2011 Subaru Legacy Review
Price Range: $4,640 - $7,195





+164
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Standard all-wheel drive, excellent outward visibility, diverse engine and transmission choices, spacious cabin.
Cons
- Weak base stereo, fussy navigation system, unimpressive six-cylinder fuel economy, no automatic available with 2.5GT, polarizing styling.
What’s new
After last year's full redesign, the 2011 Subaru Legacy sees only minor changes. The 2.5GT is now only available in Limited trim, which gains a standard sunroof, satellite radio and some upgraded trim. The Harman Kardon upgraded sound system now includes satellite radio.
Edmunds says
The 2011 Subaru Legacy offers standard all-wheel drive and above-average performance in a fairly large package. It's an offbeat choice, but a solid one nonetheless.
For sale near Moss Point, MS
143 listings
- 183,923 miles
- 1 accident, 1 owner, personal use only
- 23 City / 31 Hwy MPG
- Anderson Subaru (76 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Leather Seats
- Power Driver Seat
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Pensacola, FL
You can find this 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Ltd Pwr Moon and many others like it at Anderson Subaru. The Subaru Legacy 2.5i Ltd Pwr Moon speaks volumes ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: Yes
Features and Specs:
26 Combined MPG (23 City/31 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 4S3BMCK62B3249790
Stock: 249790
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-09-2025- $4,640good price$667 below market
- 191,682 miles
- No accidents, 4 owners, personal use only
- 23 City / 31 Hwy MPG
- Auto Depot of Navarre (91 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Power Driver Seat
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
Close
Located in Gulf Breeze, FL
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
26 Combined MPG (23 City/31 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 4S3BMBC66B3263703
Stock: 11975
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 01-19-2025
Vehicle overview
It's easy to be a copycat. You don't have to think as much and there's less risk of failure. Remaking a known commodity like the "A-Team," for instance, has a better shot of bringing in $500 million than an indie film. The same goes for the midsize family sedan segment, which consists of seemingly countless vehicles that play it safe by riffing on the same formula. One notable exception, however, is the 2011 Subaru Legacy.
For years now, the Legacy has resolutely kept beat with its own drummer, and the current car is little different. While nearly everything else goes with the surefire formula of front-wheel drive and a choice of either inline-4 or V6 power plants, the Legacy keeps on rocking its standard all-wheel-drive and horizontally opposed four- and six-cylinder engines, including one that's turbocharged. Then there's the styling, which has always stood out from the crowd -- for better or worse. Despite setting itself apart in such key areas, however, the Subaru Legacy is still a viable family sedan, with top crash test scores, decent four-cylinder fuel economy and comfortable driving dynamics.
However, some of the Legacy's quirks do have downsides. Standard all-wheel drive has obvious traction benefits in poor weather, but the associated mechanical inefficiencies keep the Legacy from being as competitive in fuel economy and acceleration as it could. The turbocharged 2.5GT isn't available with an automatic transmission, which limits its widespread appeal. Also, increasingly common electronic features like Bluetooth, iPod control and navigation are either haphazardly designed or only available in the top-of-the line Limited model with navigation.
Certainly, being a bit different means the Legacy is unlikely to ever match the mighty 2011 Honda Accord and 2011 Toyota Camry for sales supremacy, but it does mean that it has burrowed out a little niche for itself. Still, there are others to consider. The 2011 Ford Fusion and 2011 Suzuki Kizashi also offer all-wheel-drive, while the Mazda 6 is a good choice for driving enthusiasts. The new 2011 Hyundai Sonata is also a class-leading, well-rounded family sedan. Yet, if you're the sort of person who doesn't automatically follow the crowd, the 2011 Subaru Legacy is a solid, non-conformist choice.
Performance & mpg
The all-wheel-drive 2011 Subaru Legacy offers a variety of engines and transmissions. The base 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (a.k.a. "boxer") four-cylinder engine produces 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission (which includes a hill-holder feature) is standard on the base 2.5i and 2.5i Premium, while a CVT is optional on those models and standard on the 2.5i Limited. With the CVT, a 2.5i we tested went from zero to 60 mph in a mediocre 9.4 seconds. Estimated fuel economy is 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined with the CVT. The manual is notably worse at 19/27/22.
The 3.6R features a 3.6-liter boxer six-cylinder good for 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed traditional automatic transmission is standard. It takes 7.1 seconds to go from zero to 60 mph, which is slightly below average for the class. Fuel economy is an estimated 18/25/20.
The 2.5GT gets a turbocharged version of the base model's boxer-4 and produces 265 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is the only transmission choice. It goes from zero to 60 mph in a rapid 5.7 seconds. Estimated fuel economy is 18/25/21.
Safety
Every 2011 Legacy comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the 2.5i came to a stop from 60 mph in a good distance of 121 feet and the 3.6R was in the same ballpark. The 2.5GT stopped in an excellent 111 feet.
In the government's new, more strenuous crash testing for 2011, the Legacy earned an overall rating of four stars out of a possible five, with four stars for overall frontal crash protection and four stars for overall side crash protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also gave the Legacy its perfect score of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.
Driving
The 2011 Subaru Legacy provides a smooth ride and respectable handling. Drivers expecting the 2.5GT model to be a sleeper sport sedan will be disappointed, though, as its suspension tuning is the same as all other Legacys. The base 2.5-liter engine is adequate, but outright acceleration trails some of the speedier family sedans. The 2.5GT's turbocharged engine is much more of a thrill, though the mandatory manual transmission will limit its appeal. That leaves the new 3.6-liter flat-6 as the main draw for those wanting some punch.
Interior
The Legacy's interior design is sleek and sophisticated, but you better like silver paint, because the center stack is covered with it. Though the interior plastics look upscale, most of them are hard to the touch and lack the more premium feel found in models such as the Ford Fusion.
The seats are comfortable and the Legacy's provide plenty of headroom and rear seat legroom. In terms of technology, iPod control and streaming Bluetooth audio are available, but you have to ante up for the top-of-the-line Limited trim in order to get it. We've also noticed the nav system's functionality is hampered by fussy controls and small touchscreen icons. You should also note that sound quality from the base sound system is poor and we highly recommend the available Harman Kardon upgrade system. Trunk space is an average 14.7 cubic feet.
2011 Subaru Legacy models
The 2011 Subaru Legacy is a five-passenger sedan available in seven trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited, 3.6R, 3.6R Premium, 3.6R Limited and 2.5GT Limited.
The 2.5i comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, air-conditioning, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, full power accessories, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat and a four-speaker stereo with CD player, auxiliary audio jack and steering-wheel controls. The 2.5i Premium trims adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an eight-way power driver seat and an auto up/down driver window. The 2.5i Limited adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), an All Weather package (optional on 2.5i Premium and includes a windshield wiper de-icer, heated side mirrors and heated front seats), four-way power passenger seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with an in-dash six-CD changer and subwoofer. This stereo is optional on the Premium trims.
The 3.6R models are essentially the same as the 2.5i models, but gain a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, bigger brakes and 17-inch alloys for all models. The Premium also gets the All Weather package. The 2.5GT Limited adds to the 3.6R Limited a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, summer tires, a hood scoop, a sunroof (optional on all other trims but 2.5i), foglights, unique interior trim and satellite radio.
Optional on the Limited trims is a navigation system package, which includes a touchscreen interface, voice controls, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a different Harman Kardon sound system with a single-CD player, USB audio jack and iPod control. Bluetooth is optional on the other trims, but is a port-installed system that plugs into the open dash slot beneath the stereo and relies upon its own small speakers rather than the stereo system.

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Compare 2011 Subaru Legacy trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Mississippi
$150/mo for Legacy 2.5i
Legacy 2.5i
vs
$143/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent
#12 out of 28 among Midsize Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$460/yr
vs. $415/yr
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
Frequency
0.79x/yr
vs. 0.87x/yr
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
Severity
11.5%
vs. 10.2%
for Average Midsize Car
for Average Midsize Car
powered by RepairPal
Subaru Legacy Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Ultimate cold weather machine!
4.38 out of 5 starsbudbrewer, 01/30/2011
2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
After buying Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans since 1980 we decided to give Subaru a try. Sure glad we did.
Fit and finish are excellent.
Gas mileage is good at 28 mpg average.
Heated cloth seats and HK stereo are fantastic.
Parking brake is a joke (someone really is trying to out think themselves).
OEM Bridgestone tires we're terrible in the first snow storm encountered so replaced them with … Michelin MXV4.
Now it's hard to get the tires to slip.
This is an overall great car for Colorado or northern climates and would highly recommend to anyone.
Plus it is assembled in the US.
2nd Subaru and it just isn't the same
3.88 out of 5 starsdssquare85, 03/04/2012
2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
This is technically my 2nd Subaru. My first Subaru was an '05 Saab (Saabaru) 9-2x Aero.
I have owned my '11 2.5i Premium since May '11 and have about 7,000 miles. It took me a while to get used to the difference in size and power compared to my 9-2x.
The power is more than adequate 90% of the time. My mpg is not what the ratings state. I was getting 23.5 when I first got the car but … now I'm down to 21.9 for the life of the vehicle according to the trip computer. I don't have a heavy foot like I did with my 9-2x. I'll attribute the decrease in mileage to the hills of Staten Island, NY.
Car is quiet and has been reliable with the exception of the 2 recalls in 4 months of having the car.
2011 2.5 Limited with moonroof
5 out of 5 starsdlb14frost, 12/28/2010
2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
Have the Subaru for a week now and have racked up over 650 miles. Expressway and back country roads were all handled quite well. Car is sure footed and the cvt is so smooth with good acceleration. So far it seems to be doing quite well in the fuel economy department as well. Haven't had in snow yet (the recent blizzard) missed us.
Incredible value and nice looking
4.5 out of 5 starsgarydl, 05/09/2011
2011 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited 4dr Sedan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
I write this after 2 months of Subaru Legacy 3.6 ownership.
My wife is the prime user of this car and it was her choice (and I did not object).
In our married life we have had 3 Acuras (2 Legends and an RL), a Volvo S80, a Toyato Avalon, A Nissan 300ZX, and an Infiniti G37x coupe.
Thus far, the Subaru Legacy is holding its own in that company.
It is roomy, comfortable and built like a … tank.
It handles very well and has plenty of power.
While the seats could use a little more padding, they are supportive - and rear seat passengers can cross their legs!
While the styling is certainly not mainstream, it is distinctive and makes a statement - and it actually quite lovely.
2011 Legacy Highlights
2.5i
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $19,995 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 22 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $150/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 14.7 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | all wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Legacy include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
4 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall4 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat4 / 5
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover10.1%
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