Diesel engine gives Subaru a lift

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Friday, May 07, 2010

The arrival of the two-litre turbocharged diesel engine across Subaru’s model line-up was a huge shot in the arm not only for the company as a whole, but also its distribution agents around the globe.

The importance of having a diesel option cannot be overstated and particularly so in the times which we now find ourselves in.

Dealers here in Ireland had been screaming for a diesel engine for many years and its unveiling at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show and its eventual arrival as a saleable product in forecourts in 2008 allowed them heave a sigh of relief.

It is a truism that dealers, in general are a hard bunch to keep happy, but you can hardly blame them as they are the ones on the front line and therefore the first to get it in the neck if there are disgruntled customers.

And, While they may have been frustrated by the absence of a diesel choice for so long, at least Subaru has given them something to crow about.

The Japanese company is, of course, famed for itsof its production of ‘boxer’ engines — that is powerplants which are horizontally opposed rather than the more conventional vertical layout.

These flat four units have several unique characteristics — not least the noise they make — but they really do the business and it is odd, I think, that Subaru alone has persevered with them.

What was possibly even more odd was that the company decided to stick with the format when it decided to build a diesel; but persevere they did and the engine they eventually came up with is truly a credit to them.

We tried it out initially in the Impreza and found it to be an excellently workmanlike piece of kit but it did leave a few question marks, particularly when it was put up against similarly sized units from the likes of BMW, Audi and Peugeot.

And so, it was when we came to try it again recently — this time in the latest incarnation of the company’s Legacy model — there was a small degree of trepidation.

If anything, however, the engine was even more impressive second time around than it was the first time and I came away from the test with the feeling that Subaru really does have something it can be proud of here.

The Legacy, of course, is a sterling product and in its current guise is now probably better than it has ever been and also represents a decent value for money proposition as well.

Fitted as it is with a standard all-wheel drive system, it also has more to offer the demanding driver than many of its rivals.

But the Legacy has, for years, survived on the periphery of the family car/rep mobile segment, never really achieving the level of sales it deserved. But that does not mean it is a bad product — far from it.

The latest model is a very good-looking car — something previous Legacy’s could not always been accused of — and, with the addition of the diesel option it is a machine which now makes more financial sense too.

For a long time now Subaru has been accused of producing cars which, by comparison to many rivals, have high running costs; but the diesel option has got them out of that problem in one fell swoop.

And it has also helped to boost residual values as well.

The naked facts of this engine are that it produces some 110 kW (148 bhp) and an impressive 350 Nm of torque between 1,800 and 2,400 rpm. Top speed is 206 kph and the 0-100 kph dash is achieved in an impressive 9.3 seconds.

There is decent pulling power across the rev. range but it is the mid-range punch of this thing which is its most impressive trait.

A six speed gearbox is standard and it too should please most users, as will the excellent handling traits.

This is a very engaging car to drive and the grip levels — as you might expect from a 4WD machine — are top-drawer. The ride is very good and the steering is positive and responsive.

The interior is almost as pleasing on the eye as the exterior and the overall roominess of the Legacy is not something many will find fault with. But there are a few quibbles.

One is the fact that rear seat passengers are a little compromised by the centre tunnel which limits foot space; another is that the driving position — described by Subaru as ‘sporty’ — is too low slung and even though it is adjustable, I wasn’t madly enthused by it.
Kit levels have been upped too and automatic lights and wipers are now part of the deal, as are air con, cruise control, six CD tuner and lots more. Safety is also well looked after, what with front, side and curtain airbags.

Throw in Subaru’s deserved reputation for producing strong and durable products and the whole package makes considerable sense.

The arrival of the diesel has been a huge boon for Subaru and its dealers and having tried it again for a second time I am now more convinced of its merits. I just hope that the public at large takes note.