Skip to main content

Subaru’s Levorg can haul groceries and tackle a rally stage, but won’t come to the US

When Subaru decided to axe the WRX wagon, the rumble of fan moaning could be heard like the note of one of Subaru’s boxer engines.

Now, Subaru has come up with a replacement of sorts, but so far it won’t be sold in the U.S.

The Subaru Levorg is a WRX-based wagon that went on sale in Japan last year, and was unveiled in European spec at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. It’s the stuff New England drivers’ dreams are made of.

The name is a portmanteau of Legacy Evolution Touring, but this car doesn’t have anything to do with Subaru’s bigger sedan. It rides on the same 104.3-inch wheelbase as the WRX, and shares its front-end styling.

It also shares the WRX’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s actually tuned to 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, big jumps over the WRX’s 268 hp and 258 lb-ft.

A smaller 1.6-liter turbo four with 168 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque serves as the base engine, and a CVT automatic transmission is the only option for both. The Levorg also features Subaru’s SI system with adjustable driving modes.

There’s a lot of potential here for a fun car for people who need to haul more than a trunk’s worth of stuff.

Subaru even showed a concept Levorg tuned by its STI performance division at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, with a six-speed manual transmission and upgraded suspension.

Yet while European buyers will now get a chance to experience this potent blend of performance and practicality, there are still no plans to bring it to the U.S.

If that remains the case, used WRX wagons may skyrocket in value.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more
This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern
Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Read more
Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride
A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis. 

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Read more