NEW YORK 2009: Subaru Ruins the Liberty/Outback
Why did they do it? The current Liberty and Outback are pleasant looking cars, even if they are a little bland. But they've just made it hideous. Yep, this is the new Subaru Liberty and Outback, ready to take up the fight with the Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro - but it has huge disadvantages before it even steps into the ring with the other two.
It's clear that they tried to make the new Liberty more macho and aggressive - we now get flared wheelarches, lots of sharp surface detailing on the bonnet, and aggro, flared-up headlamps. But for some reason, they didn't complete the job. Even without noting that the face of the car looks like a stunned rabbit, you can't deny the door handles look like they've been lifted off a Toyota Yaris, the alloy wheels couldn't have been plainer if they had tried, and the rear end looks so much like a toned down Honda Accord (the other one, not the Euro) it isn't funny.
And it's not like you can take solace in the interior, either. It looks quite similar (though thankfully not the same) to the interior of the new Impreza, which is odd, because I can't think of anyone who really likes the interior in the new Impreza. It really is a shame, because I was expecting a truly wonderful new interior for the Liberty. This was, of course, because the last Liberty had a fantastic interior. In fact, I think that this one may well be a step backward:
And the Outback isn't any better. At least its face doesn't look cross-eyed like the Liberty, but at the back, we have the worst-designed reflectors I have ever seen in a long time. How hard is it to integrate reflectors into the design of a car? They look as out of place as elephant tusks on a sausage dog.
In terms of specs, we have three engine choices: a 2.5 Litre, 127kW revision of the old engine, a turbocharged 198kW version of that same engine (for the Liberty GT models) and instead of the old 3.0 Litre, we now have a 3.6 Litre 191kW six-cylinder engine which no longer requires premium grade fuel like the old one. In transmissions, you can now get a 6-speed manual as standard, but the standard automatic has now become a CVT (continuously variable transmission). It remains to be seen how much confidence Subaru have in this kind of automatic transmission, because you can only get a standard 5-speed auto in the 3.6 Litre version.
Gains have also apparently been made in interior space, which is great, but the old Liberty wasn't as roomy as it could have been, so you'd hope the gains are fairly significant. In another sign of changing priorities for Subaru, they've also fitted a dreaded electronic parking brake. A normal parking brake would have been just fine, thanks.
NEWS: Saab 9-3X Turns Swedes Butch
The long and short of this is that Saab have converted their 9-3 SportCombi (read wagon) into a Subaru Outback-like AWD wagon. In other words, it gets a raised ride height (an extra 35 millimetres), some tough looking cladding, and as chief designer Simon Padian says, "we are offering a vehicle that will do what's required in more comfort and style than a heavier SUV." Which of course, sounds great, and is an idea that may well work. The idea isn't new, however. There is the aforementioned Outback, the Audi A6 Allroad and the Volvo XC70. The Audi and the Volvo aren't exactly sales sensations, but that does not mean the Saab 9-3X is unlikely to find buyers.
Compared to the Volvo and the Audi, the Saab will be far more competitively priced, and represents a very practical and upmarket alternative at a cut price. And of course, it is far more handsome than the Audi and Subaru, probably on par with the Volvo. This car will share its engines with the 9-3, and in some markets will also have a front-wheel-drive version, which I doubt will come to Australia. In any case, it's set to hit showrooms late this year, a few months before the 9-4X (Saab's take on the Cadillac SRX) arrives in 2010.
