Road Test: Subaru Liberty 2.5i

Review by Jay Williams - 24/February/2010

Subaru's main objective for creating the Liberty (aka Legacy) was to crack the North American mid-size sedan segment. This saw the Liberty competing against the likes of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

That was over 20 years ago, now in its fifth generation the new Subaru Liberty has grown up, so to speak. The wheelbase has grown 80mm to provide more cabin space, rear-seat leg room and more luggage space.

Not only has the Liberty grown, it has also gained a more sporty design, improved safety features, technical advances like the Continually Variable Transmission (CVT) transmission and as always, Subaru's class leading symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.

The Australian mid-size sedan segment is quite diverse and throws up a range of challengers for the Liberty. Standing in its way are the Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Ford Mondeo and the Honda Accord.

So, the question is, just how well does the new Liberty fair in such a diverse market? 

Drive: 3.5/5

Subaru is well known for its class leading Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, now standard across the entire range.

The Liberty’s suspension is setup for comfort rather than handling which is why the Liberty is extremely smooth and compliant. This also translates to great feel through the steering wheel and, matched to Subaru's all-wheel-drive system gives, a real peace of mind when compared to some of its front-wheel-drive competitors.

You will be hard pressed running out of grip in the new Liberty 2.5i, even in the wet - where something like the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry can sometimes become a bit unsettled when hitting the accelerator mid corner.

The suspension clearly feels better than its competitors, it has the ability to soak bumps and corrugated roads comfortably, and would suit day-to-day driving, while still being dynamic enough to handle twisty roads.

The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and VDC electronic stability control works seamlessly allowing the driver to relax and enjoy the driving experience.

Engine: 4/5

The Liberty range has three engines to choose from, the 2.5-litre flat four-cylinder petrol (model tested), 2.5-litre turbocharged flat four-cylinder petrol and the 3.6-litre flat six-cylinder petrol.

The 2.5-litre flat four-cylinder produces 123kW of power and 229Nm of torque, with a six-speed Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission sending power to the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.

The new Continuously Variable Transmission promises smoother performance and greater efficiency, and it delivers. 

Available on both Liberty and Outback, the new transmission feels perfect for the flat four Boxer engine.

Leaving the transmission in Automatic mode, the gearless transmission adjusts to match your acceleration needs, eliminating the need to shift, which preserves the vehicle's momentum that can be lost when a conventional automatic transmission shifts gears. Also, Lineartronic CVT uses a step-less gear ratio, which allows your engine to run in its optimal power range for improved fuel economy and performance.

But, for those of you who like a more engaging driving experience, the CVT also comes standard with a 6-speed manual mode complete with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. 

This mode simulates the feeling of a 6-speed manual transmission by allowing the driver to manually select gears depending on your driving situation. This comes in handy for highway passing and twisty country roads, as well as making the driving experience feel sharper and sportier.

However, the 2.5-litre Boxer four is not overly punchy and feels a bit lazy from a standing start, but once you really put the foot down on the accelerator, the Liberty springs to life and delivers a surprising level of performance for a family sedan.

Combined cycle fuel economy for the 2.5i sedan (auto) is now 8.4l/100kms, on tests that we proformed the car returned a combined cycle fuel economy of around 8.7/100kms.

Exterior: 4/5

The design of the new model is less conservative than previously, with boldly flared wheel arches and larger headlight clusters, but the new model still appears to retain a touch of luxury.

Subaru has completely redesigned the Liberty from the ground up, new bold and sporty styling flows into the razor sharp front end. 

The side profile is more appealing than the previous model, with a low-to-ground look and a high shoulder line that pushes up the chrome-girded side windows.

But it's the rear end that is probably the best aspect of the design, as the newly drawn brake lights finally give the Liberty the prestigious image it's been searching for over the past decade.

Interior: 3.5/5

As mentioned before the fifth generation Subaru Liberty has grown in size, the wheelbase has grown 80mm to provide more cabin space, rear-seat leg room and head room, plus more luggage space. Owners will also appreciate the wider opening rear doors.

In the sedan there is 476-litres of boot space, Subaru claims that the cargo volume is up by 47-litres, while width between the rear wheel arches has improved by 19mm or by 35mm overall.

The interior has also been redesigned with improved dash plastics and new instrument displays. We found some of the dash plastics to be hard and cheap looking, but overall fit and built quality was good.

The driving position is very good in the new Liberty. Seats were comfortable and supportive while providing a clear view of instruments and easy access to controls.

Personally, I wasn't a fan of the black suit like material that was used on the 2.5i models seats, but others seemed to like it.

Overall: 4/5

Subaru's reputation for reliability and quality are top notch. Class leading Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive now standard across the entire range, five star ANCAP rating and great safety features, will entice any family looking for a mid-size sedan that is frugal, safe and not to bad on the eyes.

The Liberty is now the benchmark in its class, providing three choices of engine, a great Continually Variable Transmission that works and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, even though it is at the pointy end of the market it sure stakes a claim at the top.