Lithe Legacy
Those who prefer more of a gymnast's (or martial artist's) personality in their family truckster will want to pay close attention here. The Legacy GT is for those enthusiasts who get more delight out of zipping through corners than blasting away from stoplights. A nicely trimmed cabin and an eager turbo engine don't hurt either.

Listing at $31,570, this is the top-of-the-line Legacy wagon. One could forgo the leather seats, moonroof and other gingerbread of the Limited edition and trim the sticker by $2,700, but we wanted both cars to be as comparably equipped as possible (the Magnum RT comes with leather, for instance) so we went whole hog.

"Running" the Numbers
In a straight-line contest, the Legacy isn't too far behind the Magnum. Less than three-tenths separated the two in the 0-to-60 dash (the Subie posted a 7.08-second time) and it was the same in the quarter, where the Legacy ran a 15.29-second effort. But like we said before, the delivery of the performance is more different than the close times might imply.

Where the Dodge exhibits linear pull right off the mark, the Subie isn't as quick right out of the blocks, feeling a touch soft at step-off. But once the tach needle swings past 2,600, the Legacy hits its stride and pulls hard to the 6,500-rpm redline. Fuel "economy" was disappointing — we averaged just 17.2 mpg against EPA estimates of 19 and 25. But then again, we were as guilty as the day is long of having our feet deep in the boost whenever conditions allowed.

Dynamite Dynamics
We've issued complaints in the past about Subaru automatics being a little lazy as far as answering the call for a downshift, and if you just plunk the gearshift in "D," you'll see what we mean. Upshifts occur too soon and those downshifts take a hearty stab to the throttle. But Subaru offers a way around that.

With a "sport" mode offered in addition to the other two (normal and manual shift), the tranny morphs into something more to our liking. Select "sport" and the reward is quicker response to downshifts and the smarts to hold gears longer, such as when running through a set of curves on a mountain road.

If you want to maximize fuel efficiency, leave it in "Drive," but if you're in the mood to really enjoy the feisty STi-derived 2.5-liter turbo four, pick "S" or just shift for yourself. Swapping cogs on your own is a similar experience to the Magnum, meaning it's quicker on the downshifts than upshifts — really not much fun. A real manual transmission is available on the Legacy GT, unlike the Magnum which is slushbox only.

With its best 60-to-0 braking distance a leisurely 137.8 feet, this Legacy's binders were mildly disappointing. On the upside was a lack of fade and the brake system's ability to provide a strong initial bite without being grabby.

Feeling more Germanic than Asian, the Legacy is more fun than a wagon should be on a serpentine stretch of road. With its perfectly weighted steering, invisible all-wheel-drive system and well-sorted suspension, the Legacy feels utterly composed through the curves at speeds that would have the Dodge falling all over itself in an effort to keep up. Not that we would know this firsthand or anything. The Subaru's firmer ride will also appeal to those who prefer more interaction than isolation between themselves and the road below.

First-Class Cabin
A major bennie the Subie has over the Dodge is cabin ambience. Softer-touch materials and more variety in colors and textures give the Legacy more of a luxury car vibe than the more monotone and severe Dodge. Fake wood accents on the doors and console do a passable impersonation of teak, and the fit and finish on our tester was excellent all around. With more supportive contouring than the Magnum's bucket seats and bench, the Legacy was judged a little more comfortable. Well, except by those taller than 5 feet 9, who preferred the stretch-out space of the Magnum.

The Legacy also fell behind the Magnum in terms of interior storage space. The rear trunk area is noticeably smaller in the Subaru, and while the rear seat folds down it doesn't fold as flat as the Dodge's. With the seat down the Legacy can swallow 66 cubic feet of gear, which sounds impressive until you compare it to the 73 cubes the Magnum is capable of hauling. Factor in the Subie's low torque numbers and it becomes clear that wagon shoppers looking to haul lots of cargo would be better off with the Dodge.

No Wrong Choices Here
Although the Legacy got edged out by the Dodge in our informal comparison, we certainly appreciate its strengths. If you've got a small family and place more value on handling dynamics and cabin refinement than on maximum space and a burly V8, you won't go wrong here. We wouldn't kick it out of our driveways.