Update for Subaru Liberty

SUBARU has trimmed its Australian Liberty sedan and wagon range in a 2013-model-year revision that also brings price cuts, cosmetic tweaks, more power and improved fuel efficiency.

The previous range-opening six-speed manual Liberty 2.5i that retailed for $32,990 (plus on-road costs) has been axed due to slow sales, with the CVT automatic sedan now dropping into that entry-model role same $33k price slot – $2000 cheaper than before.

Likewise, the company has axed the manual gearbox from the 2.5i wagon and reduced the price of the CVT version by $2000, to $34,990.

All variants from the 2.5i up also get tweaks including revised grille and foglights, new alloy wheels, a smaller and sportier steering wheel, electric park brake on the centre console, one-touch indicators, new dashboard colour scheme and standard USB connectivity.

Subaru has dropped the leather trim from 2.5i models in favour of cloth, but will re-fit the cowhide as part of a $3000 extras package that also adds integrated satellite navigation.

Further up the range, Subaru has slashed $1500 from both sedan and wagon versions of the high-specified 2.5 Premium variants, which now start at $39,490 and $41,490 respectively. Along with the price cut, the Premium now also gets Subaru’s EyeSight safety technology.

This system uses twin cameras mounted next to the rear-view mirror, to detect various road hazards and alert the driver. Functions include collision avoidance and autonomous braking.

Manual versions of the up-spec GT Premium Liberty get the aforementioned cosmetic tweaks but retain the same price ($52,990 for the sedan and $54,990 for the wagon).

On the other hand, six-speed Sportshift automatic versions go up $1500 ($56,490 for the sedan and $58,490 for the wagon) but gain EyeSight.

The 3.6 six-cylinder engine option has been ditched from all bar the high-riding Liberty X sedan, and the Exiga people-mover derivation has unchanged pricing ($37,990 for the 2.5i and $42,490 for the Premium).

Fuel economy has been cut by between 3.6 and 5.7 per cent across all 2.5-litre engine variants, thanks to engine tweaks that improve drive-ability in the mid-to-low rev range, plus a lighter and smaller CVT.

Power and torque are also up to 123kW and 235Nm, from 123kW and 229Nm previously.

Subaru also claims to have tweaked the standard all-wheel-drive system, making the automatic distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels more precise. New suspension bushings and a thicker front stabiliser bar reduce noise, vibration and harshness and reduce body-roll.

With sales up a respectable 12.2 per cent to the end of November, the company is banking on this minor upgrade to retain momentum as its mid-sized stalwart faces up to a suite of newer rivals such as the recently released Mazda6 and next year’s new Ford Mondeo and Skoda Octavia.

2013 Subaru Liberty pricing*

Sedan
2.5i (a)	$32,990
2.5i with nav pack (a)	$35,990
2.5i Premium (a)	$39,490
2.5X (a)	$44,490
2.5GT Premium	$52,990
2.5GT Premium (a)	$56,490
3.6X (a)	$55,990
Wagon
2.5i (a)	$34,990
2.5i with nav pack (a)	$37,990
2.5i Premium (a)	$41,490
2.5GT Premium	$54,990
2.5GTPremium (a)	$58,490
Exiga 2.5i (a)	$37,990
Exiga 2.5i Premium (a)	$42,490

*Plus on-road costs