Subaru Liberty 2009 review

When the first Subaru Liberty was launched 20 years ago it was the company's most ambitious model. It was a gamble on the mid-size segment that has paid off handsomely for Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes Subaru cars.

With the arrival of fifth-generation Liberty, Fuji has also taken reasonably big gamble. The sedan and wagon have grown in size - most significantly in the cabin - gained a more conventional look, improved safety levels and some technical advances that have lifted economy.

The wheelbase has grown 80mm in the sedan and 75mm in the Outback to provide more rear-seat leg and luggage space. The larger cabin also has more headroom and is significantly quieter with rear passengers benefiting most from the gains in space. Owners will appreciate the wider opening rear doors.

In the sedan there is 476 litres of boot space, while the wagon gets 490 litres with the 60/40 rear seats upright and 1690 litres with the seats folded. The wagon's rear hatch has also been redesigned to be wider and lower to allow easier access to the boot.

Depending on the model, weight has crept up between 17kg and 94kg, but new engines are more economical and kinder to the planet. Fuel consumption is improved in every Liberty, including 11.0 per cent in automatic Liberty GT and 9.7 per cent in automatic 2.5i models, in the combined cycle while emissions have also been cut.

The Liberty also gets a five star crash rating, raising the safety bar by adding a driver's side knee airbag and engine cradle that is designed not only to isolate engine noise but absorb crash energy in a heavy front-on accident.

Manual 2.5-litre Libertys now get an extra cog with six-speeds while automatic buyers, expected to be the bulk of Liberty sedan and wagon sales, gain a continuously variable transmission Subaru calls Lineartronic. The range-topper gets a 3.6-litre horizontally opposed six-cylinder "boxer" engine shared with the Tribeca, as well as a new five-speed automatic.

A 2.0-litre turbodiesel arrives in the Outback in November. The 2.5i four-cylinder "boxer" engine and CVT, which is expected to account for about 75 per cent of sales, has a combined fuel economy figure of 8.4 litres for 100km, compared with 9.5 litres for the old car.

The 2.5i develops less power but better torque across the rev range with 123kW at 5600 revs and 229Nm at 4000 revs on tap.

Importantly Subaru has managed to hold price points, despite exchange rate pressures earlier this year. The entry-level Liberty 2.5i starts from $33,990 while the range-topping Liberty GT Premium is $52,990, $4500 less than the superseded GT spec.B. The Liberty 3.6R Premium is the same price as the superseded Liberty 3.0R Premium.

New Liberty models gain electric parking brakes and the Premium versions add automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers, keyless access and push button start.

New to the range is the 2.5i Sports, which gets the CVT transmission, sports front bumper and grille, Bilstein suspension, alloy pedals, 18-inch alloy wheels and Xenon headlights with washers. Models with satellite navigation also get a reversing camera and integrated Bluetooth microphone.

Visually the Liberty sedan and wagon - as well as the Outback - get a more upright look that critics have suggested loses some of the sportiness of the old model.

The oversized eyebrow headlights sweep up the mudguards and the anonymous styling of the rear on the sedan has been compared to the Toyota Camry.

Some of the quirks have gone too. Subaru's signature frameless windows have been replaced by frames that Subaru says help cabin quietness and the rigidity of the doors. The Liberty and Outback now join the Impreza and Forester in reverting to conventional window frames.

Inside the cabin is light and airy with quality switchgear. Subaru's quirky SI-Drive system with intelligent, sports and sports-plus modes, appears on the GT and 3.6R.

In growing up the Liberty has become more mainstream but what has not changed is Subaru's reputation for reliabilty and quality.For many prospective buyers, as well as existing owners, the brand's solid reputation will be enough to keep them coming back.

Driving

The new Liberty is a giant leap forward in a lot of areas, including the cabin space, transmission and suspension.

After the mild makeovers on its main rivals, the Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6, the major changes come as a very pleasant surprise and one which is even more surprising after the Japanese cutbacks through the global economic downturn.

So the Liberty - and the high-rider Outback - is obviously a Very Big Deal for Subaru, particularly for the US. In the past it has struggled to make a breakthrough there, even with Paul Hogan trumpeting the Outback, which is why it went for the bigger body and the . . . polarising . . . design work.

Some people like the way the new Liberty look cuts through traffic, but others say it is too brutal and not remotely subtle. I say it's up to you. But you cannot argue with the extra space inside, the cushy front buckets, the excellent size and shape of the rear bench, and the extra space in the tail end of the Liberty wagon.

It feels a full size bigger than the previous Liberty and is much more likely to get on the shopping list against a Commodore Sportwagon.

The interior design also reflects new thinking at Subaru, something I like, and steps it away from the Euro and 6.

Equipment levels are good, including a trip computer and cruise control on the basic car, but there is no Bluetooth link for the mobile and the operation of the electronic parking brake is an annoying fiddle.

Dynamically, I think Subaru has taken a big leap forward with the new Liberty. It shares a lot of its components with the smaller Impreza, but the suspension is extremely smooth and compliant, there is great steering feel, and the car has more than enough grip and poise for family work.

The suspension is clearly ahead of 6 and Euro, and a rival to the better Europeans, with its ability to soak nasty undulations and acne such as expansion joints and stutter bumps. And it is quiet, too. Speed bumps kick the back end around a bit, but that is my only complaint.

The 2.5 boxer four is not overly perky, but the new six-speed transmission flatters it and must be great with the turbocharged GT engine. It's a sorta-CVT design but has six `gears' and paddle shifters if you want to make your own decisions.

The car is a bit dozy from a standing start unless you floor the throttle, but once you get rolling it moves nicely and the manual shift allows surprisingly fun driving on twisty roads.

I have no reason to question the safety in the new Liberty, or the long-term quality, and Subaru seems to have responded to criticism of the uninspiring latest Impreza by making this car more luxurious and significantly better than the outgoing model. It's a huge change and one that deserves recognition and kudos.

The mid-size class is a real mix in Australia, with the latest Ford Mondeo making a strong claim and Toyota bouncing back with an update on the Camry. And perhaps it's a mistake to try the latest Subaru as a wagon first, but it has usually been the best from the brand.

For me, the Liberty is now the benchmark in its class. Forget the way it looks, take a drive, and you will be won.

Rating: 82/100