• Subaru has unveiled a mildly updated Levorg in Japan.
  • The highlight is the addition of a hybrid Levorg Layback S:HEV.
  • The Levorg and Layback benefit from new driving modes.

The next-generation Levorg has been the subject of speculation for a while now, but this isn’t it. While that wait continues, Subaru has handed the current sporty wagon a round of updates in Japan, and the Levorg Layback crossover picks up a new S:HEV variant with a hybrid powertrain, a reworked face, and a marginally lower stance.

The front end is where the electrified wagon makes its case. There’s no signature hood vent here. In its place, the S:HEV swaps the WRX hardware for Impreza-sourced headlights, hood, and front fenders, married to the Layback’s large grille and a mildly reworked bumper.

More: Subaru’s Cheapest New Forester Is A $24K Touring, But Not Where You Live

Everything aft of the front is carried over from the standard Levorg, plastic cladding from the Layback included. The interesting detail is the ride height. The hybrid sits 20 mm (0.8 inches) lower than the Layback thanks to a different suspension setup, leaving 180 mm (7 inches) of ground clearance.

Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon

Subaru Levorg Layback S:HEV

As with the regular Levorg Layback that debuted in 2023, the S:HEV is available with optional accessories, including the Premium Urban, Active Style, and STI Aero packages. Subaru is also offering an LED kit for the grille.

More: Subaru Keeps Trademarking ACX STI, And The Coupe Rumors Keep Getting Louder

The interior appears to be the same as that of the ICE-powered wagons. The Premium S:HEV EX trim gets tan and black Nappa leather upholstery with copper stitching, while the Premium Black S:HEV features all-black leather interior with a black headliner. Both come standard with the familiar 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon

Under the hood, the new addition to the lineup trades the discontinued turbocharged 2.4-liter engine for a more efficient S:HEV (which stands for “strong hybrid”) powertrain pairing a 2.5-liter mill with dual electric motors and the Symmetrical AWD system.

Subaru has yet to announce specifications, but the hybrid promises “sharp and exhilarating acceleration”. Furthermore, it has a fuel consumption rating of 19 km/lt (44.7 MPG) in a mixed WLTC cycle. For comparison, the non-electrified Levorg Layback with the turbo 1.8-liter engine consumes 14.1 km/lt (33.2 MPG).

Model Year Updates For The Levorg And The Layback

As for the regular ICE-powered Levorg and Levorg Layback, the WRX-based wagons gain upgraded SI-Drive modes, said to enhance their “sporty driving dynamics”. More specifically, the new S mode “achieves a more linear acceleration feel” when coming out of corners, while the I mode offers smooth driving.

Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon
Subaru’s New Levorg Layback Hybrid Looks Like An Impreza Wagon

Subaru Levorg Layback

The exterior design is carried over from the outgoing models, with the second-generation Levorg being around unchanged since 2020. Inside, we find black stitching on the steering wheel and shift knob, with certain trims (Layback Limited EX and Levorg STI Sport EX) featuring a black floor console lid.

More: Subaru’s BRZ Finally Has A Turbo And AWD, Just Not In A Version You Can Buy

Furthermore, the Layback comes standard with a smart rearview mirror, offering a clear view even when the boot is loaded. Finally, both models benefit from a new “hazard light flashing function” making it easier to find them in crowded parking lots.

Pricing And Availability

The slightly updated Levorg is priced from ¥3,630,000 ($22,700) for the base model and climbs to ¥4,686,000 ($29,300) for the flagship R-Black Limited edition. The Levorg Layback starts at ¥4,059,000 ($25,400) for the generously equipped Limited EX and tops out at ¥4,246,000 ($26,600) for the Black Selection.

As for the new Levorg Layback S:HEV, its market launch in Japan is scheduled for July. It remains to be seen whether Subaru will offer the electrified wagon elsewhere.