2017 Subaru Legacy Review

The 2017 Subaru Legacy deserves more attention that it typically gets from most car shoppers. It's overshadowed in the midsize sedan segment by ultra-popular and hard-to-argue-with rivals like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion. The Legacy sedan also faces competition inside Subaru's dealerships by the company's selection of crossovers that include the mechanically related Outback. Nevertheless, the Legacy deserves a look -- especially for those living where weather is a factor.

The Legacy owes its excellent all-weather capability to its standard all-wheel-drive system, a trait that differentiates it clearly from its competitors. The Ford Fusion and Chrysler 200 both offer all-wheel drive as well, but it's optional and then only with the pricier, more powerful and less efficient engines. With the Legacy, it's included with both available engines and on every trim, plus its fuel economy compares favorably to the segment best (acceleration is quite a different matter, however).

Beyond its all-weather distinction, the Legacy stands out with its package of EyeSight accident avoidance tech available on all but the base trim. Although not as sophisticated as those found in many luxury cars, Subaru's systems will help save your bacon (and insurance rates) and we recommend checking that option box.

Otherwise, the Legacy is a rather average, run-of-the-mill family sedan -- and we mean that in the best way possible. Though not sensational in any particular way, it has few shortcomings. It's not as pleasing to drive or look at as a Chevy Malibu or Mazda 6, nor does it offer the perceived quality and refinement of the Honda Accord or Ford Fusion. You may also have to explain to your Camry-driving friends why you went with the Subaru. Well, if you live where the sun rarely shines in the winter, you should at least have one easy answer.

The 2017 Subaru Legacy comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, a rearview camera, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and seat cushion airbags that deploy from the seat bottom to help keep occupants in place in a frontal collision.

On the Premium and Limited trim levels, the Legacy comes with Starlink Connected Services, which includes emergency assistance and automatic collision notification. This can be enhanced with the optional Safety Plus and Security Plus upgrade, which adds remote vehicle access, remote vehicle locating and stolen vehicle recovery.

The EyeSight Driver Assist Technology package, optional on all but the base 2.5i, includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, reverse automatic braking, and lane departure warning with automatic intervention.

In government crash testing, the Legacy earned a top five-star rating for overall safety performance, with five stars in the frontal- and side-impact categories. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the Legacy received a top score of "Good" in moderate-overlap frontal-offset, small-overlap frontal offset, side-impact and roof-strength testing. The Legacy's seat/head restraint design was also rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

In Edmunds brake testing, a Legacy 2.5i Premium stopped from 60 mph in a short 114 feet, a better-than-average performance for this segment.

The 2017 Subaru Legacy is only available as a sedan. There are a total of five trim levels when you split up the standard Legacy and the more powerful Legacy STI. The standard Legacy can be had in base, Premium and Limited trims; the Legacy STI comes only in base and Limited trim levels.

Regardless of engine/transmission choice, the Legacy is a blast to drive. It steers nimbly and sharply, and you can utilize the all-wheel-drive system to put the power down a lot more quickly coming out of a turn than you can in a front-drive rival like the Focus ST. The Legacy does exactly what Subaru meant it to be: it's a thrill machine that grips and rips with enthusiasm.

The standard Legacy's turbocharged 2.0-liter engine bogs down a bit if you try to pull away quickly at low rpm, but it's strong throughout the rest of its operating range. There's a big surge of turbocharged power in the midrange that becomes quite addicting. The manual transmission's clutch is tricky to modulate smoothly, but given the overall enjoyment to be had from shifting your own gears, it's a small price to pay, in our opinion. If you don't want to row your own, the CVT is a good consolation prize, with steering-wheel-mounted shifter paddles and driver-selectable operating modes to present plenty of opportunity to make the most of the engine's output.

The more powerful, larger engine in the Legacy STI raises the bar a few more pegs. Combine it with limited-slip differentials, hefty Brembo brakes and a beefed-up six-speed manual and you've got a truly serious performance sedan. It's a blast to drive and makes the most of its all-wheel-drive traction. The STI has a very stiff ride quality, however, which is jarring even for this class of car.

With the Legacy, the emphasis is clearly on the performance, not the interior. As a driver's car, the driving position is spot on, as are the firm, nicely bolstered sport seats. Thin roof pillars provide for excellent outward visibility, and large side mirrors make it easy to monitor conditions to the sides and rear.

Interior design and layout are basic, with simple and easy-to-use controls, but not much in the way of frills. Audio quality and infotainment usability were previously sore spots for Subaru, but with this generation of Legacy, things have improved quite a bit. Especially improved are the base audio system and the standard 6.2-inch screen.

The Legacy has 12 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk. This is below average for a small sedan. Also, most of the Legacy's rivals are offered as more versatile hatchbacks (the GTI can hold up to 22.8 cubic feet of cargo behind its rear seats, for instance).