Just testing: Subaru Levorg 2.0i GT Lineartronic

Want to rediscover your love of driving? Tim Gibson reckons Subaru’s latest grand tourer is a good place to start

By Tim Gibson

It’s a crystal clear evening in the countryside. I’m leaving a late meeting in the middle of nowhere, and the road is empty. It’s a twisting A-road, full of beautiful bends and crisp cambers. The sort of road that just begs to be driven.

    It’s like someone has snuck out and painted glue on the tyres. They just won’t give up their grip.  

And, boy, have I got the car to drive it in: the new Subaru Levorg. A 2.0-litre petrol-powered grand tourer that looks every inch the spiritual successor to the super-fast Imprezas whose DNA it shares.

To be clear, it’s not the fastest car by any stretch. The engine generates 148bhp, which isn’t a huge output. But Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive set-up makes perfect use of every single one of those horses. It’s like someone has snuck out and painted glue on the tyres. They just won’t give up their grip.

All of which makes for a thrilling experience. It’s not so much that you drive the Levorg quickly. I don’t think I break the speed limit once during my absorbing drive home. But the razor-sharp handling and astonishing poise mean you feel every bend and, yes, can take them a bit more briskly than in a conventional family car.

I’ll be honest. I’d forgotten how much I love driving until I piloted the Levorg for a week. I don’t think there was a single journey that didn’t end with me taking a detour, just to add a few minutes to my time behind the wheel. Likewise, I made sure every trip incorporated at least one country road. I think it would have been rude not to.

This is the sort of car on which Subaru built its reputation in the 1990s: a dependable estate with a decent-sized boot and plenty of room for the whole family, but offering the sort of driving experience that would keep any hot-hatch-loving boy racer on their toes.

Indeed, if you grew up as I did hankering after a gold-wheeled Impreza WRX, the Levorg is a pleasing trip down memory lane. It’s like turning on the radio to hear Oasis blaring out. Or popping home and opening the fridge to see it full of pork pies and Scotch eggs. Takes you right back to your youth, summoning all the emotions and excitements of the past.

And here’s the thing: because, for most of us, the Impreza WRX was just a dream. Even if we could afford to buy one, the cost of insuring it put it way beyond reach. So we made do with our souped-up Golfs and Escorts, longing for the day when we became respectable grown-ups whose car insurance premiums didn’t run into the thousands of pounds.

    Where it’s in a class of its own, though, is in delivering sheer driving pleasure.  

Now, that day has come. And the Levorg represents the acceptable face of our teenage longing. It’s a smart family car, one that looks perfectly at home in the office car park. It’s practical, safe (very safe, thanks to a dizzying array of active safety features) and hugely comfortable. In fact, you can see that Subaru benchmarks itself against Volvo when it comes to all three of these features.

Where it’s in a class of its own, though, is in delivering sheer driving pleasure. Honestly, it’s brilliant. Just a dream come true.

Okay, so it’s fairly thirsty (I averaged 32mpg during a week of mixed-use, but with a lot of motorway work) and the interior isn’t a patch on more premium offerings. And some will find the styling a bit weird, as is always the way with Japanese cars.

Oh, and the heated seats either burn your backside to smithereens on high setting or deliver less warmth than a rabbit’s fart on low setting.

These niggles aside, the Levorg is a winner. And, once you’re piloting it along a quiet country road, you’ll forgive it anything. It’s sublime. Totally sublime.

That’s what I think as I career along on my way home, at any rate. In that moment, I can’t think of a car in the world I’d rather be driving. Not a Bentley or a Porsche or a Mercedes-Benz can match the Levorg for the base pleasure it delivers. A bit like Oasis, really: flawed, absolutely, but impossible to resist.

On test

  • Subaru Levorg 2.0i GT Lineartronic
  • 148BHP
  • 62mpg combined (official figures)
  • 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds
  • 167g/km CO2 emissions
  • Price: £30,995 on the road

Tim Gibson has written about cars for 25 years. His work regularly appears in The Daily Telegraph and other national media.

© 2019 Just Recruitment Group Ltd

Published: 16 December 2019

If you enjoyed this article, you may like: Just testing: Range Rover Evoque D180 First Edition

You may also enjoy: Five ways to make your car ready for winter

Jobs currently available

New job
Electronics Hardware Design Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Gillingham, Kent
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913361
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking an Electronics Hardware Design Engineer for a manufacturing company based in Gillingham, Kent.

You will be working within the company’s Electronics Engineering team, developing electronic designs to fulfil customer and legislative requirements within the challenging context of a high-volume, high quality and harsh manufacturing environment - with Electronic Control Unit products for use in the current portfolio and for future propulsion systems.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Develop new electronic designs for Electronic Control Units
  • Evaluate customer and internal requirements and identify gaps in current products
  • Prepare product designs to meet internal and customer requirements
  • Develop complete schematics, Bill of Materials and other technical documentation
  • Develop a worst-case analysis for each requirement
  • Create and maintain Electrical DFMEA
  • Apply BOD, BOP and defined engineering standards procedures and methodologies to execute project activities
  • Provide technical assistance to PCB ECAD teams
  • Release design documentation
  • Support Validation teams during the Design Validation and Process Validation phases
  • Support Test teams located in the Manufacturing Plants
  • Prepare reports, technical presentations and status for internal and customer use
  • Ensure reports and presentations include clear analysis and summaries for decision-making
  • Define, prioritise and execute tasks required to meet project objectives (cost, quality and timing)
  • Escalate risks and issues to core team members and management in a timely manner
  • Apply problem-solving in the execution of project activities
  • Maintain and update Bill of Design guidelines
  • Ensure that designs meet cost targets, manufacturability requirements and end-of-line recycling targets
  • Develop and maintain test equipment

Required skills/experience include:

  • Proven electronics design experience
  • Experience with Functional Safety ISO26262 and FMEDA
  • Experience with Electrical DFMEA
  • Experience with effective problem-solving methodologies
  • Experience in automotive electronics hardware development
  • Software tools: MS Office, ECAD programs (XPedition Enterprises preferred), Simulation tools
  • Fluent in English speaking and writing

Required qualifications:

  • University Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or suitable equivalent qualification and experience

This role offers excellent benefits including a generous relocation allowance.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
HR Advisor
Sector: Recruitment and HR
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Tiverton, Devon
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913357
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking an experienced HR advisor to provide high-quality, locally focused HR advice and service as well as work on group-based projects – for a company based in Tiverton, Devon.

Hours of work:

Monday to Friday – 30-35 hours per week, to be worked over 5 days.

The company will consider candidates looking for school working hours (min 5.5 hours daily) and can offer flexibility on working hours, however, daily support is required to meet operational objectives.

You will be based in Tiverton, working independently and will be responsible for providing vital generalist day-to-day operational support, including but not limited to delivery of the HR goals as well as objectives, absence management, employee relations matters and support for Line Managers.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing support to colleagues and managers working within the company’s policies and procedures to achieve positive outcomes.
  • Undertaking exit interviews for leavers and administrating the leaver’s process.
  • Auditing and reviewing HR policies, procedures, and documentation on a regular basis in line with legal obligations or business requirements.
  • Overseeing and assisting with investigations, disciplinary and grievance processes to endeavour to resolve at an informal level wherever possible. Escalating all processes to the HR Manager for initial input.
  • Preparing template letters, documentation and forms necessary for the HR Admin team to complete for employees (eg invitations to hearings, flexible working requests, letters of correspondence etc).
  • Supporting the company and the HR Manager with improving attendance for all employees including long-term sick leave.
  • Assisting the HR Manager with the upkeep of company policies and procedures and implementation of new/amended procedures.
  • General HR-related tasks/project work as directed by and with the consultation of the HR Manager.

Key skills/experience required:

  • Experience from a generalist background is essential to apply HR practices throughout the cycle of employment.
  • Competent in dealing with employee relations matters, grievances, performance and disciplinary.
  • Managing absence both short and long-term with knowledge of occupational health.
  • Compiling and updating company procedures and applications in practice.
  • Adaptable, self-motivated, team worker with a can-do attitude.
  • Minimum CIPD Level 3 in Human Resources Practice or similar or substantial professional experience.
  • Excellent communicator both written and verbal.
  • Administration experience and preparation of contractual documentation.
  • Use of Microsoft Office suite including Teams, hosting meetings online.
  • Organising in-house events, training events for example.

The role offers excellent benefits – discussed on application.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Service Desk Controller
Sector: Customer Service
Salary: £25,000 - £27,000 per annum
Location: Witham
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913358
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a Service Desk Controller for a company based in Witham.

This is an incredibly important role within the company as you will be the primary point of contact for the customers and will be responsible for scheduling the engineers' diaries. This is a fast-paced role, therefore you must be able to work well under pressure and display ownership of tasks from start to finish.

Duties include:

  • Providing product and technical information, together with advice tailored to customer requirements.
  • Handling customer enquiries via telephone or email and ensuring customer communication is a priority.
  • Identifying customer product requirements and where necessary liaising with suppliers with the purchasing department.
  • Allocating jobs to engineers.
  • Communicating efficiently with all internal departments to ensure the correct product is allocated against each job card.
  • Coordinating resources to reduce customer waiting time.
  • Ordering products from suppliers and liaising with the purchasing department.

Role requirements:

  • Ability to communicate efficiently, verbally expressing your ideas clearly and confidently at all levels, via email and the telephone.
  • Skills to systematically establish facts and principles for problem-solving to resolve customer enquiries.
  • Ability to understand and produce customer or internal reports.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.00pm.

Free parking is available on-site.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Technical Sales Manager
Sector: Sales
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: West Midlands
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913354
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales Manager for a manufacturer to establish new distribution networks and relationships within the Worcester/Gloucester/Birmingham areas – maintaining excellent customer relations with full account and budget responsibilities.

This is a home-based role but you will be required to travel to group sites as well as make customer visits, as and when required.

International travel is also a requirement.

Business-to-business direct sales experience in the electrical / tools / PPE sector would be ideal.

The role will involve:

  • Taking responsibility for managing and effectively establishing customer accounts within the region/customer base.
  • Generating customer business in line with discount and rebate structures.
  • Being accountable for the achievement of sales targets set for set region.
  • Keeping management informed of sales activity against target achievement by the submission of weekly and monthly reports and via Sales Force.
  • Taking responsibility for following up leads, answering sales calls and responding to enquiries through to order placement.
  • Effectively handling customer complaints by investigating problems and developing solutions with the Product Management team and factories as appropriate.
  • Following up on all sales leads and customer quotations.
  • Monitoring competition by gathering current marketplace information on pricing, products, new products, and merchandising techniques.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Production Operative
Sector: Warehouse
Salary: £11.44 per annum
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-PO-04-24
About the role

Just Temps is seeking temporary Production Operatives for a company based near Ipswich.

No experience is required for this role.

Working hours:

  • Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm.

Duties to include:

  • Working on a production line - carrying out fast packing

  • Handling finished goods

  • Heavy lifting duties

  • Labelling

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more