Subaru Legacy Review

2009 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B Sedan Shown

Introduced almost two decades ago, the Subaru Legacy is the company's longest-running nameplate in the United States. Thanks to its all-wheel drive, the Legacy is often selected as a winter-beating alternative in the midsize sedan or wagon segment. It's also been highly regarded by Edmunds.com editors and has won two Edmunds.com Editors' Most Wanted^SM awards.

There have been four generations of the Subaru Legacy. For the current model, Subaru revamped the vehicle and its image by adding power and moving it more upscale with a slicker profile and premium standard features. The most significant change was the addition of the Impreza WRX STI's turbocharged engine, which slots the powerful Legacy GT Limited into a category that's typically occupied by European cars.

The Subaru Legacy has really come into its own with the current model, claiming the role of Subaru's premium sedan. True, it's not a groundbreaking design, and it even bears some of the quirks that have come to characterize Subaru, such as a chunky hood scoop. But the Legacy does possess a more metropolitan character than in generations past. The interior materials are excellent, and style, fit and finish are competitive with more expensive European marques.

Current Subaru Legacy

The Subaru Legacy comes in only one sedan body style, available in six trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited, 2.5 GT spec.B and 3.0 R Limited. Although the base car is a bit of a stripper, the other trims are well-equipped and can make the Legacy as luxurious and comfortable as some midsize cars wearing luxury badges.

Powering the 2.5i trim levels is a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. The sportier GT Limited trim gets an exciting turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 243 hp. These models come with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The 2.5 GT spec.B adds a firmer suspension, 18-inch wheels and a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.0 R has a 245-hp 3.0-liter flat-6 that comes with a five-speed automatic transmission. As with all Subaru vehicles, AWD is standard across all models.

In road tests, our editors found the Subaru Legacy to be both sporty and comfortable -- a challenging combination for manufacturers to master. The steering is perfectly weighted. The ride is quiet. The 2.5-liter engine provides adequate power, but the Legacy GT Limited (with its turbocharged engine) is truly a fun car to drive hard. The one glaring bit of criticism has been the GT Limited's automatic transmission, which seems to be ill-suited for the vehicle's turbocharged engine.

Past Subaru Legacy Models

The current generation for the Legacy debuted for 2005. Until the 2008 model year, it was also sold in a wagon body style with the same trim levels available on the sedan. The budget-priced 2.5 GT trim level was discontinued for 2006, while the GT spec.B was added. That year also saw the addition of a DVD-based navigation system.

The previous, third-generation Subaru Legacy was more of a rugged all-weather performer than the current model. Sold from 2000-'04, it launched with three primary trim levels: base L, sporty GT and premium GT Limited. A Brighton value trim was also included in the 2000 lineup for the wagon, but was removed the following year.

Although it was a bit lacking in refinement, the previous Legacy was well stocked with standard features, including AWD. All trims came with a smooth and responsive 165-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. In 2003, Subaru moved the L trim upscale and added the L Special Edition trim, which was renamed the 35th Anniversary Edition a year later.

Value-minded buyers looking for an all-weather vehicle might take a look at the second-generation Legacy. Sold from 1995-'99, it was best known for spawning the Outback wagon, a rugged SUV alternative that came with standard AWD. The model's one weak link was its anemic 135-hp 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, which many people felt was a downgrade from the 160-hp turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder that was available in the first generation's Sport Turbo trim (sold from 1991-'94).

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.