Egality and fraternity are all very well, but the best move the French ever made was in emphasising the primacy of Liberty. Subaru might do well to act similarly, as the newest runout for the appealing Subaru Liberty is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Stuffed to the gullet with all the goodies, both visible and subterranean, that make for a classy and enjoyable ride, this sporty yet refined vehicle is the epitome of attentive and intelligent design. With the capacity to fall back on Subaru’s ace in the hole, their near-flawless all wheel drive system, this Liberty is a friend for any weather.

The Liberty comes in a variety of configurations that use the stylish sedan and wagon body styles. When you see a Liberty drive by, the sweeping styling is very refined, and the build quality and detailing reveal a vehicle that looks very high class. The body rigidity is excellent, and this adds to the outstanding five star safety results. The car feels very safe to drive and the road holding is simply in a class of its own.

Under the sleek bonnet lines is a choice of petrol engines. The four-cylinder 2.5 litre 127 kW engine kicks off the charge in the Liberty line up. The car always feels powerful enough when faced with having to satisfy the demanding driver. The very responsive and smooth 3.0 litre six-cylinder motor has superb pick up at any speed. This is a fun car to drive because the 180 kW engine spins very quickly to the red line. The B spec model flies from a standstill to 100 km/h in less than seven seconds. This is enough grunt to produce plenty of smiles on your face, particularly when this power is run through a six-speed manual gearbox. The grip and road handling is awesome! At a little over $50,000, this really is a premium vehicle at a bargain price. Many vehicles that cost much more would struggle to have the legs and handling to keep up with this one. The 2.5 litre 184 kW engine is also very quick and is housed under the bonnet of the GT models.

Five and six speed manual gearboxes, and four and five speed automatic gearboxes are scattered throughout the Liberty range. All are robust and very smooth units and, without a doubt, you will be on to a winning combination.

The Liberty has quite a list of features all made to provide you with the utmost in convenience and comfort. The Liberty’s features include cruise control, power mirrors and windows, cloth and leather seating and trim, manual and power seats with memory settings, and a 6 to 14- speaker audio system with a 6-stack in-dash CD player with MP3 capabilities. The Liberty also includes air-conditioning with dual zone climate control, Momo sports wheel, paddle shifter on the steering wheel for automatic transmissions, and audio buttons mounted on the steering wheel. You can even get a satellite navigation system.

Shaking off a bit of historical baggage, the new-look Subaru Liberty is a serious rival to the best of the big boys, and will present a growing concern as it breathes down the necks of Ford and Holden. Costing less than that iconic middle-roader, the Holden Commodore, the Liberty is a bargain that, for those who are into this kind of thing, will be found precisely the kind of thing that one is into.

Specifications:
Engine: 2457cc four-cylinder
Power: 123kW @ 5600rpm
Torque: 229Nm @ 4000rpm
Induction: Multi-point injection
Transmission: Continually Variable Transmission
Driven Wheels: All wheel drive
Brakes: Four wheel discs
Top Speed: N/A
0-100km/h: N/A
CO2 Emissions: 209g/km
Fuel Consumption: 8.9L/100km (ADR)
Fuel Consumption: 7.5L/100km (As Tested)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 65 litres
Fuel Type: Regular unleaded
ANCAP Rating: 5 stars
Airbags: Seven
Safety: ABS brakes with EBD, BA. ESP.
Spare Wheel: Space saver
Cargo Capacity: 476 litres
Tow Capacity: 1500kg (braked)
Warranty: 3-years/unlimited km
Weight: 1398kg
Wheels: 215/50R17