The Legacy continues to grow
Collingwood, ON - For the 2008 model year, the Subaru Legacy has received a mid-cycle refreshening and the updates have served to make a dynamic line of sedans and wagons even more appealing.
The most obvious changes have been to the exterior of the car, although they are subtle enough that the average person might not notice. The Legacy features a new front and rear bumper, new front headlights, taillights, side-view mirrors and a revised grille with the new aerospace-inspired look.
Due to the different headlights and a more sharply angled hood, the Legacy no longer looks like an identical twin of the Outback, although the family resemblance is still very strong. While some observers opine that these cars are bland in design, to these eyes it's a clean and sleek exterior treatment made even more so by the new additions.
More refined power and power transfer
Under the skin, the 2008 Subaru Legacy has received some upgrades as well. The 2.5-litre 4-cylinder normally-aspirated boxer engine now features increased mid-range torque as a result of modifications to the cam timing.
The engine is rated at 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. The other engine available, the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo boxer that powers the Legacy GT and GT Spec.B, is unchanged at 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft of torque.
All the GT models now feature the SI-DRIVE system, which debuted in the Spec.B last year. This engine management system enables the driver to select from one of three drive modes designed for maximum efficiency, everyday driving or sportier driving.
The dial on the centre console has now been augmented by a steering wheel-mounted button, a good idea. Strangely, the button only switches between the sportiest setting (Sport Sharp) and one of the other two settings, skipping over the third completely.
The biggest news for the Legacy GT line, however, is a vastly improved 5-speed automatic transmission that can now be operated by paddle shifters. Subaru claims a world-class level of shifting quickness for this transmission; shifting time was 0.6 seconds in last year's model, now it's just 0.2 seconds.
Collingwood, ON - For the 2008 model year, the Subaru Legacy has received a mid-cycle refreshening and the updates have served to make a dynamic line of sedans and wagons even more appealing.
The most obvious changes have been to the exterior of the car, although they are subtle enough that the average person might not notice. The Legacy features a new front and rear bumper, new front headlights, taillights, side-view mirrors and a revised grille with the new aerospace-inspired look.
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| Base normally-aspirated 2.5L H4 is now rated at 170 hp and as much torque. |
Due to the different headlights and a more sharply angled hood, the Legacy no longer looks like an identical twin of the Outback, although the family resemblance is still very strong. While some observers opine that these cars are bland in design, to these eyes it's a clean and sleek exterior treatment made even more so by the new additions.
More refined power and power transfer
Under the skin, the 2008 Subaru Legacy has received some upgrades as well. The 2.5-litre 4-cylinder normally-aspirated boxer engine now features increased mid-range torque as a result of modifications to the cam timing.
The engine is rated at 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. The other engine available, the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo boxer that powers the Legacy GT and GT Spec.B, is unchanged at 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft of torque.
All the GT models now feature the SI-DRIVE system, which debuted in the Spec.B last year. This engine management system enables the driver to select from one of three drive modes designed for maximum efficiency, everyday driving or sportier driving.
The dial on the centre console has now been augmented by a steering wheel-mounted button, a good idea. Strangely, the button only switches between the sportiest setting (Sport Sharp) and one of the other two settings, skipping over the third completely.
The biggest news for the Legacy GT line, however, is a vastly improved 5-speed automatic transmission that can now be operated by paddle shifters. Subaru claims a world-class level of shifting quickness for this transmission; shifting time was 0.6 seconds in last year's model, now it's just 0.2 seconds.
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| Exterior changes to both the sedan and wagon are very subtle. |