Some things can be absolutely head-scratching in life; cue Florida man, the political rise of Donald Trump and Subaru’s insistence of shunning the North American performance wagon market. The latter, in particular, is somewhat disheartening to those enthusiasts wanting WRX thrills, with the interior practicality of an Outback.

So with that in mind, I’ve decided to illustratively look at what Subaru could offer – let’s say as a modern-day equivalent, to the older 4th generation Legacy GT wagon.

Hang on, isn’t there the current Impreza-based Levorg?

Well yes, however that’s forbidden in North America. Currently the Japanese carmaker would rather focus on offerings like the Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester, Legacy and Outback.

Subaru’s official line is that those models sell well, but conventional wagons don’t (the same rhetoric that other carmakers are spurting out too). Which is a shame, as the Levorg hits a sweet spot between the rawness of the WRX and the comfort of a Legacy.

What could it look like?

Don’t expect something that looks like any of Subaru’s recent concepts; we all know they don’t translate into production guise as one would hope. Yet, that’s not to say it won’t look good.

My illustrated study builds upon the 2017 Impreza, albeit with more stand-alone styling. This includes the brand’s hexagonal grille and hawk-eye headlights, with a front facial that’s much more dominant than the Impreza’s. Aggressive side-skirts, hood scoop and sleek wagon profile, make it look fast just sitting still.

Boxer four cylinder powertrain

Currently, the Levorg offers a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0 Boxer engine – pumping out 221kW (296 hp) and 400N (295 lb ft) of torque. This relatively new unit would be ideal to carryover into a new-generation sports wagon.

Sadly for automotive purists, the chances of a six-speed manual are pretty slim. For those who consider CVT’s as the spawn of Satan, Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT is one of the better ones; with 7-programmed manual-mode shift points, doing a fairly good job of mimicking a traditional slushbox.

Global underpinnings and a firm grip

As with the all-new Impreza, a new sports-tourer would be based on Subaru’s Global Platform architecture. This will yield big levels in safety, ride comfort and handling attributes. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, active torque vectoring and sports suspension will make for one fun-to-drive family hauler. Body roll will be even less than the 50 percent reduction figure touted for the upcoming Impreza.

Is there any hope on the horizon for North America?

Fuji Heavy Industries are saying no to the current version; however that doesn’t mean its 2nd generation redesign isn’t on the future product planning schedule. 
Subaru would benefit, as competitors in the American sports wagon market are scarce. VW’s Golf Sportwagen, whilst similar in size, doesn’t really compete. Nor does anything from GM, Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Honda and Hyundai – they just don’t offer wagons in the USA.

With that in mind, should Subaru make another GT wagon and what about the oddball Levorg name? Share your thoughts below.

By Josh Byrnes

Photo Renderings Copyright Carscoops / Josh Byrnes

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