Fans of hot wagons rejoice – there’s a Levorg out and about, and it’s bound for Australia. Before you pop the champers and crack open the piggy bank, keep in mind the new model – at launch, at least – is only available with a Lineartronic CVT.
“It’s too early to provide fine detail, but we’ve clearly demonstrated the niche market for this performance wagon and it’s one we will develop and explore, but in a slightly different direction, which we believe will appeal to an even greater customer base,” Subaru Australia said in a statement.
When it goes on sale in Japan the new Subaru Levorg will be powered exclusively by a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine with 130kW of power between 5200 and 5600rpm, and 300Nm of torque between 1600 and 3600rpm.
The new 1.8-litre engine should prove to be punchier than today’s 125kW/250Nm 1.6-litre turbo mill.
However, Subaru Australia says “the specification, including engines and timing” of our cars “will be considerably different to that in the Japan domestic market, which is launching later this year”.
All-wheel drive is, of course, standard, as is a continuously variable transmission.
Presumably there will be a larger engine down the track to replace the current 197kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo option.
Entry-level models ride on 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/50 tyres, while higher spec versions use 18-inch rims mated with 225/45 rubber.
The exterior holds no surprises as it was accurately previewed by the Levorg Prototype displayed at last year’s Tokyo motor show. There are sharp creases down the sides plus angular wheel arches.
Unlike the current car, the new Levorg has a dashboard design that’s not shared with the Impreza.
The dash is dominated by a 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen, which comes paired with a 12.3-inch LCD instrumentation display.
Not all variants are equipped with these headline-grabbing screens. Lesser versions are fitted with a 7.0-inch infotainment screen, and analog dials with a multi-information display in the middle.
For the standard EyeSight safety system there’s autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and traffic light monitoring.
Other available features include a digital rear view mirror, rear vehicle detection, and emergency lane-keeping assistance.
The top-shelf EyeSight X package includes a hands-off driving mode for traffic jam assistance, as well as the ability to automatically slow down for toll booths and curves.
In Japan, all models are fitted with steering-linked full LED headlights, a leather-clad steering wheel, and a heated driver’s seat.
The range-topping STI Sport model includes adaptive dampers, aluminium pedals, 10-way electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, an eight-way power front passenger’s seat, heated rear seats, and a hands-free tailgate.
The new Levorg is 4755mm long — up 65mm on the current model — and rides on a 2670mm wheelbase, a 20mm increase. Boot space is quoted at 561L with the rear seats up, an improvement of 39L.
