Subaru Liberty GT 2003 review

We've just been driving the surprising Hyundai Elantra, which feels much nicer than ever before for just $18,990, and we've also spent quality time in the Toyota Prius II, the supercharged Jaguar XJ-R and Audi's sensational RS6.

But it's the Subaru Liberty that has really grabbed our attention.

We drove it for the first time early in the year at the worldwide press preview in Japan, where it looked and felt newer, tighter, safer and more substantial.

Explore the 2003 Subaru Liberty range

• Subaru Liberty 2003 review
• Subaru Liberty GT 2003 review

We were waiting to drive it on local roads for a final verdict, and now we have it.

The new Liberty is the second-best car we have tested in 2003.

That sounds like the first of the losers, behind the Honda Accord Euro, but the Liberty is a great car that will be a first-place finisher with many Australian drivers.

And it has a broader spread of models, including wagons and the punchy GT as well as the gravel-focused Outback, to ensure it fits in a greater range of driveways.

It's well priced from $30,990, extremely well built and the sort of car that's going to take business from everything, including the top-selling Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

The Liberty chants to the mantra we expect of all good cars in 2003: it's lighter, faster, greener and safer.

But this time the good news runs across the range, in ways we can all appreciate.

The basic body is 60kg lighter but much stronger, which means Subaru was able to build in everything from better crash performance, including the pedestrian protection that's becoming more of a priority, to tighter suspension, sharper steering and an engine that has more punch but uses less fuel.

The latest Liberty range is as varied as always, but broken up by a choice of 2-litre, 2.5-litre and turbo engines with appropriate equipment up to the fully loaded GT with premium pack at $57,990.

That sounds like a lot, and it is to most people, but it's a relative bargain in a car with 180kW of power, all-wheel-drive and all the gear you'd expect on a high-priced European car from Audi, Alfa, BMW, Benz or Volvo.

When we first saw and drove the new Liberty, we realised that Subaru had joined Honda in creating a new style of car, the EuroJap machine.

It's one that looks and feels European, but is built with Japanese quality and a Japanese price.

It would take pages to run through the full update deal, but it's most important to focus on the new look – smoother and more elegant, but still Subaru through and through – and the basic engineering and quality equipment.

On the road

The Liberty was a slow burn during our test time. We originally planned a week in the starting-price Liberty 2.0 sedan, which takes the place of the GX, but couldn't resist a sprint in the fully loaded GT.

So we took things easy, learning the basics before uncorking the turbo. And we came around slowly because we'd already been won over this year by the EuroJap Accord Euro, the new Suby's deadliest rival.

What we found is a car that's a little roomier, a lot more refined and more enjoyable – a car we'd happily point to Sydney, or even Cairns, for a summer escape.

It drives extremely well, with sharp steering and well-controlled suspension, and the noise levels are commendably low.

We also like the look of the new Liberty, even if some people say it's too much like the old car.

It's easy to park, has good headlamps, and a big boot.

But we really enjoy the Liberty when we let the turbo spin and unbottle its 180kW of power and the 310Nm of torque that contribute even more to its sprightly performance. The new five-speed auto helps, too.

Frankly, we were never fans of the previous B4 Liberty turbo. It was too harsh, too abrupt and too childish. The newcomer, called B4 in Japan but gets the GT badge here, is quick, controlled and refined.

The latest turbo motor comes on strong almost from idle, has turbine thrust from 3000 revs, and really honks to the redline.

And, as always, the all-paw grip means you can use more of the go for more of the time.

We particularly like the way the long-wheelbase Liberty body cuts the front-end push and lateral bounce you get in an Impreza at the same pace, which means it's just as quick as a WRX without the fuss.

But it's also refined. And that's good news for people who are over the toy-racer stage in their lives.

The GT comes with plenty of good stuff, from supportive seats and bold vacuum-fluorescent instruments to a MacIntosh sound system that's my personal benchmark for in-car entertainment.

We also like the latest five-speed automatic, which keeps the engine spinning but boosts economy.

It has a user-friendly touch-change mode, with buttons on the wheel that are some of the easiest we've used.

You only have to touch a button, even if you're not in manual mode, for a quick downshift and the box will hold a gear against the redline -- instead of making an auto upshift -- if you're in the driving mode.

The Liberty's bottom line is we like everything and give it high scores in every category.

It rocks the Accord Euro, but the all-round refinement and design advances of the Honda keep it on top of the Cars Guide star rankings.

It's just ahead of the Mazda6 and it destroys Euro rivals such as the underdone Jaguar X-Type.

But the GT is something else, and we reckon a lot of WRX owners are going to graduate to the Liberty sprinter. Soon.