Rate It: Levorg Is What You Call a WRX Wagon, Apparently

I dig it. If it was available in the US, with a manual, I might be very tempted. Looks like a great kid hauler  and still some fun to drive. Would need to see how kid seats fit.   I miss the WRX wagons of years past.  Hard pass on the CVT though. 

Anybody driven a Lineartonic CVT?

If I hadn't driven a BMW Fxx 3-series, I probably would've said any auto was a nonstarter. But I have that counterexample. Similarly, VW's DSG proves I can like an automanual. I haven't experienced many CVTs (er, have I driven more than one?), but it (a Nissan) stands out as being every bit as awful as a bad conventional automatic.

Jesse Ransom said:

Anybody driven a Lineartonic CVT?

If I hadn't driven a BMW Fxx 3-series, I probably would've said any auto was a nonstarter. But I have that counterexample. Similarly, VW's DSG proves I can like an automanual. I haven't experienced many CVTs (er, have I driven more than one?), but it (a Nissan) stands out as being every bit as awful as a bad conventional automatic.

Yea the kids mom had a FXT. I loved the power, hated the transmission. That's essentially the Levorg we got stateside for a few years. 

I don't think they would have a problem selling. Subaru dealers typically don't have WRX and STIs on the lot long and having a wagon variant wouldn't hurt that. The issue would likely be if it was CVT only. Subaru is weird and I'm guessing they have a GM like mindset where they think it would cut into sales of the WRX or one of their 18 CUVs. The GM example is not making another performance car outside of the Camaro, Corvette or CTS-V because it would cut into sales numbers of those cars (Solstice, Sky, Cobalt SS)

Driven Subaru CVT's. For a CVT it isn't bad....its actually one of the better ones. You can manually "shift" it, and it simulates gears...sorta and will hold that "gear"....sorta, via paddle shifters.  But saying it's a decent CVT isn't really very high praise.CVT does CVT things..... completely lacking in off the line grunt....cant get to the lowest ratio gearing till the revs are up, so hard launching is out.   That's a party trick the WRX does so well with a manual.  The "shift" from simulated gear to simulated gear is like a old slippy slush box. It really mutes the responsiveness of the driveline. 

 I've driven many modern standard automatics and been impressed. For instance a C7 vett auto aint too shabby. I hear the new ones are even better. VW's DSG's are fun, I've driven those, as well as  BMW's SMG (albiet on from a E46M3 so a bit dated these days) and enjoyed that.

 The Subaru CVT isn't those. It has nothing on those transmissions.  

Looks good to me. They need a WRX Wagon stat! 

I would buy one of those soooo hard if it came with a manual! Impreza hatch is on my radar for the next daily driver...

Would consider it with a proper H-pattern manual.

With a CVT - that's a hard "Berk No."

I really think the Subaru CVT is matched well to the 2.0 turbo. We had a '15 Forester XT for about two years, and it was great. Forget the "fake gears" mode, put it in Sport mode and hold the accelerator at the percentage throttle you want, and the engine and trans hold the RPM steady, boost maxes out, and the thing scoots away rapidly. The CVT is perfect for the modern small-turbo quick-spool engine, since it's out of breath at like 6k rpm anyway. Honestly the FXT CVT was my favorite automatic transmission, now second favorite compared to the TDI with DSG that we bought as replacement.

I spent a lot of time while we owned that car fantasizing about putting the FA20DIT and CVT into an old light Subaru like a 1st gen Impreza wagon or 1st gen Forester. I think it would be a weapon for rallycross.

Jesse Ransom said:

Anybody driven a Lineartonic CVT?

You find yourself regularly going way faster than you expected.  I've found myself accidentally doing 55 on surface streets in a turbo Forester.  The acceleration is very linear and there's no auditory cue as to how much you are accelerating.

I really like it, it's well calibrated for expected acceleration vs. engine output.  It's always running the engine at the best speed.  A manual trans or traditional automatic, like a stopped clock, is always in the "wrong" gear.

Some people can't get over the engine staying at 2200 or 3000 or whatever.  Probably similar to how some people hate electrics because there are no engine noises.

I was day dreaming how I could afford one if they came stateside back in 2015.

Guess I'll keep dreaming.