2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited (Video Clip)

A quick and agile player

2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

There are so many competitors in the lucrative mid-size sedan market that there is something for just about all tastes and needs. In this market, smaller manufacturers like Subaru have to defend themselves against two teams and their franchise players, those players being the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

In hockey, a power forward will stand in front of the opponents' net and wait for a pass or a rebound, banging in numerous goals and become one of the leading scorers of the league. A smaller player will not be tough enough to withstand the beating in front of the net, and will have to compensate with other talents, such as speed and agility.

This same strategy now applies to Subaru. Instead of trying to copy on the Accord and Camry, Legacy is marketed differently.

This 2.5i Limited is powered by a naturally-aspirated flat-four engine that develops 175 horsepower, a little more than last year. That's enough to move this sedan swiftly, and you can survive without the 250-hp turbo engine of the GT model. However, the 4-speed automatic transmission with manual mode is reluctant to give you quick downshifts when called upon. Press on the gas to move into the passing lane, and the gearbox will take a second to think about it. That second can turn out to be spooky in certain situations when you're expecting a quick downshift.

2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

Turbocharged Legacy models get a 5-speed automatic, which should logically perform better since there are more gears to play around with and is better apt at keeping the engine within its power curve. Now, why doesn't Subaru just put that 5-speed in all Legacy models instead? In addition, the 2.5i Limited is the only trim level that doesn't offer a manual transmission. Why not?

Maybe the transmission had something to do with my fuel economy average of 10.6 L/100 km, which is pretty good for a mid-size sedan that is constantly pulling its all-wheel drive hardware around. If there was a manual transmission in this car, I probably would've driven it more aggressively.

I must say, this is one fine-looking Subaru. I just love the shape of this sedan, with its angular lines and wedge profile. 17-inch wheels are standard on all Legacy models, and the ones on my test car looked great. And let's not forget those dual mufflers, they look quite sharp. How many 4-cylinder cars have two mufflers? Not many.

And like a smaller hockey player, the Legacy is indeed agile. The four-wheel independent suspension with stabilizer bars, as well as the all-wheel drive system, makes for an entertaining ride. The suspension feels confident and stable over any type of surface. The

2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

variable-assist power steering feels very smooth. The four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and electronic force distribution will help you avoid the ditch. As for Subaru's Symmetrical AWD, it basically distributes the engine's power to the wheels that have the best traction. Under hard acceleration in a curve, for example, the system will take away power from the inside wheels which are losing traction because gravity is lifting them off the ground, and will send the power to the outside wheels which are being pressed down on the asphalt, supporting a good deal of the car's weight. All this is performed seamlessly and instantly.