Used 2006 Subaru Legacy Wagon Consumer Reviews
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A "poorman's Porsche" 4 wheel wagon?
Multisport transport, 11/29/2010
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
4 years and 75,400 miles and it's still a blast to drive. Very reliable except wheel bearing issues on both the front and rear passenger side wheels. Extended warranty actually paid off. (Had a costly transmission fiasco with prior Volvo all wheel Cross Country) Broke even this time. Combines practicality and style, costs less than an Honda Accord, handles better than VW Passat and offers the all wheel drive of an Audi A4 wagon which costs $15,000 more. I bought a Harley Davidson Nightrod with the savings. The long wagon roof line and additional interior space provides versatility for carrying gear for family vacations and outdoor adventures. Decent MPG range of 23 town & 30 on highway.
I don't miss my truck
Reece, 06/06/2009
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought the car as a lease return with 16k miles, here I am 6 months later and the car is just shy of 30k miles. This car is amazing on snow and ice, drove it from Seattle to Denver and on to Texas in the middle of the winter, handled the Rockies like a champ. I went 470 miles on a single tank of gas, and a total of 2200 miles in 3 days. The seats are supportive and the car is amazing to handle, I can always tell what it's going to do next. I'm sad to say my car got a little personal with a silverado at 35 mph, and he won, but the passenger cabin remained intact and I walked away with a bruised ego. An amazingly safe vehicle.
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The Dragon Wagon
Chad, 07/13/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/Black Int. (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I love this ride! You are pretty much getting a higher end sports car for under $30k. Takes corners very well, even with a case full of stuff on the racks, but still smooth over rougher roads. With the turbo and sport shift you can get around the slow driver on the two lane roads very quickly. Interior is tasteful, nothing gaudy inside. Lower profile and sleeker look than the Outback but still have the AWD. The ability to make some "simple" mods to maximize that boxer engine.
Great car
charlie123, 09/26/2005
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is our 6th Subaru and the best so far. Acceleration isn't breath taking, but adequate, especially considering that I get 31+ for most of my driving which is 10% city and 90% mountain hwy. Good room, comfortable interior and pretty quiet/smooth ride. Lots of goodies for the money, with almost every power "option" is standard. All wheel drive is great especially for winter driving. I don't have to be concerned about being able to get home. We paid less than $18,000, which is a great buy! Very nimble handling on the "twisties", really a fun car to drive!
great car
ted phillips, 09/19/2005
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD w/Ivory Int. (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is a very high performance wagon with outstanding road holding characteristics. The turbocharged engine provides excellent power and is well matched with the 5-speed automatic transmission. The sport shift and manual features of the transmission are very useful on winding roads or grades because you can hold the gear you want without the automatic shifting mid-corner or when you lift your foot. The suspension has considerable travel and soaks up road irregularities quite well although I would prefer a little more roll resistance. The car is very quite with minimal wind noise and very little road noise despite the 17 inch wheels.
Great car for family and Michigan
mrnoorde, 09/16/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
My wife had a Subaru WRX but when we had a child, she needed something bigger. The WRX was fun to drive, safe, and reliable so naturally looked at another Subaru. We knew we wanted a wagon with a manual gearbox. We also wanted better fuel economy, lower insurance rates, and something that does not take premium fuel. The Legacy 2.5i wagon manual proved perfect. My wife misses the WRX but once the Legacy had about 2000 miles on it, the engine loosened up nicely and works well with the manual gearbox. Yes, a little more power would be nice but 25 mpg around town and 30+ mpg on the highway is fantastic.
Getting there
weekend_mechanic, 11/01/2005
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
We're a couple with one toddler. We replaced our '97 Volvo 850 Wagon 131K with the Subaru wagon. Our criteria are: (long term over 100K miles) reliability, safety, affordability, fuel efficiency, economics, and aesthetics. We examined the Passat, Mazda 6, Volvo V50, Toyota Matrix, and Subaru Forester. The Passat failed on reliability not to mention costly maintenance in the long term. Mazda 6 did not satisfy our needs for driving in New England snow and ice. Volvo V50 would send our hard earn money to the bank, and failed on crash safety. The Matrix felt like toy car for young adults. My wife did not like the Forester 'cause it's an SUV, but I like it. So our final choice was the Legacy.
Almost Perfect
NMN, 01/29/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The only car I have ever purchased, including 3 Hondas, where everything was perfect straight from the factory. Car is tight as a drum. It proves an American factory can produce a great vehicle. It also proves that Japanese engineering is superior to ours. Could use a bit more low end grunt, but has real speed over 60. Getting 22 to 26 MPG. Friends with Subarus say they really loosen up and improve power and MPG after 5K miles. All-wheel-drive works like a charm. Brakes/handling are average. Power steering is a bit too light. The car moves around in a strong wind on the highway. Ergonomics and small switch design/placement need improvement. Quiet as a Lexus. Great overall package.
Feeling good
Subahonda, 02/15/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The interior is nicely detailed and very modern - the interior and exterior look like Subaru has tired cloning an Audi A4 wagon with some success. Best gas mileage so far is only 28 mpg on the highway - should improve with more miles on it. The non-turbo engine is much better than the older ones (my '95 Legacy is slower and less sporty) - certainly more than adequate for normal driving. The auto heat system is baffling and some things are missing that are in the competition (VSC, 5 or 6 speed auto, telescoping steering, auto up windows, integrated key fob). But the AWD trumps everything else - remarkable handling and control under any condition. Impressive crash test results from IIHS!
2006 Legacy SE Wagon
DesertEagle, 02/07/2007
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My wife has to drive a lot for work, so we were looking for a reliable vehicle with some space for the family trips. In 12000 miles, this car has been great. Good luggage capacity, decent gas mileage (26mpg average), good handling, firm but comfortable ride, and AWD. So far not a single problem with it. Love the interior (except for the seats) and the overall build quality of the car. For a wagon, the styling is also very nice. The engine has OK performance, but the 4 speed auto transmission is the weak point. It takes FOREVER to kick down once you floor it. Luckily there is the manumatic feature. Overall, we love the car and would definitely buy it again.
2006 2.5i Limited Edition Legacy Wagon
Chris Moth, 07/06/2008
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great family wagon. Very efficient for all wheel drive (30MPGhighway - and even slightly higher at times). Prior to this car we owned a '98 Outback, and an '89 Justy before that. Please bring back the weather radio. We miss that from the Outback! The cockpit is very sporty - but my and my wife's leg runs into the handbrake. It needs to be moved out of the way.
Great choice for the snow belt
Will, 09/16/2008
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
If you live in the snow belt (I'm in Alaska) it's hard to argue with this choice. Subaru's non-turbo models offer the best fuel economy currently available with AWD - I get 21 to 23 in the city (depending on time of year) and can get 30 on the highway (real numbers calculated at the pump). It would be nice if there were an AWD deactivation feature, but that might lessen safety and reliability. The cloth seats are great (leather is terrible in cold weather & bad for the environment/inhumane). You won't win drag races in this, but it's the only thing available that offers its blend of reliability, safety, AWD, a manual transmission, and good fuel economy in the same package.
Everything I expected and more.
Pete, 08/07/2010
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is my third Subaru because, they're reliable, safe, versatile and somewhat fun to drive. In the winter, I just love strolling past numerous cars & SUVs that can't handle slippery roads. The Limited edition is fun on exit ramps at 55 mph. Those tires stick like glue. Accelerate instead of braking and see how fast you can go. The car will go faster in the corners than you're willing to go. Oh yeah, I love the side curtain air bags being there, just in case. 30 mpg Hwy in summer time, about 27 mpg hwy in winter. The wagon is bigger than friends mini SUVs, fits a lot of stuff. 116K so far, no big problems. Do your own brake jobs, their easy to do and cheap, $55 for all 4 wheels.
Four-Channel ABS
era174, 10/30/2005
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is my first all wheel drive car. i thought AWD is better in bad weather (snow, black ice, wet roads). Some experts at Edmunds Subaru forums pointed out SNOW TIRES are a key factor, not AWD. Of course, AWD with SNOW TIRES are better, but AWD alone doesn't help that much in bad weather. My salesperson showed me the four-channel ABS under the hood. It's much better than normal three or two-channel ABS found on almost every front wheel drive vehicles.
Lovin it so far
Dave, 06/16/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Looks and feels like a European sport wagon, but with Japanese reliability. I cross shopped the Mazda 6 and used BMW 3-series wagons. This was the best value in the bunch. The BMW was a little smoother and a little tighter on the road, but not by much. And it cost $10k more new. This car was the value point. I considered a GT, but did the math and it has a life cycle cost of about $10,000 more over the life of the vehicle. I don't need the extra power that much. Others might, it's a personal thing I guess. After about two weeks and one road trip I got nuthin but smiles. Handles great, feels good.
First impressions 06 2.5i Wagon
dave, 06/13/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had it for a week or so now and taken one road trip. I cross-shopped against a Mazda 06 and a used BMW 3 series (I could get an 02 for around the same price). Compared to the BMW it wasn't quite as nice and the engine wasn't quite as smooth, but it was surprisingly close. Throw in the difference in cost and the Subaru was the value point. I also considered the GT. With the lower mileage, the higher purchase price and the need for premium fuel and the softer tires, the GT cost an additional $10k over the life of the vehicle. May be worth it for some, but not me. I've found the handling great. Acceleration was adequate, but not fantastic. I love the interior. A fun to drive car.
Subaru Legacy Special Edition 2006
guyatherton, 08/24/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Special Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Since buying a new 2006 Legacy wagon in January it has proven to be reliable, fun to drive, practical and has an understated elegance. It is a comfortable car for long journeys. Increased rear leg room would be useful but it is adequate for adults in the back. The load space is very useful and the rear seats easily fold down to open up a large load area. The rear trunk cover is also well engineered and easy to remove (unlike that in the Volvo V50). The dashboard is well designed and attractive however the silver painted plastic around the gear selector scratches easily. The four speed auto-box works well, although having a 5 speed unit would be appreciated.
Just a review
smith, 09/05/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
With the chunky Toyo Garit HT winter snows this car handled very well in most of what a harsh Canadian winter could throw at it. A pleasure to drive in the summer as well with the huge moon roof open. Tight handling - great.
We're Very Happy
Canuck, 10/02/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We bought a Legacy partly because everyone has an Outback, partly because it cost less than an Outback, and partly because it's cleaner looking than an Outback. People say it looks like an Audi. We haven't been a bit disappointed. Because it is 2.5" lower than an Outback our Legacy corners great on curvy roads and provides as much as 30 mpg on the highway.
Subaru Legacy wagon
Roland, 07/10/2016
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
Good all around daily
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2006 finally Makes the Grade All Around
b1, 02/02/2006
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This replaced our 1995 Legacy 4WD LS wagon, which still looks good but recently had to have its transmission rebuilt, and axles and driveshaft replaced. The new i LTD wagon is gorgeous and a great value. The engine is the new 175 hp model - a big improvement over the old one, and over the 168 hp 2005, which had seemed slower than the 1995 model. You can feel the power and supercharger is not missed. It handles exceptionally well and has outstanding visibility. The Gold Award from the IIHS sealed the deal - the 2005 had done poorly in the crash test. The ride is a great improvement - taut and responsive. The automatic shifter is weird and awkward but versatile. No manual option on the LTD.
Comfortable, Economical and Reliable
Dan, 11/14/2005
2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my third Subaru Legacy Wagon. I opted for all the features except the turbo and couldn't be happier with my choice. 87 Octane gas yielded 30mpg hwy over 380 miles on my last road trip. Acceleration is more than adequate and the manual shift feature allows for passing when needed. The seats provide a comfortable driving position for extended periods. The cabin is spacious -- made more so by light from the giant sunroof -- and also very quiet at highway speeds. the steering is well weighted -- the car feels nimble and lighter than it is. Overall this car provides comfortable and economical transportation with a host of features and quality thats unmatched for the money.