Refreshed 2018 Subaru Levorg revealed in Japanese brochure with 1.6-litre turbocharged engine likely to be most significant change for local release.
THE REFRESHED 2018 Subaru Levorg is expected to arrive in Australia around July or August this year, according to Subaru Australia, with the most significant change being the arrival of a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This engine is available for Levorg in Japan and sees service on Impreza and XV in the Land of the Rising Sun.
As the brochure photos show, we won’t see much of a change to the look of the thing; there have been some very minor tweaking of the front bumper (you’ll notice the chrome strip running behind the number plate). With its local starting price of more than $40k, the Levorg hasn’t been the hit Subaru had hoped it would be when it was first launched here almost 12 months ago.
Practical Motoring has a love-hate relationship with the Levorg sold here, claiming the entry-level GT is the pick (although its specification is a bit underwhelming for the price); the GT-S suspension set-up is out of step with itself from front to back, although the GT-S SpecB is better. But its pricing has meant that its missed out on a lot of buyers shopping in the $30k bracket.
And that’s where the thinking behind adding the 125kW 1.6T comes in. While Subaru Australia wouldn’t tell us about pricing, it’s not a stretch to suggest it’ll try and introduce the refreshed, smaller engined Levorg at a much lower price point than the 2.0-litre variants which will continue to sell here along the new engine variant. It’s likely, the 1.6T will be available in GT and GT-S variants. Rumours suggest an STI variant will also arrive Down Under in July… although it will be a Levorg GT-S with STI bits added on, rather than a full-blown STI variant.
The current Levorgs are indeed quite pricey for what they are. $48,000 driveaway for the base model and it doesn’t even have satnav (but then, Subaru, like Honda, seems to believe that satnav belongs only on the top-spec models).
I’d be interested in a cheaper Levorg, the 1.6 turbo would be fine. Subaru will have a problem pricing it though – too high and it won’t sell, too low and it’ll cannibalise 2.0 litre Levorg sales.
The boring styling, equipment deficits, dull wheel designs, boy racer bonnet scoop and high pricing have killed it.