavy acceleration; most of the time it’s happy to keep the revs low, using the thick band of torque from this larger engine to amble along.
Of course, having a large engine that’s naturally aspirated means it’s not going to be the best when it comes to visiting the bowser. Subaru says it uses 9.9L/100km on the combined ADR test cycle, and to be fair our week’s use only crept up to the low 10s, however it’s far better on the open road where you can expect high sevens.
On the road, the steering is very good, with excellent turn-in and weighting, and the brakes are nice and progressive. But arguably the best part of the Liberty’s chassis is the suspension.
Turn into a corner and it settles onto its outside wheels with little roll, and isn’t unsettled by mid-corner bumps. So, it handles, which usually leads to a ride that’s more akin to a toboggan than a passenger vehicle. But even though it rolls on 18-inch wheels, the suspension compliance is amazing.
The initial spring keeps the Liberty feeling like its floating on a cloud at low speed, and it only gets better as the speed rises. This vehicle surpasses most medium sedans when comparing ride-handling balance. Subaru has done a fantastic job.
It’s also safe. With permanent all wheel drive, it’s even better than a lot of SUVs. Then there’s the EyeSight system which uses two cameras to automatically brake if there’s an obstacle in front (including pedestrians) but also steers you back into your lane if you drift out.
Adaptive cruise control, brake light recognition, pre-collision steering assist, stability control, and a heap of airbags mean it gets a full five star ANCAP rating.
The Liberty feels very nice on the road, and with good room, a solid build and a smooth drivetrain, it has plenty to commend it. The brand is also known for its reliability, so it should keep you motoring for many years to come.
Subaru’s warranty really needs to be improved, however, to really pull buyers in. At three years it’s simply not long enough to inspire confidence, particularly when there are five and seven year warranties being offered.
Hopefully that doesn’t put you off because the Liberty is one of the best medium sedans on sale and is definitely worth a closer look.
