Think Subaru and performance and the iconic Impreza WRX (in particular, the STI) lineage comes mind.By Barry Green
But there is another ‘Soobie Doo’ with attitude, and that is the lesser-known Liberty GT. The latest iteration comes with 2.5-litre turbocharged Boxer four-cylinder engine good for 195 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque. There’s a choice of six-speed manual gearbox or five-speed Sportshift auto, and sedan or station wagon. Our test car was the auto sedan, at $54,990.
There’s not much the GT doesn’t have. Tick the boxes for sequential shift, tilt/reach steering, power windows and mirrors, dual climate control air, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution, 18-inch alloys, electronic stability control, seven airbags and remote central locking with keyless entry. There’s also Bluetooth compatibility, eight-way power adjustment to the front seats, electric sunroof, leather trim, rain-sensing wipers, self-levelling Xenon headlights, McIntosh premium sound system with 10 speakers, reversing camera and satellite navigation. And, of course, Subaru’s well-regarded all-wheel-drive system and five star safety rating. In keeping with the moniker, GT comes dressed in sports body kit, bonnet scoop and front fog lamps.
Performance is brisk, with 0-100 km/h coming up in 7.0-seconds with two occupants on board. Roll on (or overtaking) acceleration is robust, taking 3.8 sec from 50-80 km/h and 5.0 sec from 60-100 km/h. Braking is also up to par, with GT pulling up in 23.8 m on average over four emergency stops from 80 km/h.
There seems to be some validation to Subaru claims that, by setting up the rear suspension similar to Impreza and Forester, Liberty has morphed into a better cornerer. Indeed, there’s not much to dislike, except to say that the ride could be more compliant and a full size spare would be preferable to the temporary use item supplied.
Our test vehicle returned 12.3 litres/100 km over some hard driving. This compares with an ADR figure of 9.7 (combined cycle).
