2022 Subaru Legacy Review

Name: 2022 Subaru Legacy Review
Brand: Subaru
Price: 18837 USD

Subaru Legacy Limited Sedan Exterior Shown

+450

The Subaru Legacy is a comfortable and thoroughly competent midsize sedan. It's got plenty of room inside a large trunk and standard all-wheel drive. However, the non-turbocharged Legacy variants lack a distinctive personality and fail to get the blood pumping. The infotainment system isn't the quickest and easiest to use either.

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2022 Subaru Legacy Review

byCameron Rogers^{Manager, News
Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at Edmunds include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).}

Pros

Standard all-wheel drive for excellent wet-weather traction
Comfortable ride and seats
Available turbocharged engine provides robust power

Cons

Tepid acceleration from base engine
Touchscreen interface can be distracting to use
Intrusive engine stop-start system

What's new

Minor updates to standard and optional feature availability
Part of the seventh Legacy generation introduced for 2020

Overview

Building off a full redesign just two years ago, the 2022 Subaru Legacy is one of the newest cars in the midsize sedan segment. You'll find it loaded with the latest tech features, including a full suite of advanced driving aids and a tablet-style touchscreen that's among the biggest in the class. The Legacy is also the only vehicle in its class to come standard with all-wheel drive. Few rivals offer AWD in the first place, but every Legacy is equipped to tackle icy roads.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Subaru Legacy 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$143/mo

$181/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The Subaru Legacy seems to tick all the boxes for a top-tier midsize sedan, but it falls a bit flat in execution. Rivals such as the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5 are more upscale and well rounded overall, and they cost roughly the same. Check out our Expert Rating below to get our full take on the 2022 Legacy's performance, comfort and more.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Average

7.4

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the Legacy drive? We tested the Legacy with its base 2.5-liter engine. At our test track it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, which is slightly slower than similarly powered rivals. The Legacy's available turbocharged engine has plenty of power, and it's the one we recommend getting. The Legacy shows an aptitude for handling performance, gripping the road a bit better than other midsize sedans. The steering is nicely weighted, and the Subaru responds naturally to the driver's inputs.

There's noticeable nosedive during braking, so slowing smoothly can be challenging. Smoothness isn't a hallmark of the automatic engine stop-start system either, and the car bucks on restart with the force of a low-speed rear collision.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the Legacy? Comfort takes a central role in the Legacy's appeal. Our test vehicle offered simple but effective front seat adjustments. Cushioning is supportive without feeling stiff, and the bolsters keep you in place in turns. Even the back seats are sculpted for passenger comfort and feel much better than a flat bench. The ride is cushy without feeling floaty, but wind and road noise is more pronounced than in rivals. Engine noise, though, is more subdued than in many other cars equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission.

The dual-zone climate system works well, but there is a bit of a learning curve to decipher some settings. The three-stage seat heaters work well and transition from mildly warm to overcooked.

Interior

8.0/10

How’s the interior? The Legacy's cabin is warm and inviting with plenty of room throughout for tall adults. The rear is surprisingly spacious, with ample toe room under the front seats and an abundance of headroom. Adjustments are basic, but it's easy to find a comfortable driving position. Getting in and out of the Legacy is a cinch, and the large windows afford excellent outward visibility.

The only misstep is the overreliance on the central touchscreen. There are few physical controls, and most functions are hidden in touchscreen menus. The lack of a dedicated button to disable the engine stop-start is particularly egregious considering how intrusive the system is. The infotainment system is also slow to respond to user inputs. On the bright side, most menus are easy to navigate.

Technology

6.5/10

How’s the tech? There's no doubt the Legacy is loaded with tech, but the hits come as often as the misses. The navigation interface is attractive, but searching for points of interest is effectively useless. There are plenty of USB ports (four on all but the base Legacy), and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard. In our testing, the voice control system was largely ineffectual and Apple CarPlay, as well as the entire Starlink infotainment system, suffered from frequent crashes.

We like that the EyeSight suite of driving aids is standard, but some features are unintuitive. Forward collision warning is overly sensitive and will pump the brakes and sound alerts as you come gradually to a stop. Adaptive cruise is too quick to react to changing traffic situations.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? At 15.1 cubic feet, the Legacy's trunk isn't huge by class standards. But the cargo area is deep and tall, making it perfect for storing bulky items. Contributing to its practicality are rear seats that fold down either by pulling a trunk-mounted lever or pushing a button on the seat itself. The only flaw is the middle seat belt, which remains attached to the rear shelf, so it's in the way even with the seat folded flat.

The cabin offers many places to store small items, including a two-tier underarm console, decently sized door pockets, a small bin in front of the shifter, and a shelf in front of the passenger. Car seat anchors are easy to access behind small Velcro flaps.

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The Legacy with the base engine gets an EPA-estimated 30 mpg combined, and we had no trouble getting 30 mpg on our real-world evaluation route. Some front-wheel-drive competitors get slightly better fuel economy, but it evens out if you compare the Legacy to rivals with all-wheel drive.

Value

7.5/10

Is the Legacy a good value? The Subaru Legacy is slightly more expensive than comparably equipped rivals, but the gap can largely be explained by its all-wheel-drive powertrain. The interior design is clean, and the materials mix is definitely above average. Bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage and roadside assistance are average for the class, though some other midsize sedans offer more generous coverage and free scheduled maintenance.

Wildcard

7.0/10

Most midsize sedans have finally adopted more expressive designs over the last few years, but the Legacy still looks relatively anonymous inside and out. The Legacy handles a bit better than rivals, somewhat bolstered by its all-wheel-drive powertrain. Still, the uninspiring engine never really makes you look forward to driving it. Those looking for a more exciting experience should consider the turbocharged XT or, better yet, a Kia Stinger.

Which Legacy does Edmunds recommend?

The Legacy Premium is our go-to selection if you want a lot of features but have an eye on the bottom line. For a modest increase over the base model, you get niceties such as an improved audio system, heated seats and USB ports in the back. This trim also offers a pair of reasonably priced option packages should you desire even more features. If your budget is a little more flexible, either trim with the turbocharged engine is a major upgrade.

2022 Subaru Legacy models

The 2022 Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan sold in six trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Limited XT and Touring XT. Non-XT trims are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine good for 182 horsepower. Those trims with the XT moniker get a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 260 horsepower. Every Legacy uses a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and comes standard with all-wheel drive. Standard and optional equipment highlights include:

Base
Starts you out with:

17-inch alloy wheels
Adaptive LED headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
Automatic climate control
Height-adjustable driver's seat
60/40-split folding rear seat
Dual 7-inch central displays
Four-speaker audio system
Subaru's Starlink infotainment system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Two USB ports
Satellite radio

Every Legacy also includes a suite of driving aids, which Subaru calls EyeSight. It consists of:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Automatic high-beam control

Premium
Gets you more desirable features, such as:

Heated side mirrors
Windshield wiper de-icer
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Heated front seats
Rear air vents
11.6-inch touchscreen display
Six-speaker audio system
Two rear USB ports

There are two unnamed option packages for the Premium. The first consists of:

LED foglights
Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)

The second package bundles those items with:

Sunroof
Navigation system
Reverse automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)

Sport
Includes the optional features above (minus the navigation system) and also adds:

18-inch black-painted wheels
Gloss black and silver exterior trim
Unique grille
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Red accent interior stitching

Limited
Builds off the Premium with:

18-inch wheels
LED foglights
Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Driver's seat memory settings
Power-adjustable passenger seat
Heated rear seats
Leather upholstery
12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert
Reverse automatic braking

The Limited's optional feature package includes:

Sunroof
Heated steering wheel
Navigation system
Driver monitoring system (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

Limited XT
The Limited XT comes standard with the upgraded turbocharged engine and the Limited's optional equipment package.

Touring XT
Includes every feature available on the Legacy. Beyond the Limited XT, you get:

Power-folding mirrors
Gloss black and chrome exterior trim
Simulated leather trim interior accents
Front-view camera (aids in parking)
Ventilated front seats
Upgraded leather upholstery

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#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

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Subaru Legacy from 2008-2022.}

$460/yr

vs. $415/yr
for Average Midsize Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.79x/yr

vs. 0.87x/yr
for Average Midsize Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

11.5%

vs. 10.2%
for Average Midsize Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2022 Subaru Legacy.

5 (65%)

4 (15%)

3 (6%)

2 (4%)

1 (10%)

4.2

52 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 52 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Reduced to 3 stars - this car is just too annoying

oldsnwbrdr, 04/14/2020

2020 Subaru Legacy Touring XT 4dr Sedan AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo CVT)

14,000 mile update. I still like the way the car drives. The interior is beautiful and the car is well put-together. It is reasonably quiet and a solid highway cruiser. AWD is great, MPG is excellent considering AWD and 260hp. I appreciate the updates to the infotainment system that fixed some bugs, brought the start/stop button to the first screen, and allowed portrait utilization … of Apple CarPlay. BUT, the car's secondary purpose (besides providing transportation) is to annoy me. - I HATE the cruise control switches. Why did Subaru find it necessary to change speed by 5mph increments each time you tap the button? No one asked for this! - Start/Stop is so annoying it must be switched off every time. When I want the car to turn off and stay off at a long light it doesn't. When I stop for one second it turns off. It's just not worth it. - Why does the car continue to recognize me (facial recognition) when I get into the car, but when I get out ask me if I want to create a new profile? - Still too many bugs, system is laggy. Like any other electronic product nowadays, you must learn how to reboot the system when it behaves strangely. - Active lane centering works best when hands are off wheel. When hands are on, it tends to tug to the right. ORIGINAL REVIEW LIKES: - Interior styling, especially the Touring XT and its brown nappa leather. The quality is better than the Lincoln MKZ I traded in, as well as some of the new luxury cars I test drove like the Cadillac CT5 and Genesis G70. It's stunning, really. - Eyesight features, especially adaptive cruise and lane centering. I give the system a B. You can set the aggressiveness to which the cruise control returns you to your programmed speed, which is a great feature. - Good stereo, the Limited and Touring versions have an upgraded Harmon Kardon system. Much better than my Lincoln's base stereo. - Turbo engine has very strong power. You want this engine for drivability and passing power. - Decent range and mileage. MPG will fall as your speed exceeds 70mph. Below that you'll easily get 30MPG; at 77mph I'm getting 27MPG and 450 miles on a tank. - Remote start (using the My Subaru app) lets me set the climate and seat heater settings when I start the car. - Great value proposition! - I think the CVT is fine. It does not call attention to itself at all. Unlike most car reviewers, I drive like a normal person, not a maniac, and I think the transmission and engine work together very smoothly. - Build quality. The doors have a very heavy, solid feeling, like a German car. The trunk lid does feel somewhat cheap though. DISLIKES: - The seats look comfortable. For me, the lumbar support is very lacking, even when fully extended. Long trips give me a sore lower back. I appreciate the extendable thigh support, but wish that the front of the seat tipped up a little more so I could feel the thigh support more strongly. - By default, the car lights up and makes noises like a video game. It's pointless and distracting. I have completely turned off all the indicator lights on the heads up display, which alert you to the fact that the system has locked on to a car in front of you [the system also beeps], or that the system has disengaged for some reason. There are other indicators on the dash that tell you the same thing, so the heads up indicators and beeps are redundant (and are switched off on my car). - Start/Stop. This is the first car I've had which had it, and I'm really trying to get used to it. Unfortunately, it is unrefined and results in an overly noticeable shudder when activating. Sometimes when I WANT the car to shut off because I know I'll be at a light awhile, it doesn't. And when I want it to shut off a long time, it restarts again after only about 20 seconds. I don't like pulling into my garage; the car shuts off when I stop, and when I shift to park, the car restarts again, only to have me shut it off immediately after. - Auto vehicle hold is nice, but like start/stop this must be activated every time you restart the car. I'd like to see the auto vehicle hold AND start/stop switches customizable so that they can be placed on the main screen. - Cruise control speed settings are silly. A tap up or down will increase or decrease your speed to the next 5mph increment. So if I'm driving 77 and want to slow down to 70, I tap down once to bring it to 75, and again to bring it down to 70. You must HOLD the switch down to increase or decrease in one mph increments. - I've changed so many settings I wish I knew that they were being backed up somewhere. If I have to restore to factory defaults, it will take me forever to figure out what I've already changed. This car and its center stack are for people comfortable with tinkering with their computers, ipads, etc. If you aren't willing to dive into the menus, you will have to learn to live with the cars little frustrations. - No automatic wipers, a surprising feature omission.

GREAT RIDE

Joe, from Pittsburgh , 02/04/2020

2020 Subaru Legacy Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

Researched and test drove accord and legacy for 3 months. Got the legacy, couldn't be happier. It has a great ride, plenty of power, unlike some of the reviews that tell you otherwise. Seats are great! When you get out of the accord you are so low to the ground, legacy is so much better.

Excellent car.. luxurious drive

SamK, 05/13/2021

2021 Subaru Legacy Limited 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

The car is outstanding in luxurious feel and smooth quiet drive, better than most luxury cars. Very spacious with plenty of cargo space in trunk. I find this car severely underrated. Minor issues with the car start-stop feature that you cannot permanently turn off.

Great 4-Door Sedan

Jon, 08/18/2022

2022 Subaru Legacy Limited 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

I purchased my 2022 Legacy Limited 2.5 new back in June. I currently have almost 4000 miles logged. I needed a car to commute to work. I traded in my Ram Pick-up. I was nervous at first since I haven't driven a regular car in so long. I was pleasantly surprised. Though this car doesn't have nearly the punch of a big V8 I still enjoy it. There isn't much power under the hood of the …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2022 Subaru Legacy, so we've included reviews for other years of the Legacy since its last redesign.

See all 52 reviews of the Subaru Legacy

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2022 Legacy Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$23,495
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	30 MPG
Cost to Drive	$143/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Legacy models:

EyeSight System: Includes a variety of driver aids, such as lane departure intervention and emergency automatic braking for an imminent front collision.
Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive: Sends power to any of the four wheels with the most grip. Helps with acceleration when the roads are wet or snowy.
Blind Spot Detection: Warns you if you're about to move into an occupied lane. It's paired with rear cross-traffic alert.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.1%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2022 Subaru Legacy Review

2022 Subaru Legacy Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Subaru Legacy 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Legacy does Edmunds recommend?

2022 Subaru Legacy models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

Reduced to 3 stars - this car is just too annoying

GREAT RIDE

Excellent car.. luxurious drive

Great 4-Door Sedan

2022 Legacy Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Subaru Legacy 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}