2019 Subaru Levorg 1.6L GT Premium Review

Subaru Levorg is an alternative to the swing towards SUVs. First launched in Australia in 2016 and updated in late 2017, the 1.6L variant was first introduced in August 2017.

We have previously tested th3 Levorg 2.0L STI Sport on a number of occasions but this was the first time I have had an opportunity to drive this version.

Exterior

The Levorg has the look of a wagon, longer, sleeker and lower than a SUV. It looks like a sportswagon should.

The revised front end and grill is low and purposeful, with a trapezoidal design framing the dusk sensing LED steering responsive headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) along with the front fog lights. The headlights are self-levelling and feature pop up washers.

Side profile is low and sleek with 18 inch alloy wheels running 225/45 R18 91W tyres. From the rear the Levorg manages to keep its visual appeal, with many wagons losing it back there. Not the Levorg, the rear spoiler, rounded rear window and integrated tail gate keep everything in proportion.

Other exterior features include: Black accents in headlights, electronic folding and heated mirrors, rear diffuser, rear fog lights and LED brake lights, twin exhaust and tail pipe covers and colour coded shark fin antenna.

Interior

Jump inside the Levorg and the immediate ambience is subtle comfort and luxury.

The front seats are trimmed in a blue stitching contrasting to the leather. They are heated and the driver’s seat is multi electronically adjustable with great lumbar support.

The flat bottom leather steering wheel is a perfect thickness and is both height and reach adjustable. It frames the three sectional instrument binnacle. There are two larger white on black outer dials with a configurable MFD between. All the touch points are padded and you feel cocooned comfortably when driving.

The central section houses the obligatory cup holders, seat heater switches, a tactile 6.2 inch screen for the Appe Car Play and Android Auto and topped off with another display for the eyesight, AWD etc.

Rear seats are comfortable but better suited to two occupants rather than three as they are individually sculptured. Knee room is a little tight with a tall driver. They fold in a 40/20/40 configuration for maximum flexibility and have oil dampers to control the folding speed for safety.

Features

While the Levorg 1.6L GT Premium is packed with features two of the key ones I feel are:

The Smart Rearview Mirror offers better rear visibility. Images of the area behind the car are taken by a camera mounted inside and above the rear gate glass, and displayed in the rearview mirror.
It is particularly effective when the standard rearview mirror provides poor visibility in fluctuating light conditions, such as evening or at night; or if passengers or cargo are obscuring the view.
SRM modes are activated using a switch at the bottom of the mirror.

The Front View Monitor that helps prevent collisions at intersections, or when parking close to walls or other objects. Images from a camera mounted at the front of the vehicle can be shown on the Multi- Function Display, to check for approaching vehicles, or pedestrians, at intersections with poor visibility; or other scenarios.

It helps the driver check for blind spots in front of the car, which can help avoid accidents occurring at intersections.

Drive and Engine

The newly introduced 1.6-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder Boxer engine has never previously been available on any Australian Subaru.

Producing power of 125 Kw @ 4,800-5,600 rpm and torque of 250 Nm @ 1800-4800 rpm, the compact unit offers good performance while driving, but requires a little extra push of the accelerator to get going. The Levorg is a relatively heavy car for this engine at 1580kg.

Transmission is the Subaru Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system mated to the Lineartronic CVT. There is also Bilstein front and rear suspension in Levorg 1.6 GT Premium.

Economy is ok with an ADR figure of 7.4 l/100k in the combined cycle. I did however see the figure of 6.5L/100K on an extended open road section.

Safety

All Subaru’s have a five star ANCAP safety rating and the Levorg GT is packed with some of the best Subaru offers.

Once you acknowledge the inherent safety of the full time AWD system, other features include: ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Dynamics Control (electronic stability control system), Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH), Brake Assist, Curtain airbags, Driver’s knee airbag, Dual front airbags, Dual side airbags.

EyeSight® Driver Assist System featuring:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane departure warning
• Lane sway warning
• Lead vehicle start alert
• Pre-collision braking system
• Pre-collision brake assist
• Pre-collision throttle management
• Pre-collision steering assist
• Brake light recognition
• Lane Keep Assist

Other standard features include:

• Rear door child lock and Child seat anchor points
• Rear seatbelts with pretensioners
• Reverse camera
• Side intrusion bars
• Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

The 1.6L GT Premium adds

• Vision Assist Features
  • Side View Monitor
  • Blind Spot Detection
  • Lane Change Assist
  • Rear Cross Traffic Alerts
  • High Beam Assist
  • Front View Camera

Good Bits

• Wagon style with AWD
• Packed with safety, comfort and luxury features
• Impressive build quality

Not so Good Bits

• 1.6L a little sluggish from take off
• Not on the new Global Platform
• Better suited to four not five occupants

Summary

The Subaru Levorg 1.6L GT Premium offers a more affordable option to the 2.0L STI Sport version of the Levorg. However lower price doesn’t translate to less features or quality.

If you like wagons rather than SUVs, then the Levorg is an excellent alternative. It’s a little on the hefty side, but that translates to a more solid feel on the road, with exemplary road manners, smooth and quiet ride and luxury cruising.

Also look at:

• Skoda Superb
• Audi A3 Sportback
• BMW 3 Series Touring

Facts and Figures: Subaru Levorg 1.6L GT Premium

• Engine: 1.6 L 4Cyl Turbo Boxer petrol producing 125kW/250Nm
• Transmission: AWD, CVT
• Warranty: 5 Yr/ Unlimited km with 1 Yr roadside assist
• Safety: ANCAP 5 Star
• Origin: Japan
• Price: from $43,340 MLP*

*MLP – Manufacturers List Price includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of any options.