The Subaru Levorg concept has been revealed in full at the 2013 Tokyo motor show, though the production version due in 2014 is for now set for the Japanese market only.
Subaru says it has aimed for a sporty but practical touring vehicle with the Levorg, creating “comfortable passenger space for long drives”.
At 4690mm long, the Subaru Levorg sits between the Impreza hatch and Liberty wagon in size. Its 2650mm wheelbase is 100mm shorter than the axle-to-axle distance of the Liberty wagon.
The all-wheel-drive Levorg will be powered by a choice of direct fuel injection ‘boxer’ four-cylinder turbo engines – in 1.6- and 2.0-litre sizes. The smaller engine produces 125kW of power and 250Nm of torque, with the bigger horizontally opposed engine generating 221kW and 400Nm (the latter at 2000rpm).
The Levorg continues Japan’s obsession with continuously variable transmissions that don’t have fixed gear ratios like conventional autos.
The 1.6-litre turbo is teamed with a regular version of Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT while the 2.0-litre’s power is put to the ground via a sportier version of the CVT that features a sports mode offering pseudo-manual shifting up to an eighth ‘gear’.
Subaru says the 1.6-litre turbo version is capable of covering 1000km on a single tank of fuel with consumption of about 5.7L/100km according to the Japanese fuel test cycle.
The 2.0-litre is thirstier with a corresponding figure of 7.6L/100km.
In Japan, the Subaru Levorg will be offered with two trim grades for both engines: GT and GT-S.
Inside, there’s a flat-bottom steering wheel to further develop the sporty theme, 3.5-inch colour liquid crystal instrument dials, and piano black and metallic-tone trim finishes to spice up the perception of interior quality.
There are seven airbags, as well as the latest version of Subaru’s EyeSight safety system that uses stereo cameras to monitor and detect other objects including vehicles and pedestrians.
There are also updated versions of active safety systems such as Active Lane Keep, Pre-Collision Braking Control, and Adaptive Cruise.
