The new Subaru Levorg 1.6 GT has arrived in Australia priced from $35,990+ORC with an STI Sport model at the top of the tree.
THE SUBARU LEVORG has copped two new family members with the arrival of an entry-level 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder (125kW and 250Nm) GT variant priced from $35,990+ORC and a top-spec STI Sport model which replaces the previous range-topping Spec-B variant.
There have also been some very minor tweaks to the Levorg’s front-end and new LED headlights.
Subaru Australia Managing Director, Colin Christie, said: “Levorg has opened up a whole new performance niche for Subaru since we launched just over a year ago.
“We can now see even greater opportunity with the addition of two 1.6-litre turbo variants that will make this fun, flexible wagon available to an even greater cross-section of customers.
“Equally, by adding the prestige of the STI badge to the range-topping 2.0 STI Sport, we’re catering to customer demand for something even more exclusive at the top of the range – so the freshened MY18 line-up represents a significant opportunity for us.”
The revised Levorg (1.6 GT Premium, 2.0 GT-S and 2.0 STI Sport) gets improved visibility via Smart View Monitor which uses a camera mounted inside and above the rear tailgate glass to display a picture in the rearview mirror, you activate this via a switch below the mirror.
When the Levorg was launched, Practical Motoring commented on discrepancies in handling across the range; when put to Subaru’s engineers they simply shrugged off the questions we asked. But it seems we might have been right, because “The Bilstein front and rear suspension in Levorg 1.6 GT Premium, 2.0 GT-S and 2.0 STI Sport is enhanced from the superseded model year for smoother ride comfort, while retaining sporty capabilities. Both the front and rear suspension configurations are changed for better flat ride comfort with minimal pitching”.
We’ll explore Subaru’s claims in more detail when we get to drive the revised Levorg.
The Levorg debuts Auto Vehicle Hold which is a first for Subaru and means once stopped you’ll be able to take your foot off the brake and, until you touch the accelerator the car will be held in place. Even on hills. The Levorg also now gets steering responsive headlights.
In a move that is welcomed by Practical Motoring and will no doubt be a delight to those who use their wagon for carrying bikes, etc, the Levorg now gets a 40:20:40 split-fold rear seat. And, in a move that sounds decidedly premium, the folding mechanism on the rear seats is damped to avoid users from pinching their fingers. The seats still recline.
LEVORG MY18 SPECIFICATIONS AT A GLANCE:
LEVORG 1.6 GT
SAFETY
- ABS anti-lock brakes with four-wheel discs and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
- Automatic Vehicle Hold
- Brake Assist
- Child seat anchor points
- Curtain airbags
- Driver’s knee airbag
- Dual front airbags
- Dual side airbags
- Dusk sensing LED steering responsive headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs)
- 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
- Fog lights – front and rear
- Four wheel disc brakes (ventilated)
- Front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters
- Front adjustable seatbelt anchorage
- Rear door child lock
- Rear seatbelts with pretensioners
- Reverse camera
- Seatbelt indicator lights
- Side intrusion bars
- Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Three-point A/ELR rear seatbelts
- Vehicle Dynamics Control (electronic stability control system)
- Welcome lighting
INTERIOR
- 6.2-inch touch screen AM/FM radio, single in-dash CD, six speakers
- AUX jack +USB port
- Bluetooth audio streaming
- Bottle holders in each door + two cup holders in centre console and rear
- Cargo area light
- Central locking – remote
- Climate control air conditioning – dual zone
- Cloth trim
- Driver’s footrest
- Height and reach adjustable steering column
- Height adjustable driver’s seat
- Immobiliser security system
- Leather trim steering wheel with audio controls; leather gearshift
- Map lights (2)
- Multi-Function Display (MFD) – 5.9 inches
- Power steering, mirrors and windows
- Privacy glass – rear
- Push button start with smart key
- Electroluminescent instrument cluster with Multi-Information Display
- Seatback pockets
- Subaru-branded front door sill panel
- Two remote central locking keys
- USB charger ports for rear passengers
- Vanity mirrors – illuminated
- 40/20/40 split/fold rear seat
- 12V/120W power jacks
EXTERIOR
- Double locking system
- Electronic folding mirrors
- Headlights auto off
- Heated door mirrors
- Rear diffuser
- Rear cargo door spoiler
- Rear LED brake lights
- Rear roof mounted colour-coded shark fin radio antenna
- Self-levelling automatic LED headlights with pop-up washers
- Tail pipe covers
- 17-inch alloy wheels – space saver spare
OTHER FEATURES
- Auto lights and wipers
- Auto Stop Start
- DataDot security technology
- Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)
- One-touch indicators
- Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive)
- 12-months Roadside Assist
- Three-year unlimited kilometre warranty
- 1.6 litre turbocharged engine. 125 kW/4800-5600 rpm, 250 Nm/1800-4800 rpm
LEVORG 1.6 GT PREMIUM ADDS:
- Bilstein suspension
- Black accents in headlights
- Electric lumbar support (driver)
- Electric sunroof
- Front windscreen de-icer
- Heated front seats
- Leather trim with blue stitching
- Power driver’s seat with dual memory function – 10-way adjustable, including lumbar
- Factory fitted satellite navigation – 7.0-inch screen
- Rear view mirror with auto glare function
- Silver coloured mirrors
- Smart Rearview Mirror
- Sports front seats
- Vision Assist Features
- Side View Monitor
- Blind Spot Detection
- Lane Change Assist
- Rear Cross Traffic Alerts
- High Beam Assist
- Front View Camera
- 18-inch alloy wheels with gray accents – space saver spare
- 2 x USB in lower centre dashboard
LEVORG 2.0 GT-S ADDS (does not include Auto Stop Start):
- Sport # mode
- 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. 197 kW/5600 rpm, 350 Nm/2400-5200 rpm
- Black accents in wheels
LEVORG 2.0 STI SPORT (adds to 2.0 GT-S specification):
- Exclusive maroon leather trimmed seats
- Front bumper and grille unique to variant
- Red stitching
- STI exhaust tips
- STI instrument cluster logo
- STI side sill plates
- STI steering wheel logo
- STI tuned suspension
- STI 18-inch alloy wheels
- WR Blue colour option unique to variant
LEVORG MY 18 MANUFACTURER’S LIST PRICING (NOT INCLUDING ORCs)
Levorg 1.6 GT | $35,990 |
Levorg 1.6 GT Premium | $42,890 |
Levorg 2.0 GT-S | $49,140 |
Levorg 2.0 STI Sport | $51,990 |
Still too expensive based on only 125kw. It’s also lacking Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Finally, it’s based on the old Impreza platform. Not interested Subaru. I predict tiny sales volumes, much like the current Levorg.
Subaru never makes it easy. I like the practicality of a small wagon and it’s 1.6 turbo but it’s a generation behind the Impreza and XV. I love the new Impreza and XV inside out and also their better chassis.
They should really do something on their product cycle between Impreza/XV and WRX/Levorg. I get it if the new WRX/Levorg comes a year later after Impreza, but three to four years later, seriously?