Subaru Liberty 2015 News

Volvo, Subaru, Land Rover, Citroen and GM have issued safety recalls for some vehicles due to defective manufacturing issues.

The humble homegrown sedan may have been gobbled up by the all-conquering SUV but car makers are not prepared to give up on the family staple just yet.

The Mazda CX-3 is in but the Honda HR-V and Renault Captur are out.The Audi TT is in but the Holden Cascada is out.That's my assessment of the field so far as we search for the best new car of 2015.Good is still good, but it's not good enough when the biggest prize in Australian motoring is on the line.Even a car as initially impressive as the Land Rover Discovery Sport is marked down heavily on value when you consider it as a CarsGuide Car of the Year contender.It's the same for the Ford Mondeo, which looks good, is packed to the hilt with technology but has lost its mojo on the open road.Similarly the Ford Focus ST, which is a great drive, is too narrow in its appeal.The CarsGuide team has already driven more than two dozen good cars in the opening half of the year and it's time to see what's looking good for a spot for the top-10 run-off in December.There are some surprising failures and the line-up could change dramatically with a rush of impressive newcomers booked for the second half but this is how the COTY 2015 contenders are shaping up.The new German coupe is everything the TT always could — and should — have been.It's had a muscle-car makeover that covers a broad spectrum from the sharper body shape to the driving dynamics and cabin space.All right, it should have a standard rear-vew camera, but that omission is offset by gains in other areas that count for a performance car.And the interior, with its integrated display screen in front of the steering wheel, is top-notch.This one is a slow burn because it's not like previous BMWs.For a start, it has front-wheel drive. And it puts family first.It's more like the i3 electric car than a 3 Series which is a good thing for people who put comfort and space and quality ahead of the Ultimate Driving Machine.It might be a clunky in the front suspension but it's classier than we expected and the flexible cabin, which will later include a third row of seats, is up there with the best.Cars as good as the Sorento should allow Kia to make the final breakthrough in Australia.Look beyond the country's longest warranty and you find a family seven-seater that's good-looking, practical and nice to drive.It could do with more steering feel but that's a very minor thing for people who need a seven-seater.Inside, the cheap and cheerful Kias of a decade ago are a distant memory, replaced by quality finishes, soft surfaces and great attention to detail.The best of the new-age mini SUVs wins a spot by trumping rivals including the HR-V and Captur, something it achieves with quality, refinement and a class-leading starting price.It's never going to star for a family with such a small boot but it's developed from the Mazda2 that starred in last year's COTY run-off.It looks good, drives well and works for twentysomethings who crave an SUV, delivering the elevated seating position without being too bulky.The new family sedan is a welcome return to form for a company that went backwards during the global financial crisis.Honda and Mitsubishi are still recovering but Subaru is back to what it does best with a quiet, comfortable, refined and well-priced car for Australian families. It also maintains Subaru's impressive reputation for cutting-edge safety.As always, it comes with all-wheel drive and provides the platform for the equally impressive Outback.The back end of 2015 will bring a number of impressive newcomers, from the baby Skoda Fabia through to the muscular Ford Mustang, bigger Hyundai Tucson and youthful Jeep Renegade.For now, the best of the bunch looks like this:This car could be as impressive, in its own SUV style, as the Volkswagen Golf Mk7. It's first with the mechanical package that will go under several VW Group arrivals, including the next Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga. So we're expecting class leading comfort, quality and a great family drive.If the born-again Mustang is half as good as the hype it will be a serious COTY contender. Early drives in the US point to best-yet dynamics for the first 'Stang with factory right-hand drive. There is even a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. More than 2000 Australians are paid-up and waiting for their car to arrive, sometime in November.This one needs to be more than good to challenge the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. But Jaguar learned bitter lessons from its X-Type, which was no more than a re-bodied Ford Mondeo, and is pushing hard with an XE that gets everything from an aluminium backbone to new-age engines. In Australia, the key will be in the pricing and equipment.The world's favourite sports car is odds-on for a COTY spot. It's been completely reworked for 2015 despite a body that could only be an MX-5. It's promising a much-needed improvement in cabin space and overall refinement, as well as Skyactiv engine technology that already works in Mazda's mainstream models. Add the lightweight body and sharp pricing. There is already a queue for early deliveries.The all-new Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara for 2015 are good but not great, which leaves the Ranger to challenge the all-new Toyota HiLux for the benchmark in utes. This midlife update is more than just a mild makeover. It has new panels, tweaked driving dynamics and on the flagship model it has technology that would make a German SUV blush.More than just a truck, the HiLux has been Australia's favourite ute for more than a generation, not just because it scores with miners but because it can be most things to most people. The new HiLux promises everything from a new turbo diesel to car-like quality and refinement.It's been a very long time since the first XC90, which has given Volvo — after its change from a Ford subsidiary to Chinese ownership — plenty of time to develop a benchmark upscale SUV. Extensive work on everything from cabin comfort and quality to best-in-class safety technology — wrapped in a good-looking new bodywork — should make the XC90 something special and a '15 standout.Alfa Romeo 4C - The Italian version of a Lotus Elise is a looker and a goer, but too costly.Ford Mondeo - Not as good as the previous car, although cabin space is excellent.Holden Cascada - Most impressive of the new Euro Holdens, good but not great.Hyundai Sonata - Not up to the standard of Hyundai's other newcomers, although value is good.Renault Captur - Funky bodywork makes big promises but the undersized engine cannot deliver.Toyota Camry - A top car by any measure but not enough change for a COTY run.

Cars equipped with futuristic technology that can save lives by braking automatically are being recalled in Australia and overseas because their latest safety systems are on the blink.Japanese car makers Subaru and Honda have issued two separate recalls involving technology that is designed to prevent rear-end crashes and/or avoid hitting pedestrians.Subaru is recalling more than 5000 of its latest Outback wagon and Liberty sedan models equipped with its “Eyesight” system that uses two cameras behind the windscreen to scan the road ahead.A sign of just how complex modern cars have become, Subaru has discovered a seemingly unrelated brake light fault can disable the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system.A statement from Subaru said: “The (Eyesight) system may not operate as intended in an emergency braking situation (where the driver has failed to apply the brake), or may fail to properly engage the brakes when the vehicle has been placed in (automatic cruise control) mode. This is due to a software programming issue.”Subaru says the fault “does not affect the performance of the brakes when engaged by the driver” and no incidents have been reported in Australia or overseas.See full details on the Subaru recall here.  Meanwhile Honda Australia is recalling more than 2000 examples of its latest Accord sedan and CR-V that are equipped with similar automatic emergency braking technology.Rather alarmingly, in the case of the Honda fault, the automatic braking system can be activated when it is not supposed to.“In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may unexpectedly activate while operating the vehicle,” the Honda recall statement says.“In rare cases, the system may interpret certain roadside objects, such as metal fences or guardrails, as obstacles and apply emergency braking.”See full details on the Honda recall here and here.The faults come as the car industry is debating how much technology should be introduced in modern cars, and how much control should be taken away from the driver.Car giants Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and technology companies Apple and Google, are all experimenting with driverless cars that rely on cameras, radars and other sensors to navigate their way through traffic with limited or no input from the driver.But the latest recalls show that the technology still has a long way to go before it becomes failsafe.

New-car sales hit the accelerator for the second month in a row after the best March result of all time - but former Australian favourites Holden and Ford hit a wall.

New Subaru Liberty brings significant price cuts, improved efficiency and safety.Subaru's new Liberty has touched down in Australia this week, bringing significant improvements in value, plus fuel efficency and safety gains for the sixth-generation of the mid-size model.Now available as a sedan only for the first time in the Liberty's 25-year history in Australia, Subaru has also trimmed the number of model variants down from five to three.The price-leading Liberty 2.5i is now $3,000 cheaper, priced from $29,990. The mid-spec 2.5i Premium is now $35,490, a reduction of $4,000. The top 3.6R has seen its cost reduce by a full $14,000 to $41,990.These reduced prices does not mean Subaru has skimped on features however, with Subaru adding their EyeSight driver assistance technology and efficiency-boosting engine start/stop technology.The new body design has also increased the Liberty's boot capacity by 17 litres to 493 litres.Like it's Outback SUV stablemate, the new Liberty achieved the highest ANCAP crash test scores by a Subaru to date on its way to a maximum five-star safety rating.The 2015 Liberty gains an updated multimedia system, with a 6.2-inch touchscreen controlling the 2.5i and 2.5i Premium's six-speaker audio system, along with iPod/USB/aux/Bluetooth connectivity.The basic 2.5i comes with dual-zone climate control, leather gear shifter and multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters, auto headlights and wipers, plus 18-inch alloysThe 2.5i Premium adds satnav and Pandora audio streaming, leather trim with heated front seats, electric sunroof, push-button start and LED headlights.The 3.6R gets all the features of the 2.5i Premium, plus a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.The 2.5i and 2.5i Premium come with an upgraded 129kW/235Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer petrol engine and CVT automatic transmission from the previous model. The upgrades have boosted the power by 2kW and reduced the combined fuel rating to 7.3L/100km, down from 7.9L/100km.The new 3.6R moves from the five-speed automatic transmission of its previous incarnation in favour of the same CVT auto of the 2.5i.Power outputs for the top 3.6R are unchanged at 191kW/350Nm for the 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer petrol engine, but the CVT auto and stop/start has helped improve combined fuel efficiency to 9.9L/100km, down from 10.3L/100km.

2015 Subaru Liberty and Outback receive five-star safety rating from ANCAP.Subaru's new Liberty sedan and Outback SUV have both achieved a maximum five-star safety rating from ANCAP, passing the crash tests with scores of 35.99 out of a possible 37.ANCAP said both vehicles' safety features, combined with their crash test scores met the requirements to be awarded the maximum safety rating, despite the absence of some safety features from local versions of both cars.Daytime running lights and tyre pressure monitoring are available on overseas models, but not locally according to ANCAP. They also noted Subaru's 'EyeSight' collision avoidance system is optional on the Outback while coming as standard on the Liberty.ANCAP Chairman, Lauchlan McIntosh said improved safety features should be available as standard."It is good to see safety assist technologies becoming increasingly available, but ANCAP encourages Subaru, and all other manufacturers, to include these technologies as standard in all models and all markets," he said.The crash test reports also included data from Euro NCAP testing, which demonstrated both the Outback and the Liberty provided acceptable levels of pedestrian protection in the event of a front-on collision.

EyeSight driver assistance on next Liberty will mean cheaper insurance.Lower insurance costs will be part of the package when the new Subaru Liberty arrives in Australia in January. Subaru has confirmed all versions of its mid-sized sedan will be fitted with the latest EyeSight driver assistance.The updated software includes brake light recognition, improved pedestrian detection, city-speed automated braking and steering assistance and adaptive cruise control.Insurers Allianz and IAG already reduce premiums for owners whose cars are fitted with the previous version of the EyeSight technology, which uses a pair of cameras fitted to the top of the windscreen to scan the road ahead of the vehicle and detect potential accidents.Subaru Australia boss Nick Senior says the safety enhancements will boost the appeal of the sixth-generation Liberty (pictured, US model). "Another hidden benefit of EyeSight is that, if a collision does occur, the position of the cameras helps avoid potentially costly damage to them," he says."Some competing systems have sensors and equipment right at the front of the car, including the grille, and this can be an expensive repair exercise." Pricing and specification for the new range has yet to be announced but the competition in the segment, where the Mazda6 and Toyota Camry dominate, should mean little variance on the $33,000 starting price. The car is already on sale in the US, where it is fitted with 2.5-litre four-cylinder and 3.6-litre six-cylinder engines matched to Subaru's "Lineartronic" continuously variable automatic.Subaru Australia has yet to confirm if the Outback SUV - based on the Liberty platform - will also be getting EyeSight as standard in the 4WD wagon. But given the Outback is $5000 more than the sedan and EyeSight is already fitted to the top-spec version of the current model, it's a reasonably safe bet.

Subaru took the wraps off the new sixth-generation Liberty just last week, and there’s already talk of new engine options for the mid-size sedan in the near future.The US-spec Legacy shown in Chicago featured almost-carryover 2.5-litre four and 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engines from the existing fifth-generation model, with minor efficiency tweaks and a CVT auto available with the six for the first time.However, a report by Car and Driver suggests that a version of the 2.0-litre turbo four found in the Forester XT and new WRX will soon be added, and likely to replace the performance-focused 2.5-litre turbo GT for the Australian market.The report also suggests the 3.6-litre six is set to be replaced by a smaller-capacity, yet more powerful unit within the next couple of years. Subaru are yet to release consumption figures for the CVT-equipped 3.6, but the existing five-speed auto paired version sips a relatively thirsty 10.3L/100.Expect this figure to drop significantly with a new smaller engine, which is likely to embrace direct injection along with a CVT auto to rival the 9.3L/100km achieved by the Liberty’s Toyota Aurion and Nissan Altima V6 rivals.The new engine is not expected to be ready for the new Liberty-based Outback’s debut at the New York motor show in April, with a debut in the Tribeca SUV’s replacement being more likely.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Subaru has officially taken the wraps off the new sixth-generation Liberty mid-size sedan, with its Legacy-badged US cousin making an appearance at the Chicago motor show this week.The new model’s styling had already been uncovered after images leaked online earlier this week, but Subaru has now confirmed several new details.Revealed in sedan only for now, the new Liberty is 51mm longer than the fifth-generation model (now 4796mm), 60mm wider at 1840mm, and 5mm lower at 1500mm, riding on the same 2750mm wheelbase.Building on the styling of the current Impreza, Forester and the recently unveiled WRX, Subaru describes the new Liberty’s more sculptured body as “muscularity with agility.”Also like the Impreza and Forester, the new Liberty’s A-pillars have been moved forward and the wing mirrors relocated to the doors to improve driver visibility.The extra body width and improved packaging has resulted in improvements to occupant shoulder, elbow, waist and rear leg room within the all-new interior.The Liberty’s chassis has been revised with greater use of high-strength steel for improved rigidity, and revised suspension geometry for improved dynamics and ride quality, while Active Torque Vectoring has been added to direct torque more effectively to each wheel.The existing 2.5-litre four and 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer petrol engines are carried over for the new model, with several revisions to improve driveability and efficiency of the all-wheel drive lineup.For the 2.5-litre, US specs suggest outputs of 130kW/236Nm (up 3kW/1Nm), but mid-range torque has been improved, along with undisclosed fuel economy gains.Six-cylinder models now come paired with a CVT auto like existing four-cylinder option, stepping up from the five-speed torque converter unit used with the current six.US specs claim outputs of 190kW/335Nm (down 1kW/15Nm), while a new ECU combines with the new transmission to also result in an undisclosed fuel consumption improvement.On the safety front, the new Liberty is available with a revised EyeSight driver assistance system that gains reversing radar for the first time, along with blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, plus active cornering lights. The side airbags are now a two-chamber design, and the curtain airbags now cover a larger area.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn