2008 Subaru Legacy 3.0R Sedan Shown
Introduced almost two decades ago, the Subaru Legacy is the company's longest-running nameplate in the U.S. Thanks to its all-wheel drive, the Legacy is often selected as a winter-beating alternative in the midsize sedan or wagon segment. It's also been highly regarded by Edmunds.com editors and has won two Edmunds.com Editors' Most WantedSM awards.
There have been four generations of the Subaru Legacy. For the current model, Subaru revamped the vehicle and its image by adding power and moving it more upscale with a slicker profile and premium standard features. The most significant change was the addition of the WRX STI's turbocharged engine, which slots the powerful Legacy GT into a category that's typically occupied by European cars.
Current Subaru Legacy
With the current model, the Subaru Legacy has really come into its own, claiming the role of Subaru's premium sedan. True, it's not a groundbreaking design, and it even bears some of the quirks that have come to characterize Subaru, such as a chunky hood scoop. But the Legacy does possess a more metropolitan character than in generations past. The interior materials are excellent, and style, fit and finish are competitive with more expensive European marques.
The Subaru Legacy comes in two body styles — sedan and wagon — which share four trim levels: 2.5i, Limited, Special Edition and GT Limited. Both body styles are quite functional with 60/40-split folding rear seats and plenty of storage compartments. However, the rear seats are on the tight side compared to more spacious midsize rivals.
Powering the 2.5i, Limited and Special Edition trim levels is a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. The sportier GT Limited trim gets an exciting turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 243 hp. The Legacy sedan also comes in a high-performance trim, called the 2.5 GT Limited spec.B. It adds a firmer suspension, 18-inch wheels and a six-speed manual transmission. As with all Subaru vehicles, AWD is standard across all models.
In road tests, our editors found the Subaru Legacy to be both sporty and comfortable -- a challenging combination for manufacturers to master. The steering is perfectly weighted. The ride is quiet. The 2.5-liter engine provides adequate power, but the Legacy GT (and its turbocharged engine) is truly a fun car to drive hard. The one glaring bit of criticism has been the GT Limited's automatic transmission, which seems to be ill-suited for the vehicle's turbocharged engine.
Past Subaru Legacy Models
The previous, third-generation Subaru Legacy was more of a rugged all-weather performer than the current model. Sold from 2000-'04, it launched with three primary trim levels: base L, sporty GT and premium GT Limited. A Brighton value trim was also included in the 2000 lineup for the wagon, but was removed the following year.
Although it was a bit lacking in refinement, the previous Legacy was well stocked with standard features, including AWD. All trims came with a smooth and responsive 165-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. In 2003, Subaru moved the L trim upscale and added the L Special Edition trim, which was renamed the 35th Anniversary Edition a year later.
Value-minded buyers looking for an all-weather vehicle might take a look at the second-generation Legacy. Sold from 1995-'99, it was best known for spawning the Outback wagon, a rugged SUV alternative that came with standard AWD. The model's one weak link was its anemic 135-hp 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, which many people felt was a downgrade from the 160-hp turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder that was available in the first generation's Sport Turbo trim (sold from 1991-'94).
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