Subaru Levorg closer to Oz confirmation

A Subaru WRX wagon is a step closer to being confirmed for Australian sales.

The Japanese car maker has confirmed its oddly-named Levorg will make its European debut at the Geneva motor show in early March, the first time Subaru has indicated the high-performance wagon will go on-sale outside of Japan.

A company spokesman said the Levorg's European debut is a positive sign regarding its availability for Australia.

"It's still under consideration and there is nothing official at this stage," Subaru Australia's David Rowley told Drive.

While Subaru Australia has still yet to officially lock-in the Levorg, Managing Director Nick Senior said late last year that a decision was expected to be made within the first few months of 2015. Confirmation of it joining the local line-up is expected to be now a formality with sales anticipated to begin before the end of the year.

With Subaru only offering its latest WRX and larger Liberty models in a sedan body style, the Levorg would fill a position as a more conventional family wagon alternative to its range of crossovers.

While it uses the underpinnings of the current-generation Impreza, it has a larger body for increased interior space and cargo-carrying capacity.

In Japan it is offered with a new 1.6-litre turbo that produces 125kW but, for fans of high-performance wagons and as a direct replacement for the previous-generation WRX hatch, the flagship is powered by the same 221kW 2.0-litre engine from the WRX.