The Legacy 2.5 with full options installed would be the car to have. It's a mid-size sedan where comfort, driving pleasure, safety, and fuel economy rank higher than engine performance anyways. I don't mind arriving a full 2 seconds later than other cars at traffic lights. Not that Subaru lacks performance, the brand is also known for its racing heritage. Say all cars in this class have the same fuel economy & engine performance ... what separate Subaru from the rest are the iSight technology, symmetrical AWD for better road grips, boxer engine (lower center of gravity) for better balance, and ring-shaped steel frame that protects the passengers. Subaru win by a lot in my opinion.
I bought a 3.6r second hand a coupla years ago. Great vehicle, and in my line of work doing 99% highway I get 5.4l / 100km (43.55 miles / gallon). And, it destroys anything in the wet (mostly...)
We had a 2015 Subaru Legacy for 7 years. The first year was good. In the next few years, we had to have the transmission and the engine replaced. Thank God we got the extended warranty or we would have had to pay for both.
I still miss the #ShiftOnTheFly my #Subaru had on my '87 #LE 4dr sedan model. What a peppy little car it was & with me living in #StJeromeQc it was great with the steady dumping of 3' of Snow weekly ♥♥♥
I have been in the Automotive world for over 16 years. I worked on Subaru's but never considered buy one until I went to the last auto show which was going on during a snow storm. The older Subaru's were boxy and didn't get good gas milage. but I saw and drove the new Legacy last year and it was better than the Camry. Accord, and the Sonota. I have driven them all. Don't buy a Hyundai. I have two and cant get rid of them No resale value. any way. my wife loved the Handling in the snow. and this will be her next car and maybe mine. More comfortable better handling. quiet ride. I think Subaru has stepped up... I have not seen a better car this year yet. Our Dealer is offering life time Power train warranty's.. on all new Subaru's
+Haikal SUBARU has the highest safety rating. And one of the highest RESALE VALUES. And SUBARU had come a long waywayn and now gets better gas mileage. And has smart technology. .Subaru is leading the way. And all wheel drive. For the same price as TOYOTA Honda and cheaper than the over priced Hyundai. And our dealer is offering LIFE time power train warranty. .
Haikal Z not sure were your from. But here in the Pacific Northwest. Subaru is a leading car. Just do side by side comparison with KBB. And see for yourself. Then look for a preowned one. I have only seen about 8 at a time. With in 50 miles from my house That would be Portland Oregon. . Hard to find a used one under 4 years old.. and yes Hyundai you can find hundreds of them. There a dime a dozen. .. dont take my word for it. Just check out KBB.
For me, I would buy the 2015 KIA Optima SX Turbo over the 2015 Subaru Legacy. Subaru ruined it with the numb steering and anemic engine noise this time around. And their gimmicky tech features are useless for me.
I test drove the 4 cylinder legacy after v watching this review and fair enough it handled very nicely and was very responsive and peppy but was very very loud. There was unacceptable amount of engine noise coming in the cabin. I'm surprised Zack didn't mention that in the review.
I hope manufacturers continue making sedans, there is a generation or two coming who are interested in sedans and sports-like sedans, not everyone wants a crossover/suv or a hatchback.
Ok I'm still driving my 2008 Honda Accord 2.4 automatic sedan with 325 000 Kms and they only thing I've ever done so far has been pads and rotors. Never touched the exhaust, wheel bearings, transmission or engine on this Accord. The only rust that is starting to show is on one rear inner fender in front of the tire. I'm looking at buying something new when this Accord needs something major and is being towed to the junk yard. I'm interested in a new Legacy and have read some good reviews since the 2015 model. I like the fact that it dosent have a DSG and the maintenance it needs and that the CVT seems to work well in this Legacy. Has there been much changes in the 2017?
I've had two subarus. A 2002 WRX and currently a 2009 STI. I need something more of a family car. I'm torn between the fuel economy of the Legacy and the larger space of the Forrester.
just happened to stumble upon this review; wasn't even aware of the refresh. Looks significantly better than before, so thumbs up to them for that. As for the review itself, I'm sorry but this came across sounding too much like an advertising from Subaru; you sounded less like an automotive reviewer and more like a salesman :/
it definitely looks better than the last-gen model... but what is build quality/reliability like for cars built in the US plant compared to ones built in japan? also wondering if they will bring back the station wagon (ie. not the outback version)? i googled and saw the LEVORG based on the impreza platform and it looks great... not all of us want to become another SUV driving drone >_
Odd Shawn I've driven a 2015 2.5 Legacy aggressively in show and it is *very* sure-footed and well balanced. Between the full-time AWD and the electronic driver-aids, it never did anything but behave predictably - even when I drove it faster than any rational person would in actual traffic. I was in a huge, snow-covered parking lot so I could push it safely knowing that if I lost control, nothing bad would happen to me, the car or anything else.
I have never owned a Subaru to date but I have been doing lots of reading on the forester and I'm thinking it may be my next car. Because of this I was wondering if there are any owners of a 2014 or 2015 Forester in this group. Here in Canada they are claiming to get 33 mpg city and 45 mpg highway with the 2.5 and a cvt. If anyone in the group owns one please give me some over all feed back on the car. If I am to spend that much for a car I would like to think I am getting one that is good. I now drive a Toyota Matrix awd and very much like the car but all my research on the Forester is making me think real hard about switching to the Subaru. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated either here or inbox my facebook profile. Thanks in advance.
Constantine Joseph I would recommend driving them both before you decide. Personally, I've driven both and I like the Subaru better. There are three main reasons I prefer the cars. 1. Durability. Subaru makes their cars to last an age. That means no rubber timing-belts that have to be changed and great expense and cause your engine to be destroyed if they break. It also means a stainless-steel exhaust system so no worrying about having to replace pipes or boxes in order to pass an inspection. 2. AWD. If you live anyplace where there is snow/ice or heavy rain... AWD is a cheap insurance-policy. It won't prevent every problem, but it can make the difference between you getting home in one piece or not. If you want a car with AWD, the two best choices are Audi and Subaru. They've been doing it longest and have the best systems. However, there are some downsides to Audi's system - because the engines sit ahead of the front axle, they feel like a FWD car when you drive them hard while a Subaru in similar conditions would remain perfectly balanced. 3. Horizontally-opposed ("flat") engines. This is something that only a car-nerd would really focus on but it is a big deal in a lot of little ways you might not otherwise thing about. There is a reason why Porsche uses flat engines in their sports cars. It dramatically lowers the center-of-gravity of the car. This means more stability during cornering but it also means a more comfortable ride on rough roads. With the CoG lower in the car, the suspension doesn't have to be as tight in order to control body-roll.
Thanks for your pointers. Much appreciated. However you said 3 reasons but only gave 2. You are implying that the Subaru has a better AWD system than the audi Quattro? People were commenting on how sporty the mazda 6 is but does the legacy give a fun to drive characteristic as well?
Constantine Joseph All I meant with #2 is that AWD is an inherent advantage over cars that don't have it. Some people think that if you don't live in Maine or Minnesota then AWD isn't a big deal. I understand why people make that argument but I respectfully disagree. If I lived in Phoenix, Arizona... I'd still consider AWD an advantage. Perhaps not as much of an advantage as if I lived in Fargo, North Dakota but an advantage nonetheless. It isn't just for snow and ice... it works when the car hits standing water too. As far as I know, the Mazda 6 isn't currently available yet with AWD - at least not in the US. The first-generation had a version that used a Haldex system. Basically, it is a FWD car but if the front wheels started to slip, it could send some power to the rear. This is, to be polite, a "non-optimal" way of doing it. VW, Honda, Volvo and Ford use this technique but it has some distinct dynamic disadvantages. My personal opinion is, if you see an AWD car where the engine is mounted transversely... just walk away. Do I think the Subaru system is better than the Audi Quattro system? I've driven both in the snow and they're both excellent. However, the Audi I drove (granted it was an older S4 with the 4.2 liter V8 engine) felt a bit nose-heavy. It wasn't terrible. It certainly wasn't as bad as a FWD car would have been under the same circumstances but it felt slightly unbalanced when the grip ran out. On the other hand, if you're looking to spend $50k+ on a car, you're probably going to want things that you wouldn't be able to find in any Subaru. So I get why people buy Audis. If I bought an Audi, I'd try to find one with a V6 engine. The weight savings over a V8 would reduce the tendency to under-steer. If you look at an Audi from the side with the hood up, you'll see that the engine is almost entirely ahead of the front axle. Whereas, with a Subaru, the engine is not only behind the front axle, it is mounted much lower in the car. This reduces not only the center-of-gravity but also the polar moment of inertia. In other words, the car doesn't resist changing direction as much. Look at it this way: if you're going into a supermarket and you're pushing the cart with a big case of bottled-water... where do you want that case to be? In the tray under the cart and as near as possible to equidistant between the front and rear wheels. That makes the cart easier to push around corners. The engine and transmission are the two heaviest parts of the car. You want them as close to the center of rotation as possible and mounted as low as they can be. Is the Legacy fun to drive? Personally, I think so. Last winter I took a 2015 Legacy to a huge, empty, snow-filled parking lot and let it off the leash. Its balance is impeccable when grip runs out. Power-sliding it is great fun. It isn't going to win any races with a Porsche Boxter but if you're looking for something that has four doors, room for the family/shopping and goes easy on your wallet when it comes to fuel and service costs but is still fun for drive for all of that... it is hard to beat a Legacy. Some people consider the CVT to be a disadvantage but I don't see it. All of the traditional gripes people made about them (the "rubber-band effect" under hard acceleration and the drone/whine when driving at freeway speed) have been addressed by technological updates. My only real beef with it is that for better fuel-economy, it tends to seek higher gears ASAP and the 2.5 four can sound like it is laboring a little. I might like a "sport mode" where it hangs onto lower ratios for longer. But that's a minor issue.
Well I live in a Singapore and its a small island with lots of city roads and some highways. People buy wrx and legacy GT for the street racing and quick speed around corners that can even leave super cars for dust. A little disappointed they do not have a 2.0litre turbo for the legacy as that would fit into my idea of an entertaining ride
Constantine Joseph Even in Singapore, you would get some benefit from AWD. As to the lack of a turbocharged 2.0 liter four... Personally, I prefer normally-aspirated engines (I like the more linear throttle-response and decreased complexity). But I understand why you might like the turbo. If that's the case, why not go for the Impreza WRX?
David Mark They'll last 200k if you abuse them. If you take care of it, you'll get a lot more. The main problem that most mass-produced economy cars have is that they use a component called a timing belt to keep the valves moving in sync with your pistons in your engine so they don't crash into each other. The problem with timing-belts is that they are made of rubber like every other belt in your car and eventually the belt will wear out and slip or break if it isn't replaced. The other problem is that most modern engines are designed so that the timing-belt isn't visible to the owner - it is placed deep inside the engine. So, not only do you now know if your timing-belt needs to be replaced, you may not even know it is there. Manufacturers have a set recommendation that you change the belt at a certain mileage interval. Yet, lots of people don't have the belt changed - either because they don't take the car back to the dealer for service or because they see how much it costs to do the job and say "I can't afford it". The belt is cheap, but the hours of labor required to take the engine apart to get at the belt are not. Depending on the car, a timing-belt replacement will cost between $400 and $1,000. The sad thing is that most timing-belts are replaced long before it is necessary - the manufacturer errs on the side of caution for obvious reasons. For this reason, some people will wait longer than the recommended replacement interval and some of those who wait... will wait too long. Subaru doesn't use rubber belts, they use metal chains like on a bicycle. This makes it a little more expensive to build the engine but it eliminates a potential catastrophic failure. The other important service is coolant flushing. Lots of people don't understand the value of changing the coolant periodically but it is a vital thing to do - regardless of the kind of climate you live in. The main function of coolant is to carry heat from the engine to the radiator. This capability doesn't degrade over time so some people think it isn't necessary to change the coolant. However, there is an important secondary function: water is corrosive so it has to be mixed with various chemicals that not only extend the liquid range of the water (i.e. reduce the temperature at which the water freezes and also increase the temperature at which it boils) but protect the metal components of the engine from the effects of water. That mixture is what circulates in your engine. However, the anti-corrosion additives break down over time. Once that happens, your coolant will begin to eat away at vital components of your engine and cause damage. So, it is vitally important to periodically flush your cooling system and refill it with fresh coolant. Different car-makers have different recommendations as to how often to do this. Find out what they are and follow them. Your engine will thank you for it. Plus, it isn't terribly expensive to do. If you really want to go whole-hog, find a place that sells "waterless coolant". This is a chemical mixture that, as the name suggests, contains no water at all. It is expensive but it will last the life of the car and is much better than the water-based coolants... It is typically used by people who have rare/collectable cars and they want to do everything they can to prolong the life of the engine. But for a few hundred dollars, it will be a good thing for your car. There's an interesting safety benefit. Because the waterless coolants contain no water, they don't expand when hot so you can take your radiator cap off when the engine is hot without worrying about being sprayed with boiling coolant. It also puts less pressure on your cooling system which means you don't have to worry about pressure-induced leakage.
i had a 2008 LGT manual for 6 years. I really liked it, and if you wanted to you could really mod it for power and handling. Subaru has moved away from performance for the Legacy, unfortunately.
I have never liked Subaru In fact it's not even a car that has come into mind when thinking about the car line up. But I have to admit that this new styling is nice the only problem is at night time or from a far distance it kinda resembles the new hyundai sonata.
Go drive one. I used to work on them. I NEVER really like them. Boxy. . Not good MPGS. But thr College kids loved them they would by them with a lot of miles on them for cheap and drive them for ever. 200 300 K. I drove one last year. Along with the Camry. Accord. I loved the Subaru. Would have never even considered it. But my wife always like them . And we had a lot of snow last year. And she wants the all wheel drive. And now the legacy gets up to 36.MPGS. . I would recommend you just drive it. Its free you just have to ignore the ignorant pushy salesman. .. God I hate car salesman. .
The bland, boring design and the transmission problems on the 2015 Legacy makes it a poor choice. In this segment, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, 2015 Honda Accord, 2015 VW Passat and 2015 KIA Optima are the best choices.
Marcus Jensen The best car in this segment is the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. High quality and very reliable, decent engine power and the best technology package for the price.
The main problem with Subaru is their horrid styling. And this is coming from a guy who loves scoobies. I love the Forester but the Jeep Cherokee's interior destroys the bland and shrill Foresters interior. It's like subaru hires designers to design boring and ill propertied cars. Please subaru..listen to me and actually implement some new styling ideas.
It is about getting more bang for your buck... or at least it used to be, my 1999 twin turbo legacy b4 , has a no frills interior, but for its cost its got a lot of go.And it looks pretty good on the exterior. But like a lot of soobies it is expensive to get work done on it.
I said Jeep Cherokee (the new one)...not Jeep "Grand" Cherokee. The new Cherokee is a FIAT based machine. The "Grand" Cherokee is based on the Benz M-class.
I like the new legacy for my wife. But after driving the new Cherokee at the auto show last year. I really like the size. And comfert. . The MPGS are getting better. . Thats were I want to be in the next 2 years. A LEGACY for her and a Cherokee for me.. unfortunately we have 2 Hyundais and there resale value is the lowest in the nation. . So we have to wait at least 2 more years. Or take a huge loss. .
100% POSITIVE!!! Only on 2.5L H4 - (scroll down to Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive) www.subaru.ca/WebPage.aspx?WebSiteID=282&WebPageID=4998&ArticleID=9167&Pageno=2
Subaru4me Well look at that "Subaru Legacy models outfitted with a 6-speed manual transmission are connected to a viscous-coupling limited-slip centre differential that provides near neutral handling and maximum control for the driver. " Sooooo is the MT not coming to the USA only? wtf...lazy ass americans..common I need the manual...and the outback too no manuals...how is that even....
