New Subaru Levorg 2015

 

Sporty estate is decent to drive, but falls just short of the class leaders.

 

There was a time when if you needed a four-wheel-drive estate that could face a wet and windy school run on a Monday, but would also be unfazed by the prospect of tackling the Scottish Highlands at the weekend, a Subaru was the only car for the job. 

That, however, is no longer the case. An influx of rivals from the likes of Skoda, Volvo and VW has impinged on Subaru’s increasingly niche appeal. 

So, with the all-new Levorg, the brand has taken a slightly different approach. Of course, permanent four-wheel drive remains, but the Levorg is first and foremost designed to be driven on the road rather than off it.

Choosing your Levorg couldn’t be easier, as from launch there is only one engine, one gearbox and one trim level available.

That engine is an all-new 1.6-litre direct-injection four-cylinder petrol boxer, developing 168bhp and 250Nm of torque. It’s hooked up to a lineartronic CVT gearbox, rather than a conventional automatic, which sends power to all four wheels.

Beneath the surface, the Levorg actually shares a platform with the WRX STi, which has also donated part of its suspension set-up. And on the road, you can certainly identify the Levorg’s sporting roots.

For an estate, it handles remarkably well, always remaining composed and stable through corners with virtually no body roll. It encourages you to push a little harder – you could even call it fun to drive.

A trade-off for that surefootedness is the rather firm ride, however. Around town and at slower speeds, the Levorg has a tendency to fidget and bob about over mildly uneven surfaces.

As you’d expect, there’s an abundance of grip served up from the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, but the slightly numb steering can leave you wondering exactly when that grip will run out. The steering has a consistent weighting to it, but a bit more communication as to what’s going on would be preferable.

Yet the biggest issue is the powertrain, and in particular the gearbox. There’s enough power from the 1.6-litre engine to keep you trundling along at a reasonable speed – although the Levorg does lack that in-gear punch you get from a diesel engine, something it would be far better suited to.

But the Levorg is hamstrung by the CVT gearbox which is clumsy and slow to respond, while the whine from the transmission can get tiresome quickly.

The combination of four-wheel drive, a turbocharged engine and automatic gearbox also makes the car rather uneconomical by today’s standards, with only 39.8mpg and 164g/km of CO2 claimed.

On a more positive note, the Levorg is practical. Against rivals such as the Mazda 6 and Volvo V60, its 522-litre boot gives it the upper hand, while still retaining decent rear passenger space.

But you get the impression the cabin has been designed to last the test of time rather than have any visual appeal. It feels robust, yet some of the plastics look and feel cheap.

And while the new seven-inch infotainment system is intuitive to use, the digital display at the top of the dashboard is rather needless and ages the cabin with dated graphics.

Key specs

• Price: £27,495
• Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbo
• Power/torque: 168bhp/250Nm
• Transmission: CVT auto, all-wheel drive
• 0-62mph/top speed: 8.9 secs/130mph
• Economy/CO2: 38.9mpg/164g/km