Niche cars, by definition, only appeal to a select group of buyers. For some, they seem a little unnecessary, for others, they’re a dream come true.
Take the Subaru Levorg for example, the model that replaced the Legacy in Subaru’s UK range in 2015. It is a practical – yet sporty – all-wheel drive estate, aimed at those who need a utilitarian family car with a bit of fire in its belly. It’s even got permanent all-wheel drive, just in case you want to venture into the mud or push it in dicey weather.
If you have ever wanted the gloating rights of owning a sporty Scooby with a bonnet scoop, but you don’t want to sacrifice practicality – then you may just want to take a look a closer look at the Levorg.
But what is the Levorg like to live with? Well, Subaru has been kind enough to give us the keys to a Levorg GT 1.6-litre petrol for the next three months to give us a taste of Levorg living.
In this first long term report, we look at how the Levorg performs on a series of different roads as we take on a 1,000-mile cross country road trip.
Town driving – Smooth but Not Efficient
For a car to be a good town cruiser, all you really need is a comfy ride and steering that is easy to manoeuvre. The Levorg ticks both boxes. So far so good then.
You can easily squeeze the accelerator and ease forward in traffic, unlike some autos that give you all the engines grunt the second you touch the go pedal, and the CVT gearbox behaves itself when edging out of junctions.
From a comfort point of view, we can’t really fault the Levorg. However, what is a little disappointing is the 19mpg we got. Given, 1.6-litre petrol engines - boxer engines in particular - aren’t usually that efficient, but 19mpg is a little disappointing. So, if you can, avoid traffic jams… as if you wouldn’t anyway.
Motorway driving – Confident Cruiser with Cubbies to Spare
Some estates are designed to go in a straight line, which for motorway driving, is perfect. The main attribute for this type of driving is a cushy suspension. The Levorg’s ride is slightly on the firm side – when compared to uber comfortable estates – but it is still highly capable of delivering smooth motorway cruising.
In fact, due to the slightly firmer set-up, the Levorg refrains from bouncing over humps on motorway roads, which overall makes for a smooth drive. But the slightly firmer ride does pay off when taking on twisty roads.
The CVT gearbox is smooth enough when up to speed, although it can struggle to keep up with gear changes in stop/start traffic. Motorway driving allows the efficiency-based CVT gearbox to give its best as we managed to get an average of 41mpg.
Also, as a slight aside to its drive, the Levorg comes with loads of large cubbies - particularly in the centre console - which makes it easy to kit up with drinks, snacks and sweets for those really long trips.
Twisty stuff – Excuse Me, Your Subaru DNA is Showing
If you were ever in doubt that the Levorg had Subaru DNA, a quick spurt on a country road will squash any uncertainty. The fact that the Levorg shares chassis components with its WRX STi sibling becomes instantly apparent.
Throw the Levorg into pretty much any bend and it grips like a champ, with its AWD system digging itself into the tarmac and filling you with confidence, even in the wet.
The torque-vectoring system is particularly impressive, as it shifts traction to the gripping wheels when cornering to ensure the car stays planted – and you can really feel it working its magic. That, mixed with well-weighted steering, makes the Levorg a lot of fun to drive.
There’s even a sport mode available, which is activated by pushing the S button. This sharpens up throttle response and gear shifts to allow the car to keep up with more enthusiastic driving. Sure, it uses more fuel, but you have a lot more fun.
Our Perfect Trip – Motorway Slog and Country Lane Leisure
It’s no secret that the Levorg is not wallet friendly when driving around town.
But after doing some long motorway slogs, with the occasional country lane break along the way, we found the Levorg to be one of the most entertaining motorway mile munchers we’ve ever driven.
Usually, you will stick to motorway roads as much as possible when travelling cross country, but the cornering capabilities of the Levorg will make you want to venture onto B roads.
Chances are, with heavy traffic constantly blocking up motorways, you may end up getting creative and finding short cuts anyway – and if you are in the Levorg, you can look forward to these detours.
