Although the large sedan segment isn’t the best selling area of the Australian car market, it’s still hotly contested. The line between medium and large has become blurred in recent years, and it can be hard to separate fact from marketing hype. The Subaru Liberty and Holden Commodore are perfect examples of this phenomenon. The Commodore dominates the large car segment, but in reality, it’s only 10cm longer than the Subaru Liberty. In this article, we will compare these two vehicles on a like for like basis, despite them being in two separate classes on paper.
The Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium
When parked next to the Commodore, it’s hard to even notice that this is a very slightly shorter car. Despite this, the Liberty is consigned to the medium car segment where it sits as the 4th top seller in Australia. The 2.5i Premium actually sits right in the middle of the Liberty lineup, it’s equipped with a smaller four cylinder engine, but it has most of the equipment from the flagship Liberty 3.6R. The Liberty Premium has all the equipment found on the Commodore and then goes even further with specifications, such as: LED headlights with active cornering, leather trimmed heated seats, an 8” touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, paddle shifters, satellite navigation, brake assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and active lane keeping assist. The Liberty Premium also has premium paint at no extra cost, this an upgrade on the Commodore that costs an extra $550.
The Holden Commodore RS Liftback
This is a slightly larger and more expensive offering compared to the Liberty. Much like the Subaru, this variant is fitted with a four cylinder engine, with a larger six cylinder powerplant available on the next model up. All the equipment is solid, with features such as a 7” touchscreen, cruise control, leather look trim, rain sensing wipers, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support and 18” alloy wheels. This model lacks the luxurious equipment levels available on the RS V, but it’s certainly a significant step up from the basic LT model.
The Final Verdict
As you can see, the slight difference in size hardly disqualifies the Liberty Premium from competing in the “large car” segment. In fact, despite the slightly larger wheelbase, the Holden Commodore feels no more spacious than the Liberty. The Liberty Premium is cheaper than the Commodore, it has a comparable engine, and it has better equipment fitted as standard.
If they are searching for a Subaru Liberty for sale, Perth based drivers should contact us here at Perth City Subaru. We have an extensive line of new, demo and pre-owned cars available for sale including the latest Subaru Liberty models. We invite you to join us for a test drive at your earliest convenience, and you can try out the Liberty for yourself. If you require finance for your new purchase, you will discover that our rates are extremely competitive with your repayments tailored to suit your specific needs. Our team members are standing by to advise you on our latest hot deals, and they will be delighted to answer any further questions you may have.