Your writer included several former Legacy owners in his passenger roster over the course of a week-long test drive. Most noted and appreciated the increased roominess in every dimension-- especially in the rear seats. These are now comfortable enough for use by 2 adults or 3 children, and shouldn't result in any knees being jammed into seatbacks.
The trunk is generously sized, there's a cupholder in each door, bountiful storage facilities and good visibility all around. Interior build quality is very good, and backed by mainly upscale trim materials.
General consensus is that the new Legacy cockpit looks more dynamic and modern than the former-- though the overstyled instrument cluster and hard plastic dash let things down slightly.
Former owners say they missed the standard-dual outlet exhaust, too. Even basic Legacy models once had this strong and sporty visual indicator, though twin pipes are now reserved only for higher-end models.
Greener, but not leaner
The new Legacy is bigger and heavier than the former, and it drives that way. Handling seems slightly less instantaneous and sharp, but more relaxing and peaceful. There’s a softer and more comfortable ride, all in all.
In fact, the changes remind this correspondent of what Mazda did with the recent re-vamp of the 6—which is bigger and softer while still offering above-average driving dynamics.
Sport sedan enthusiasts tend to cringe at words like 'bigger' and 'softer', though Subaru hasn't turned the Legacy into a big fat slug. As light and laid back as it feels during city driving, the planted and stable feel to the chassis helps deliver abundant confidence and rewarding handling.
A more mature ride and handling equation
It's not as immediately sporty as the Legacy before it, but it seems like engineers have found a nice balance between the expected behavior of the car and its newly-required size.
 |
| The 170 horsepower engine is adequate, though Legacy's available six-cylinder or turbo-four units will be more sought after by driving enthusiasts. |
The trunk is generously sized, there's a cupholder in each door, bountiful storage facilities and good visibility all around. Interior build quality is very good, and backed by mainly upscale trim materials.
General consensus is that the new Legacy cockpit looks more dynamic and modern than the former-- though the overstyled instrument cluster and hard plastic dash let things down slightly.
Former owners say they missed the standard-dual outlet exhaust, too. Even basic Legacy models once had this strong and sporty visual indicator, though twin pipes are now reserved only for higher-end models.
Greener, but not leaner
The new Legacy is bigger and heavier than the former, and it drives that way. Handling seems slightly less instantaneous and sharp, but more relaxing and peaceful. There’s a softer and more comfortable ride, all in all.
In fact, the changes remind this correspondent of what Mazda did with the recent re-vamp of the 6—which is bigger and softer while still offering above-average driving dynamics.
Sport sedan enthusiasts tend to cringe at words like 'bigger' and 'softer', though Subaru hasn't turned the Legacy into a big fat slug. As light and laid back as it feels during city driving, the planted and stable feel to the chassis helps deliver abundant confidence and rewarding handling.
A more mature ride and handling equation
It's not as immediately sporty as the Legacy before it, but it seems like engineers have found a nice balance between the expected behavior of the car and its newly-required size.
 |
| Steering is sporty and heavy with a definite European influence. |