Subaru LEVORG (VM)

This is probably one of the most ideal cars to drive when you woke up at 3 o'clock in the morning and go out for an early cruise round the town. Sure, you have the roads with you at the time but in this new model I'll be tackling about, think of it like you're going away from your house in the suburbs, then travel round town until you reached your granny's house, which is about a few miles from a historic site. How lucky this scenario would be especially the car you were driving is an estate available only in Japan.

2015 Subaru LEVORG

This is the LEVORG and even though it has a very weird name, Subaru claims that this is a Real Sports Tourer as said in their advertising but come on, even though it's a sports tourer which is the size of the outgoing Legacy Touring Wagon, which will be phased out this year, I don't really hold much hope even though it's not going to be offered worldwide because it's available exclusively to the Japanese market.

Sure, it was similarly sized to the Legacy Touring Wagon but unlike the Legacy Touring Wagon, the LEVORG looks clean in the exterior design department and it looks handsome as well. The bonnet scoop adds a nice touch because what's underneath it are one of two DIT engines which I'll talk about it later but anyway, because it looks more like a European sports tourer, there's nothing to criticize about how the LEVORG looks and as for the interior...

2015 Subaru LEVORG interior

It's all typical Subaru interior in here but when fully equipped, you get the same experience that you felt from watching a very erotic Danish commercial. While taking an early morning cruise on a Tokyo highway, the LEVORG really soothes my mind and I don't need to worry a single thing or two because it's a very comfortable ride because it's as well-lubricated as a jar of Vaseline.

It's the first to offer Eyesight Ver. 3, which is the new and improved version of Subaru's very own pre-crash safety system. For Version 3, it integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning. If you have any doubts, handle this stuff with care.

So, on the city highways, the LEVORG is brilliant because of its comfort zone and the clever suspension setup that makes this tourer feel like in a different league but as dawn reaches and the open roads are in reach, the LEVORG starts to unravel.

2015 Subaru LEVORG

The LEVORG comes with two turbocharged petrol engines available and because they're turbocharged, you can expect them to be somewhat fun to drive but this car's no fool, though because even with the turbocharged engines, the only transmission available is a LINEARTRONIC CVT gearbox but different engine types offer different settings on the CVT gearbox. First, there's the FB16 DIT engine which develops a modest 170PS of power output and with the fuel economy of 17.4 km/liter (JC08 mode), it's quite okay to drive for a little bit longer and models rigged with the 1.6L DIT engine have two modes in the SI-DRIVE, determining the best gear control for fuel efficiency and driving enjoyment.

Then, there's the top of the line FA20 DIT engine which develops an impressive 300PS of power output and 400Nm of torque. With models using this high-performance engine, there's a S# in the SI-DRIVE and when set, drivers can take advantage to its paddle shifters and shift from one to eight. Eight simulated gears, eh? That's enough fake moving mechanisms that will keep the LEVORG longing for days but better still, this SPORT LINEARTRONIC makes this CVT gearbox more responsive than any other CVT gearboxes and can be taken lightly.

Couple that with a new chassis as well as Subaru's legendary SYMMETRICAL AWD system, the LEVORG really is a sports tourer well-lubricated for the road ahead and oh, in the speed bumps, there's a bit of worry in here but that's fine because you get the little feeling that you were an angry yobo driving a Subie wagon on the roads of Africa. Yes, I just said that but that's the way Subarus are meant to be, they can take on any terrain no matter how bad they can be.

2015 Subaru LEVORG

If I have any doubts about the LEVORG, I would say that the interior's a bit too stale, the CVT gearbox is not a fit for a turbo engine (if you're a Subarist), and the biggest problem to this care is the price and with prices start at around 2,667,600 JPY (estimated $27,000) it's pricier than its rival tourer from Toyota, the Avensis but unlike the Avensis, the Subaru LEVORG is much more enjoyable to drive because of the turbocharged engine and it has all the right elements that a good sports tourer should be; being agile in the corners while maintaining the ability of being a family car or a company car. You can even use it to drive at the shops as well and take advantage to its bigger boot.

It might have a silly name but the LEVORG is definitely a serious daily driver's car for the serious drivers. Despite being a serious machine, the LEVORG can be taken lightly with care and I just want one of those in my whole life.

Available colors: Crystal White Pearl, Steel Blue Grey Metallic, Ice Silver Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, Lightning Red, and Galaxy Blue Silica.

Photo: Fuji Heavy Industries