Japanese car enthusiasts will be pleased to see the return of a sporty four-wheel drive estate car from Subaru, although this time it’s called the Levorg instead of the Legacy. The reason? Well, the Legacy is still sold in some markets, so this new model gets a new name, which is a combination of the words ‘Legacy’, ‘Revolution’ and ‘Touring’.
Smaller than the previous Legacy sold in the UK, the Levorg is in fact similar in size to the fourth-generation model sold from 2003 to 2008, and it actually appears quite compact in the metal.
It’s quite aggressive too. The Levorg’s nose takes its design cues from the Subaru WRX STI, and its wide headlights, gulping lower air intakes and bonnet air scoop should part traffic on the motorway rather successfully. At the rear there’s also a boot spoiler and a set of beefy chrome tailpipes, one at either side of the bumper.
So, what’s under the bonnet? Well, probably not what you’d expect. In place of Subaru’s non-turbocharged 2.5-litre there’s a new 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, which offers the same performance but is 36 per cent smaller. With 167bhp and 250NM of torque it might not be a throwback to Subaru’s rally days, but it offers a competitive turn of speed against most of its rivals.
With four-wheel drive fitted as standard, the Levorg hits 62mph from rest in 8.9 seconds, making it a few tenths quicker than a Mazda 6 Tourer 2.2-litre 150 diesel over the same benchmark. However, some buyers will be disappointed this is the only engine offered in the UK, with no diesel on the horizon, and that there’s also no manual gearbox. Despite those exhausts, it also lacks the deep Subaru burble you might expect from those pipes too.
The Levorg is fitted with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) Subaru calls ‘Lineartronic’. Drive gently and speed increases without any steps in progress, which can mask the engines performance, but generally makes for smooth and swift progress. Use more than a third of the throttle travel – or shift with the paddles behind the steering wheel – and the CVT mimics a conventional auto by jumping to six predetermined ‘gears’. It makes for easy progress, and is one of the best CVT gearboxes we’ve tried, but it still robs the Levorg of some driver engagement. Economy of 39.8mpg and emissions of 164g/km of CO2 hardly make a convincing case for its efficiency either.
Happily, most of these frustration are made up for by the chassis, which can make the Levorg really satisfying on the right road. Around the Yorkshire dales of Subaru’s launch venue, the Levorg had precise steering with very natural weighting and it inspired plenty of confidence. Turning into sharp corners resulted in very little body roll and a neutral stance with almost no understeer.
Our only gripe came at lower speeds in town, where the Levorg would thump rather hard into pot holes, as if its suspension had too little travel. At higher speeds it’s more comfortable and can flow along a twisting B-road at quite a lick without feeling flustered.
Visibility is also commendable, thanks in part to the flat-four ‘Boxer’ engine and most mechanical parts being fairly low-slung in the Levorg. The dashboard sits quite low, and there is glass around almost all of the cabin, with minimal interruption from thick pillars.
Offered simply in the top GT trim in Britain, the Levorg comes in at £27,495 and marks a bit of a step up in cabin quality for Subaru. Often criticised for its plastic-fantastic dashboards, the Levorg has a slightly more upmarket feel, with a seven-inch infotainment screen and leather upholstery. Other technology includes LED headlamps, heated seats, four USB ports (including two for rear passengers), dual-zone air-conditioning and reversing camera.
The boot has good access, with a low and wide loading lip, and measures 522 litres behind the rear seats, or 1,446 litres with the rear seats folded flat. This makes it slightly larger than the Mazda 6 Tourer (506 litres), but quite a way off the likes of a Skoda Octavia vRS Estate with 610 litres.
So, would we recommend the Levorg? Well, there’s no getting around the fact it’s a niche car, with a rather unconventional set of vital statistics. For most people an Octavia vRS, SEAT Leon X-PERIENCE or a Mazda 6 Tourer will fit the criteria of a sporty estate better, more of the time.
But, for a certain number of people, the allure of a well-equipped, four-wheel drive Subaru estate will be hard to resist. If they don’t mind the CVT, they’ll also find a practical, tough car which is good fun to drive on a rural road.
