NO, IT’S NOT a political development. Subaru Australia has announced that the mid-sized Liberty sedan will be phased out locally as a direct consequence of falling sales in the medium-sized passenger vehicle market.

The company will rely on the all-new Outback crossover wagon, unveiled at the New York Motor Show last week and expected to arrive in Australia in late 2020 or early 2021, to pick up the baton.

Sales for the Liberty in Australia slumped to just 298 so far this year, while the Outback has powered along with a much healthier 2174 units.