Mom's view: Do yourself a big favor and spend a little more for the automatic transmission. The manual transmission shift linkage and the clutch are both vague and frustrating to master, especially with the turbo engine. There is a shift kit available as an option. Buy it if you want the manual transmission. The fuel mileage difference between the two is virtual nonexistent and you are going to be a lot happier in heavy traffic with the automatic. I seldom used all five gears skipping from first to third to fifth to avoid fighting the shifter. Fortunately the powerful engine never let me down, and even while going a highway speeds, I could easily pass without downshifting. If you are passing and decide to downshift prepare yourself for some serious acceleration. To me the Legacy was such a perfect sleeper car that it took real will power not to deflate a few male egos and leave their look-at-me mobiles in the dust while driving my shopping cart.
The fun does not stop with the go power of the Outback. The ground clearance is exceedingly good with 8.7 inches separating you from the roadway and making pretty much any road drivable. This opens a whole new world of antiquing and estate sale possibilities. Complimenting this fact is the exceptional crash test results Subarus have recorded that are as good as it gets. Helping this is the fact that All Outbacks have four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, front side-impact airbags, and full-length side curtain airbags as standard. The front head restraints feature dynamic whiplash protection and there are more safety options on the more upscale Subaru models.
You should know that we are biased toward Subaru having owned one for a time. It was a good car, but the prices for parts were higher than comparable and more popular Japanese vehicles. In addition, we found that not everyone can work on these cars because they have a lot of idiosyncrasies. The J.D. Powers Long Term Quality Survey, which we feel is the best indication of a good vehicle, placed the Subaru seventh, which is above average, but not up to the standards of other Japanese companies. However, the other Japanese companies don't offer anything nearly as utilitarian and fun as the XT.
I was dissapointed with the dull black interior. There is fine line between a clean design and sterile design and Subaru comes close to the latter. I don't think many women are going to be impressed considering the near luxury price. In fact, there is definitely the need for a woman designer when the Momo style steering wheel is the highlight of the interior. I also bemoan the fact that the steering wheel tilts, but does not telescope making it more complicated to find a good seating position. This is exasperated because the clutch has a high take-up point making it difficult to do heel toe shifting and still keep your distance from the steering wheel and the airbag therein.
There was plenty of cargo room in this wagon with nearly 34 cubic feet behind the second seat and a large SUV type capacity of 66 cubic feet when the backseats are folded. The seats were okay, but if you are going to be driving hard you need to consider more bolster for your thighs. The stereo controls were needlessly complex, but the reception was above average. I doubt that if you live in outlying areas you are going to be able to bring in many stations so I recommend buying an outsourced satellite radio.
Dad's view: Truly there is no equal for the Legacy wagon and the Outback when it comes to family friendly travel in inclement weather. They can go darn near anywhere and are enjoyable to drive in the process. We tested this car in the rainiest season ever recorded and it never even hinted at being anything but perfectly stable. While large SUVs were swaying in the sidewinds the Subaru stayed anchored. It does have a couple of drawbacks that need addressing. First, the backseat room is not as generous as it should be. Secondly, the engine, although having Super-ultra low emission status and adequate fuel mileage at around 21 mpg, never felt as smooth as its counter parts from Toyota and Honda. Finally, there is the bland interior that it's pricing has outgrown. The Subaru's passenger compartment is certainly functional and easy to clean, but lacks a large center storage console and the materials are too lackluster for a near luxury priced vehicle. The interior in the Subaru Forester is much better looking. Other than that this is a car you can easily live with on a daily basis wherever you reside. As the other members of The Car Family, I would opt for the Legacy rather than the Outback because of its superior cornering traits and lower pricing. It would be a perfect vehicle for the young family with its safety ratings, good fuel mileage averages, cargo capacity, and with the turbocharged engine, the ability to get the dog to the vet in record time.
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You should know that we are biased toward Subaru having owned one for a time. It was a good car, but the prices for parts were higher than comparable and more popular Japanese vehicles. In addition, we found that not everyone can work on these cars because they have a lot of idiosyncrasies. The J.D. Powers Long Term Quality Survey, which we feel is the best indication of a good vehicle, placed the Subaru seventh, which is above average, but not up to the standards of other Japanese companies. However, the other Japanese companies don't offer anything nearly as utilitarian and fun as the XT.
I was dissapointed with the dull black interior. There is fine line between a clean design and sterile design and Subaru comes close to the latter. I don't think many women are going to be impressed considering the near luxury price. In fact, there is definitely the need for a woman designer when the Momo style steering wheel is the highlight of the interior. I also bemoan the fact that the steering wheel tilts, but does not telescope making it more complicated to find a good seating position. This is exasperated because the clutch has a high take-up point making it difficult to do heel toe shifting and still keep your distance from the steering wheel and the airbag therein.
There was plenty of cargo room in this wagon with nearly 34 cubic feet behind the second seat and a large SUV type capacity of 66 cubic feet when the backseats are folded. The seats were okay, but if you are going to be driving hard you need to consider more bolster for your thighs. The stereo controls were needlessly complex, but the reception was above average. I doubt that if you live in outlying areas you are going to be able to bring in many stations so I recommend buying an outsourced satellite radio.
Dad's view: Truly there is no equal for the Legacy wagon and the Outback when it comes to family friendly travel in inclement weather. They can go darn near anywhere and are enjoyable to drive in the process. We tested this car in the rainiest season ever recorded and it never even hinted at being anything but perfectly stable. While large SUVs were swaying in the sidewinds the Subaru stayed anchored. It does have a couple of drawbacks that need addressing. First, the backseat room is not as generous as it should be. Secondly, the engine, although having Super-ultra low emission status and adequate fuel mileage at around 21 mpg, never felt as smooth as its counter parts from Toyota and Honda. Finally, there is the bland interior that it's pricing has outgrown. The Subaru's passenger compartment is certainly functional and easy to clean, but lacks a large center storage console and the materials are too lackluster for a near luxury priced vehicle. The interior in the Subaru Forester is much better looking. Other than that this is a car you can easily live with on a daily basis wherever you reside. As the other members of The Car Family, I would opt for the Legacy rather than the Outback because of its superior cornering traits and lower pricing. It would be a perfect vehicle for the young family with its safety ratings, good fuel mileage averages, cargo capacity, and with the turbocharged engine, the ability to get the dog to the vet in record time.