- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
129kW, 235Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto (CVT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2015)
Liberty belle
PIGEONHOLE: Japan's BMW Three Series crossed with a Volvo S40.
PHILOSOPHY: Engineering with substance.
WHO'S BUYING IT: Former Honda, Mazda and some European brand customers. Mid-life professionals, mostly.
WHY YOU'D BUY IT: You enjoy driving and appreciate quality of design and execution but can't see why the Euro brands command $10,000 extra for the badge and lots more for the options.
WHY YOU WOULDN'T: Fake wood inlays look like fake wood inlays. Spare parts prices are too high, which can reflect in insurance premiums.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Remote central locking, power windows, cruise control,leather interior, temperature selectable air conditioning, power mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels (but a steel spare) front fog lights, sports body kit.
SAFETY: Dual air bags and anti-lock brakes. Too early for independent crash data but this model has been the subject of a major safety push by Subaru. Three-point ELR seatbelt in the centre rear is a boon for safe kid capsule and booster seat mounting.
CABIN: Luxurious without being opulent, the ambience is a cross between Europe and Japan. Reasonable storage space, good back seat room, low road and wind noise. The distinctive thrash and hum of the flat four-cylinder engine may not be to everyone's taste.
SEATING: Solid, supportive front buckets offer manual adjustment only. Rear bench is flat and firm. Some people don't mind it, others object.
ENGINE: Gem of a 2.5 litre four-cylinder "boxer" engine provides a solid shove, producing 115kW and a meaty 223Nm of pulling power at the middling engine speeds. An acquired taste but much favoured by those with engineering savvy. Offers a good turn of acceleration but suitable only as a light duty tow car.
TRANSMISSION: Four-speed, computer-controlled automatic driving all wheels for maximum grip, stability and traction.
STEERING: Thick-rimmed wheel connects to fast, accurate response from the chassis. On-centre feel is a little vague (but I'm being picky here) and the turning circle is average.
RIDE: One of Japan's best calibrated suspension systems is caught out only by sharp ledges and holes. It damps them well enough but there's some crash through and noise to mar the otherwise rubbery composure.
HANDLING: Ace and fail-safe. Among the class leaders with genuine benefits from all-wheel drive.
FUEL: Around 10-11 litres/100km in the city with 7-8 on the highway. Neither amazingly frugal nor disappointingly thirsty.
BRAKES: Four-wheel discs with anti-lock control, calibrated for local road conditions.
BUILD: One of the best from Japan. Initial quality looks excellent and longer term owners of the wagon models released last year are generally happy and trouble-free.
WARRANTY: Three years/100,000km.
ANTI-THEFT: Immobiliser and remote central locking are state-of-the-art.
AUDIO SYSTEM: Six-stack CD player standard with AM/FM head unit. Better-than-average sound.
COST: The Heritage lists at $40,190. The only option is mica paint at $200. Subaru dealers are among the few who don't have to haggle. The slightly less-opulent RX models start at $35,990, while the 2.0 litre GX lists from $29,990.
VERDICT: Subaru outsold Honda last month for the first time. Cars such as the Liberty Heritage will prove it was no fluke. The price is fair value and there's not a lot to dislike. Recommended buying.