Subaru has revealed a new more rugged variant of the WRX Sportswagon, or Levorg as it’s known in Japan, but it’s unlikely for Australia.
The Levorg has been given the Outback treatment, receiving restyled bodywork and greater ground clearance.
However, Subaru has confirmed the new Levorg Layback remains off-limits to Australia.
“Currently there’s no plans for this model for Australia, as it is currently exclusively for the Japanese market, but we will be keeping a vigilant eye on future developments,” a spokesperson for Subaru Australia told CarExpert recently.
The Levorg Layback will sit between the Legacy-based Outback and Impreza-based Crosstrek in the Japanese range.
It features a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 130kW of power and 300Nm of torque. This is mated to Subaru’s Symmetrical all-wheel drive system and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Australia has never received this 1.8-litre turbo four, with the previous Levorg only offered with 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged power plants and the new Levorg brought here only in hot turbo 2.4-litre guise with a WRX badge.
Over the regular Levorg, the Layback gains new bumpers, and black cladding around the sills and wheel arches.
A new gloss black grille is wider than the one featured on the Levorg/WRX Sportswagon, with a chrome strip linking the headlights.
The bumpers also feature softer, less aggressive creases and lines than the regular Levorg.
Much like the Crosstrek, the Layback receives a bump in ride height over its donor vehicle, going from 140mm to 200mm while also wearing larger tyres with thicker sidewalls.
The redesigned bumpers and extra ride height see length increase by 15mm to 4770mm, and height by 80mm to 1570mm.
On the inside, the Layback gains unique trim options to differentiate it from the regular Levorg. The seats and door trims are furnished with contrasting black and ash-coloured fabric upholstery with bronze contrast stitching.
The same colour scheme is also available with leather upholstery.
The interior retains the same 11.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system as the regular Levorg, while the Layback also includes the latest iteration of Subaru’s EyeSight active safety suite, powered by three cameras and a radar unit.
Subaru is offering two different styles of optional body kit with the Layback. STI and Urban body kits add new splitters with integrated LED lights, as well as unique side skirts.
These add-ons can be painted to match the car or left gloss black.
MORE: Everything Subaru WRX
MORE: Everything Subaru Levorg
MORE: 2023 Subaru WRX Sportswagon review