It may be bigger, but the family resemblance is still obvious. The headlights and turn signals stretch way up in the front fenders and give the car a streamlined look, which is a nice touch. The bulging wheel arches mimic the STI’s shoulders and hips, while the sloping rear window and short deck give the Legacy a fastback appearance. Only the turbo model has a hood scoop, and it’s functional.
Inside, you’re welcomed by power-adjustable, heated leather front seats that are supportive for sporty driving. The dash, console and door panels have contrasting silver trim bits and brighten the atmosphere. In general, the cabin’s fit and finish is among the best of the Japanese manufacturers, and one big advantage with the new Legacy is the newfound rear-seat room, which was lacking in the previous generation.
The wheel-mounted cruise, audio and voice-command switches are perfectly placed.
We’re not big fans of buttons to control the fan speed and temperature of the climate control system, and they a little getting used to in the Legacy. But a major pain-in-the-you-know-what is the electric parking brake, which you must activate on the left side of the wheel every time you stop the car to get out; a conventional pull handle would’ve been better.
Another thing that bugs us is the trunk opening. While cargo capacity has been increased quite a bit, growing from 323 to 415 litres, the short decklid doesn’t swivel out of the way when loading in stuff.
Base price for the 2010 Legacy 2.5i is $23,995. That’s three grand lower than the cheapest 2009 Legacy, so it’s much more competitive with other mid-size sedans despite the fact that it includes standard all-wheel drive. The 2.5GT costs $38,395 and comes with 18-inch wheels, a power sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity and a navigation system.
Do we have to mention who the Legacy’s rivals are? We think you know them pretty well: Accord, Camry, Fusion, Altima, 6, Malibu, Sonata, Magentis, Kizashi, Galant, Avenger, Passat…
A bit of the magic that made the old Legacy so special to us has been lost, but we understand that to succeed in this tough market segment, you have to follow the herd; a size increase was necessary, and sales have gone up for both the Legacy and the Outback, which proves that Subaru’s strategy is paying off.
So the new Legacy is roomier and better adapted to North American needs and desires. Better yet, it’s much more affordable. More reasonable prices for maintenance and parts would be Subaru’s remaining step in the creation of a Camry and Accord killer.
photo:Michel Deslauriers
Inside, you’re welcomed by power-adjustable, heated leather front seats that are supportive for sporty driving. The dash, console and door panels have contrasting silver trim bits and brighten the atmosphere. In general, the cabin’s fit and finish is among the best of the Japanese manufacturers, and one big advantage with the new Legacy is the newfound rear-seat room, which was lacking in the previous generation.
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| Inside, you’re welcomed by power-adjustable, heated leather front seats that are supportive for sporty driving. |
The wheel-mounted cruise, audio and voice-command switches are perfectly placed.
We’re not big fans of buttons to control the fan speed and temperature of the climate control system, and they a little getting used to in the Legacy. But a major pain-in-the-you-know-what is the electric parking brake, which you must activate on the left side of the wheel every time you stop the car to get out; a conventional pull handle would’ve been better.
Another thing that bugs us is the trunk opening. While cargo capacity has been increased quite a bit, growing from 323 to 415 litres, the short decklid doesn’t swivel out of the way when loading in stuff.
Base price for the 2010 Legacy 2.5i is $23,995. That’s three grand lower than the cheapest 2009 Legacy, so it’s much more competitive with other mid-size sedans despite the fact that it includes standard all-wheel drive. The 2.5GT costs $38,395 and comes with 18-inch wheels, a power sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity and a navigation system.
Do we have to mention who the Legacy’s rivals are? We think you know them pretty well: Accord, Camry, Fusion, Altima, 6, Malibu, Sonata, Magentis, Kizashi, Galant, Avenger, Passat…
A bit of the magic that made the old Legacy so special to us has been lost, but we understand that to succeed in this tough market segment, you have to follow the herd; a size increase was necessary, and sales have gone up for both the Legacy and the Outback, which proves that Subaru’s strategy is paying off.
So the new Legacy is roomier and better adapted to North American needs and desires. Better yet, it’s much more affordable. More reasonable prices for maintenance and parts would be Subaru’s remaining step in the creation of a Camry and Accord killer.
photo:Michel Deslauriers
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