Subaru Vortex Reviews

Murray Hubbard road tests and reviews the Subaru Liberty with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

After a couple of record breaking years, the car industry stalled in 2014. Sales of locally built cars continued to slide as we move closer to the shuttering of the local industry.On the flip side, the SUV continues its relentless progress, accounting for one in three new vehicles sold.Well-heeled buyers treated themselves to a record number of luxury cars. Official figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show 1,113,224 new cars were reported as sold in 2014 - down 2 per cent on the previous year's record.Here's our list of last year's winners and losers.Starting at $19,990 plus on-road costs - the same price as in 1994 - the Corolla was Australia's top-seller for the second year in a row, followed closely by the Mazda3.The Toyota HiLux workhorse was next, one of three utes in the Top 10. Hyundai's i30 small car was fourth and the new Holden Commodore finished fifth despite a sales slide in the last six months.Some importers sharpened their pencils or added more features to heap pressure on the locals . The results were dramatic for some - sales of Honda's Jazz, Subaru's Impreza and Mitusbishi's ASX grew by roughly a third, with the Jeep Grand Cherokee up 28.2 per cent and the Nissan X-Trail up 17.4 per cent.Longstanding import nations Japan, Thailand and South Korea went off the boil yet sales from Europe and the United States grew strongly.SUV sales hit a new high, for the first time accounting for more than 30 per cent of the new-car market.Since 2007, annual SUV sales have grown by more than 150,000 vehicles. "The increase in SUV purchases is a reflection of the versatility these vehicles provide and the increasing range available in the market," says Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber.The Mazda CX-5 became only the second SUV in history to make the top 10. Ford's Territory cracked it once, in 2005.As mainstream brands went backwards, most luxury marques posted significant increases. Of the big three, Audi performed the strongest, up 20 per cent, while Mercedes-Benz rallied by 15.8 per cent and BMW was up 10.7 per cent. At the top end, Porsche was up by almost 50 per cent and Rolls Royce nearly 150 per cent."The prices of luxury cars have come down," Weber says, "and they have a wider array of vehicles in different segments, so they're starting to drift down into areas where they weren't historically."Australia is now in its 23rd year of economic growth...it makes a difference to people's standard of living and that's reflected in the car fleet."They're not sexy - and they've been largely left behind by a wave of seven-seat SUVs.A comeback of sorts was due almost entirely to one model, the Honda Odyssey. It's been slammed by some reviewers for its frumpy looks and less than inspiring road manners, but sales of the bigger, more practical model are up by more than 150 per cent.Toyota's Tarago enjoyed a small resurgence and the new Citroen Picasso boosted numbers.Production of locally made vehicles hit a 61-year low with just 100,468 Holdens, Fords and Toyotas sold. In 1953, the tally was 99,133 vehicles, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The bureau also provides the peak figure for the Australian car manufacturing industry, 473,045 vehicles in 1976.In 1960, more than 90 per cent of cars sold in Australia were made locally. In 2014, more than 90 per cent of cars were imported.Eight of the top 10 brands had sales slides, Hyundai and Subaru bucking the trend.The changing of the guard at the top of the charts continued, with Hyundai and Mazda closing the gap on No.2 Holden.Meanwhile, Ford posted its worst sales performance in almost 50 years and its 10th consecutive year of decline.Toyota was the market leader for a record 12th year in a row. It wasn't all good news - the Japanese giant's sales were down for the third consecutive year, 203,498 deliveries, down from a peak of 238,983 in 2008.Once tipped as the next big thing, pint-sized city runabouts hit the skids. Sales of micro cars - including the Mitsubishi Mirage, Holden Barina Spark and Nissan Micra - dropped by 30 per cent. Meanwhile diesel passenger car sales fell by 17 per cent and sales of hybrid cars to private buyers fell by 30 per cent.Australians bought 100,000 fewer passenger cars than in 2007. Eight years ago passenger cars accounted for more than 60 per cent of the market; over the past two years they have slipped below 50 per cent.Mid-sized and large sedans continue to feel the brunt of the switch to SUVs - last year for the first time baby softroaders outstripped mid-sized sedans. Falcon sales were down by more than 40 per cent. Camry sales dropped by 11 per cent.The end of the mining boom and drought in some states have stalled Australia's work utes after years of strong growth. NSW was the only market to grow in 2014, with WA, Qld and Tasmania bearing the brunt of the slowdown. Notable exceptions are Ford's Ranger and the Isuzu D-Max. More sad news for locals: Falcon ute sales dipped by 40 per cent and Holden utes by 6 per cent.Top 10 brands in 2014Toyota 203,501 -- down 5.2 per centHolden 106,092 -- down 5.3 per centMazda 100,704 -- down 2.4 per centHyundai 100,011 -- up 3.1 per centFord 79,703 -- down 8.6 per centMitsubishi 68,637 -- down 4.0 per centNissan 66,025 -- down 14.0 per centVolkswagen 54,801 -- down 0.2 per centSubaru 40,502 -- up 0.8 per centHonda 32,998 -- down 15.9 per centTop 10 cars in 2014Toyota Corolla 43,735 -- up 0.5 per centMazda3 43,313 -- up 2.9 per centToyota HiLux 38,126 -- down 4.5 per centHyundai i30 31,505 -- up 3.0 per centHolden Commodore 30,203 -- up 8.8 per centFord Ranger 26,619 -- up 22.3 per centMitsubishi Triton 24,256 -- down 1.0 per centToyota Camry -- 22,044 down 11.3 per centMazda CX-5 21,571 -- up 7.2 per centVolkswagen Golf 19,545 -- up 10.6 per cent

The import tariff on Japanese and South Korean cars will be completely removed from January 15 - bringing potential price cuts to almost half of all cars imported into Australia.However, the industry has warned buyers not to expect massive savings - cuts will be most likely between $250 and $1000 - because the 5 per cent tariff was on the landed cost of the car, not the higher recommended retail price.Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb claims there will be savings of up to $7630 on some Toyotas as 'an example of the real impact that families will see from these agreements ... for Toyota's biggest-selling models".Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.The $7630 applies to the Prado Kakadu, which drops from $92,120 to $84,490. But only part of the price cut is due to the 5 per cent duty reduction.A Toyota spokesman says 'in some cases we've passed on more than the duty saving".Japanese brands Mazda and Subaru also trimmed prices but don't expect similar savings on South Korean-made vehicles sold by Holden, Kia or Hyundai, as all three have resisted moves to follow suit.Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says the company will scrap price increases it had planned for January and look at adding features. 'As new models arrive they may have additional equipment," he says.Hyundai will introduce extra equipment but the currency gap between the Korean won and the yen will make it more difficult to introduce significant savings. So far, Holden has also resisted price cuts on the Korean-made Captiva, Barina, Cruze wagon and Malibu.The Japanese Free Trade Agreement due to come into effect on January 15 follows the deal with South Korea from December 15.The deals are estimated to affect about 460,000 cars this year;. Toyota alone expects the changes will make about 100,000 of its cars cheaper.'Traditionally Toyota would have implemented the price reductions at the same time as the cuts to import duty start to apply," says Toyota sales and marketing chief Tony Cramb.'Instead, with the support of our dealers, Toyota has brought forward these price cuts to the start of the year." Three low-volume cars also will gain extra equipment.Some cars with Japanese and South Korean badges will have no new savings because they are made in countries such as Thailand (which signed free trade agreements with Australia in 2005), the US (agreements signed in 2010) or India (which has no agreement with Australia).Price cuts are expected on the Japanese-built Toyota Yaris, Prius and Corolla hatch, among other models. But prices will remain steady for the Corolla sedan and HiLux built from Thailand and the Kluger SUV manufactured in the US because of the existing deals.Mazda has trimmed prices on all Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9 vehicles, from $268 to $963 on vehicles which range in price from $20,000 to $50,000. But its cheapest car, the Mazda2, and the BT-50 ute will not get price cuts as they come from Thailand.Likewise most Hondas sold in Australia today come from Thailand. Meanwhile Subaru cut prices of some models by between $500 and $1000. The car industry has warned buyers that exchange rate fluctuations have had a bigger impact on prices than the tariff.'The Australian dollar has moved by 60 per cent over the past 10 years but car prices have remained relatively stable," says one industry insider.'Car makers ride the currency wave, plus you have the impact of the devalued Japanese yen. That has a bigger impact on (pricing) than the removal of the tariff." 

Call it desperation, or shrewd opportunism. Either way, Subaru Australia's decision to slash prices on 2015 Liberty and Outback by up to 25 per cent should give its mid-size sedan and SUV spin-off a healthy rev up in showrooms.Philanthropy doesn't come naturally to car companies, of course. Liberty and Outback were class frontrunners a decade ago, with combined sales of nearly 14,500 units in 2006. At the end of November last year, the tally was 3173 units.Both are ageing nameplates verging on atrophied with all the design flair of a fridge that has fallen off the back of a truck. The Liberty no longer possesses that critical desire factor either, for anybody but a few old blokes looking for a suitably somnolent conveyance to get them to God's waiting room in one piece.Subaru Australia boss Nick Senior's decision to reach for the sharp pencil on 2015 Liberty and Outback follows a similar strategy on the WRX STi hot rod, introduced at the beginning of last year with discounts of up to $11,000.It had the desired effect. WRX STi sales took off and ended the year more than 330 per cent up on 2013.Senior's "Have I got a deal for you!" pitch has been assisted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policy of stimulating exports by anaesthetising the yen. Unlike its hometown rivals, most of which now make more cars abroad than in domestic factories, 80 per cent of Subaru's total production still comes out of Japan, so the revised Australian dollar-yen exchange rate works for Subaru Australia and its Fuji Heavy Industries parent.Senior has also pre-empted the elimination of the 5 per cent import tariff on imported vehicles when the Japan-Australia free trade agreement takes effect on January 15. Beyond these factors, though, it's the discrepancy between actual showroom transaction bottom lines and fanciful manufacturer's list prices in the ultra-competitive Australian market that has prompted the deep discounts. Holden did the same with the VF Commodore in 2013, dropping prices by up to $9800 because dealers were doing it anyway. The days of car companies introducing new models with take-it-or-leave-it price hikes are over.Liberty, now in its 25th year, faces the greatest challenge. Australian buyers are bailing out of sedans en masse, moving into larger SUVs if kids are part of the buying decision or downsizing to a hatch or small SUV if they're not. The exception is Mercedes' all-conquering C Class, which won every car award worth winning last year and outsells every other mid-size sedan bar the Toyota Camry.Prices for the 2015 Liberty start at $29,990 for the 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol/continuously variable transmission (CVT) base model, $3000 less than its 2014 equivalent. The 2.5i CVT Premium, which includes leather, sunroof and navigation, is $35,490 (a $4000 discount). The 3.6-litre six-cylinder petrol/CVT Liberty 3.6R is $41,990, a $14,000, or 25 per cent, haircut on the 2013 model's $55,990 sticker price.Senior sees an opportunity to cash in on Commodore's demise with the 3.6R. While we no longer buy enough family-sized six cylinder cars to keep making them in Australia, Commodore is still doing 30,000 or so units a year. Come 2017, when it disappears, Senior believes many of those customers will be looking for an alternative sixpack.The previous Liberty's major shortcoming - sheet metal styled by the House of Dork - has been addressed in the 2015 car, which has a lower profile, coupe-ish roofline and arch-filling 18-inch alloys. The word 'want' still doesn't spring to mind when it drives by, though.The previous model took Liberty close to large car territory; this one is longer again in the cabin, with the front pillar pushed forward by 50mm. There's generous back seat legroom, though the lower roofline has compromised headroom a little, and boot space is reasonable.Liberty's spacious, formal interior features an easy to use touch screen multimedia system, a luxurious, super-sized (read: American market) driver's seat and Subaru's signature precision fit and finish.Like its predecessors the 2015 Liberty comes with a blue-chip safety CV, including Isofix child restraint anchors, seven airbags, a reversing camera and Subaru's Eyesight system as standard. Eyesight uses cameras and radar to read the road and the traffic. It now incorporates a vehicle in front brake light alert function, plus automatic emergency braking from 50km/h or less, lane departure warning and adaptive (or conventional) cruise control.Drivetrains are basically unchanged, save for fuel efficiency gains of up to 10 per cent, derived from improved aerodynamics and automatic stop-start on the 2.5-litre variants.So the on-road Liberty experience is familiar. The 2.5's modest numbers and narrow powerband are flattered by the smooth, responsive CVT transmission, engine and road noise levels are low and the car is balanced, intuitive and easy to drive. Its all-wheel drive point of difference helps Liberty maintain its position as one of the best handlers in the class. The 3.6R also has that lovely linear power delivery and top-end kick you miss out on with turbocharged engines. Complaints? The steering's accurate but far from tactile while the ride's a touch fussy and sharpish on rough roads.Twenty years after its introduction, Outback remains the SUV you should consider if you hate SUVs. You'll find its light weight, fine balance, disciplined body control and outstanding road-holding a much more satisfying, enjoyable combination than the sloppy, barge-like histrionics you have to put up with in most rival wagons. It runs taller, more absorbent tyres than Liberty, so the ride is more comfortable, too, on any surface.Subaru has increased body rigidity and tightened up the suspension on the 2015 model, to excellent effect. A back-to-back test drive with the benchmark Audi Q5 will give you an idea of how far the Outback has progressed as a drive. It's a long way.Outback is the sole wagon in the 2015 line-up. Liberty-badged freighters are no longer offered.Prices start at $35,990 for the 2.5i CVT, a $3000 drop from 2014. Base Outback is now the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel/six-speed manual 2.0D, at $35,490 (down $5000); CVT adds $2000 to the diesel and Premium specification adds $6000. Top of the range Outback 3.6R is $47,990, a $10,000 discount on the 2014 price.Petrol drivetrains are as per Liberty. The Outback's 2.0-litre turbodiesel, however, is a strange device that suffers from a lack of low down pulling power which is particularly apparent in the manual. As with the 2.5i petrol, the CVT almost disguises this deficiency, but you still need to be more vigorous with the go pedal than in other diesels and overall performance is sedate. However, the Subaru boxer engine is smooth, quiet and frugal.Eyesight is still being calibrated into the diesel drivetrain, so it's not yet available. Outback specification levels are close to Liberty equivalents; specific 2015 wagon improvements include wider opening doors for easier access, roof rails that can carry up to 80kg, and a power-operated tailgate on Premium variants.Outback inherits Forester's X-Mode system, an effective push-button substitute for low-range gearing that adjusts the traction control and enables it to crawl down, or up, a steep slope and traverse rough or slippery terrain with ease. In concert with 213mm of ground clearance, X-Mode gives the Outback genuine - if far from extreme - ability off the bitumen.

Car interiors rarely feature in large print when new models are launched. Body shapes, engine sizes, new gearboxes, ride and handling tend to steal the limelight. That is of course unless the old model copped a bit of flak for its interior. Which brings us to the 2015 Subaru AWD Outback launched this week in

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the new Subaru Outback and Liberty at their Australian launch.

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.

New Subaru Outback SUV brings improved fuel efficiency and safety with reduced pricing.Subaru's fifth-generation Outback SUV has arrived in Australia this week, with new technology, safety features and significantly sharpened pricing across all variants.The new Outback range kicks-off $1,500 cheaper than before with the $35,490 manual 2.0D turbodiesel, while the auto-only 2.5i petrol is priced from $35,990.Both the 2.5i and 2.0D are available in the better-equipped Premium trim-level for an extra $6,000, while a CVT automatic for the 2.0D is available for a further $2,000.The top-spec Outback remains the six-cylinder petrol 3.6R at $47,990, which is a full $10,000 cheaper than before.SAFETYAll Outback variants bar the 2.0D receive Subaru's EyeSight technology, which incorporates autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and brake light detection as well as adaptive cruise control.Subaru claims the new Outback is the safest yet, adding to the previous model’s five-star safety rating from ANCAP with the highest individual  test scores recorded by a Subaru to date.FEATURESThe 2015 Outback also features increased luggage space, with 512 litres available in the back with the seats up - a 22 litre increase over the outgoing Outback. Premium model Outbacks also score a powered tailgate.The multimedia system in the Outback has also been updated, with 6.2-inch touchscreen now controlling the audio, car information and Bluetooth connectivity.Premium variants and the 3.6R also get satnav integrated within the touchscreen. The top 3.6R scores all of the above plus a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONSThe Outback range keeps its all-wheel drivetrain options from the existing range, however the boxer engines and transmissions have been refined to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 output.The 129kW/235Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a CVT automatic transmission achieves 7.3L/100km, down from 8.0L/100km previously.The 191kW/350Nm 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine loses its previous five-speed auto for the same CVT as the 2.5, and achieves 9.9L/100km on the combined cycle, down from 10.3L/100km.The 110kW/350Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine achieves a combined fuel efficiency figure of 5.7L/100km when paired to a six-speed manual transmission (down from 6.0) and 6.3/100km (down from 6.5) when paired to the CVT automatic.The improved fuel efficiency figures have not affected the towing capacity of the Outback, with each drivetrain maintaining the braked towing capacities of 1500kg for the 2.5i, 1700kg for the 2.0D and 1800kg for the 3.6R.CVT variants will also come with X-Mode first seen on the Forester SUV, which is designed to improve off-road performance through specific traction/stability control and ABS settings, working in conjunction with hill descent control.

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.

Ten contenders, two exhaustive days of testing by six judges...