Subaru Levorg (VN5)

The Impreza-sized station wagon from Subaru, the Levorg, is now on its second-generation, and with performance is not in its agenda, sadly, the new Levorg promises to be the most technologically-advanced Subaru ever made because of its all-new Eyesight X and Subaru Starlink services. Let's discover more about the second-generation Levorg.

2021 Subaru Levorg

Starting at 3,102,000 Japanese Yen (around $31,020), the all-new Levorg is Subaru's tour de force that aims squarely at the Volvo V60 because of the most advanced safety features Subaru ever made in the hopes to emulate this new model to its more expensive but powerful Swedish opponent.

2021 Subaru Levorg

2021 Subaru Levorg

Starting first with the design and thankfully, the bits and bobs from the prototype as seen in last year's Tokyo Motor Show retains. Compared to the previous model, the new Levorg's design looks clean, sharp, and athletic. Looking from every angle, the new look really spells smart and sexy and its own pace. Even the hood scoop adds a nice touch to it because it's a Subaru and every Subarist in the world knows that.

2021 Subaru Levorg interior

Step inside the interior and you will be greeted with a Tesla-esque dashboard which scares most speedo boys because of its minimalism. This is the first time a Subaru in a Japanese market spawned a super tall screen and due to a litany of horror stories about tall screens occupying dashboards in most expensive cars, some might fear that the new model embraces minimalism. Don't worry, though, despite the tall screen, there are buttons around for ease of use.

The driver's side is like science fiction came true but on the passenger side, it's surprisingly comfortable to live with. The rear space is surprisingly more generous than the previous model and the boot space is surprisingly adaptable. There's even a secret compartment in case you want more. With such utility, the new Levorg is ready to take on various daily routines, be it for work or for leisure.

2021 Subaru Levorg

Now we get to the very serious topic of this new Levorg and it's about performance. Because it now runs on a Subaru Global Platform, coupled with some other suspension and chassis updates, the new Levorg is now livelier to drive than the previous model, and when in the STi Sport variant with its sport-tuned suspension, it's slightly better to handle with almost none of the drama involved. Toying around with its SI-Drive system is the ideal way of getting to know about the new Levorg in all corners of the earth but the STi Sport variant features more modes than the normal Levorg had, meaning you have everything at your disposal to deliver its first impression on the road.

Speaking of drama, the new Levorg, at launch, is offered only with a brand new CB18 1.8L DOHC DIT engine that produces 177PS of power and 300Nm of torque. Mated with the only gearbox offered on the new Levorg, a Lineartronic CVT, it promises a combined 13.7kmpl based on WLTP standards. Yes, this powertrain really is dramatic and when compared to the Volvo V60, the Swedish will eat it alive on the straights but who cares? They can go up to 180kph, you know, but enough about that because it's time to move on to safety.

The new Levorg is the first Subaru to be applied with the first-ever Eyesight X, which features a wide array of highly advanced safety features such as traffic jam assist, active speed control, and active lane change assist, in addition to its pre-crash brake, unintentional acceleration suppression, active cruise control, and lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive high beam, and driver monitoring system. In addition to the Eyesight X, the new Levorg is the first to have Subaru Starlink which allows the driver to access numerous services such as SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, Maintenance Notifications, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and Diagnostic Alerts, Stolen Vehicle Recovery Service, Vehicle Security Alarm Notification, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Horn and Lights and Remote Vehicle Locator.

So, what can I say about the new Levorg? Well, it's not as fast or as powerful as a Volvo but with the sharp new design, new interior, improved handling, and the most advanced tech offered in a Subaru, this is a fresh start and it's starting to gain some attention in the midst of the new normal.

Photo: Subaru Corporation