Subaru updates Liberty with more spec, price changes
BY MIKE COSTELLO | 16th Dec 2011
These additions come with no change in price for the sedan and a $500 price cut for the wagon for entry-level 2.5i models, although most other variants now cost between $1500 and $3500 more than before.
The tweaks come at a time when Liberty sales are down by 37 per cent year-to-date compared to the same period last year (3634 compared with 5764).
A 6.9 per cent share of the medium segment now places the Liberty behind the likes of Ford’s Mondeo, the Mazda6, Honda Accord Euro and Hyundai i45.
Subaru claims the additional specification to base 2.5 Si variants – which also includes USB connectivity and rear air vents – represents $3000 of extra value.
Prices of the mid-range Premium variants have increased $2000 for the wagon and $2500 for the sedan, while up-spec Sports Premium models are up $3000 for the wagon and $3500 for the sedan, but all now get satellite navigation and a reversing camera as standard.
The flagship 3.6-litre Premium sedan (up $1500) now receives Subaru’s state-of-the-art EyeSight preventative safety system as standard equipment.
As GoAuto has reported, the system uses twin cameras mounted next to the rear-view mirror, to detect various road hazards and alert the driver.
Functions include automatic, pre-crash braking in emergency stopping situations if the driver fails to act in time, brake assist and pre-collision throttle management that can stop the car if the driver inadvertently accelerates into an obstacle.
Other features include adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, a vehicle sway warning that can detect driver fatigue and an alert when the vehicle in front of the car takes off in stop-start traffic.
Managing director of Subaru Australia Nick Senior said the Japanese company’s local outpost is “honoured to become the first export market for EyeSight, which we’ve committed to gradually introducing right across our Australian range in the coming years”.
All GT Premium models in both sedan and wagon body styles receive no change to either specification level or pricing.
Outback SUV and Exiga people mover models are not affected by the model revision.
Rival Mazda recently cut the price and boosted equipment levels on its Mazda6 mid-sizer in a model shake-up that also saw the axing of entry-level sedan variants.
| Subaru Liberty rangepricing (before on-roads): | |
| 2.5i sedan | $32,990 |
| 2.5i sedan (CVT) | $34,990 |
| 2.5i wagon | $34,990 (-$500) |
| 2.5i wagon (CVT) | $36,990 (-$500) |
| Premium sedan (CVT) | $40,990 (+$2500) |
| Premium wagon (CVT) | $42,990 (+$2000) |
| Sports Premium sedan(CVT) | $45,490 (+$3500) |
| Sports Premium wagon(CVT) | $47,490 (+$3000) |
| GT Premium sedan | $52,990 |
| GT Premium sedan (CVT) | $54,990 |
| GT Premium wagon | $54,990 |
| GT Premium wagon (CVT) | $56,990 |
| 3.6R Premium (CVT) | $53,490 (+$1500) |
