The Subaru Legacy seems to be the Rodney Dangerfield of mid-sized Japanese sedans. Despite all its positive attributes, it just doesn’t seem to get the respect it deserves, at least not in this part of the country. In the northeast, Rocky Mountain and northwest climates, where all- wheel-drive is just about a necessity, Subaru enjoys a well-deserved loyal following. Despite our relatively mild winters, the Legacy is an attractive alternative to and competitor with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Mazda 6.
Although the Legacy’s styling isn’t going to win awards, it’s not going to offend anyone either. Modern, if not futuristic, styling is echoed in the interior, which is refreshingly straightforward and subscribes to the ‘form follows function’ school of design. Everything seems well placed for driver and passenger interaction, and it’s not overly complicated.
What really sets the Legacy apart from its competitors is its all-wheel-drive platform. Not only does it provide unparalleled traction in wet and snowy conditions, but I’ve concluded it’s also the best handling platform on the track after driving front, rear and all-wheel-drive vehicles at Road America over the years. Vehicle dynamics control, a rear vision camera, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection and lane change assist all contribute to safety, but the most impressive feature is automatic braking, which detects solid objects in your way and automatically brakes for you if it senses you are going too fast to stop on your own before hitting something. This is truly groundbreaking technology, and as it spreads to other makes and models, should prevent millions of accidents and save lives.
With the 2.5-liter, horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder engine, power is only adequate and is not helped by the continuously variable transmission, despite its 6-speed mimicking paddle shifters. The upside is excellent fuel economy. Handling, however, is above average, with good steering feel and decent brakes. If you need more power, a 256-horsepower, 3.6-liter, 6-cylinder boxer engine also is available, but if you want it, you have to get it with the most expensive trim level. Several upscale options are available for the Legacy, such as heated leather seats for both the front and rear passengers, dual automatic climate control, push button start, adaptive cruise control, navigation, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The ubiquitous screen interface in the center of the dash has welcome knobs for volume and tuning controls and hard buttons surrounding it, making it easy to go directly to the desired function. The rear seat has an astounding amount of leg room for a mid-sized car. The trunk is large, and the rear seat folds 60/40. The Legacy offers a lot of value, room, reliability and safety for the money.
Chris Johnson, sales consultant at Lou Fusz Subaru, brags, “It has more leg, head and trunk room than any of its competing two-wheel-drive cars, and it gets better gas mileage.”
technicals 〉〉
model: Legacy 2.5I Limited
price:
▶ base, $29,660, including delivery
▶ as driven with options, $31,655
▶ gas mileage: 26 city, 36 highway
drivetrain:
▶ front engine; all-wheel drive
▶ 2.5-liter, boxer, 4-cylinder engine, 175 horespower
▶ continuously variable automatic transmission
Robert Paster (robertpaster.com) is also an attorney in private practice, concentrating in estate planning and probate.