A nice feature on the 2024 Subaru Legacy is the manual thigh extender on the driver's seat. Those drivers with long legs or those drivers who just want a bit more support will enjoy this feature. A lot of midsize sedans in the affordable category do not have a thigh extender.
Here is my 5K mile review of the 2024 Subaru Legacy Premium (without the OP15 package): What I like: Excellent gas mileage especially on the highway, I get 40+ with cruise control. AWD handles amazingly on dirt roads. After the 1500 mile break in the cars power seemed to increase and acceleration was better for passing (My 0-60 is better than 8 seconds after the break in). The CVT transmission seems better than other CVTs I have driven, it acts very much like a true automatic after the 1500 mile break in (but not before - consider this when test driving). Very spacious and comfortable on long distance driving even for large adults in the backseat. There are no blind spots and visibility is excellent (auto-blind spot detection isn't needed). Spacious trunk, and storage between front seats is large. Heated seats work great. Driver assist, lane assist, and cruise control works great for out of town driving and it senses cars ahead and does a great job of maintaining speed and distance. The steering wheel has a nice feel. The auxiliary audio jack allows the best audio quality. Both type A&C USB charging. Bluetooth pairing is painless. Dual climate control works great for hot and cold days. The engine is well thought out and gives easy access for regular maintenance for DIY. The cloth seats seem better quality than other brands I tested. The passenger side above the glovebox ledge is great for small item storage. Unlike several competitors it has rear A/C vents and USB A&C charging. Car cameras are not on the bumper which I think makes more sense for long term maintenance. Tight steering with good handling around winding roads. I like the integrated screen that is vertical (I thought I would not like it but in practice it is better). Auto-headlights work great. We paid less than $30K with tax/tag/title, plus the payments are less than $500. The dealership is clean, friendly, and organized. Lastly, Subaru uses the same engines and drivetrains on all their cars which means parts will be easy to get and in some cases are interchangeable. This is a no nonsense car that I expect to get 300K miles from with regular maintenance. What I dislike: Touch screen can be laggy. Backup camera doesn't use the whole screen. Apple Carplay is hit or miss (hopefully this will be updated). I hate auto engine cutoff and wish this could be permanently turned off. Making outbound phone calls using the hands free option has yet to work as it has yet to recognize my iPhones contacts list - my 2012 Dodge Challenger's Uconnect system is better (update or user error?). The base stereo is anemic - if this is important to you get the upgraded stereo. When using the driver assist be sure to turn it off when slowing down behind someone who is turning - when close behind it cannot tell the difference between a turn and a car coming to a stop and it will slam on the brakes which can be dangerous if someone is close behind you. AWD means you're buying all four tires every time, but usually do this anyway. But the WORST THING! The seatbelt warning is OBNOXIOUS - my house has a gate and my driveway is 150 yards into my property and this warning has TWO levels of loudness that mutes the radio. I hate that I have to listen to this for the 30 seconds it takes me to park on my own driveway after getting out of the car to open the gate. My 2012 Challenger will not give the warning until you are going faster than 10-15 mph. The Legacy warning happens as soon as you have it in drive with no seatbelt.
Thank you for a great review. I had a 21 and now a 23 Limited and I think you are spot on with your review. Every written review complains about the non-turbo 2.5. I liked that you addressed that the non turbo is quick enough and is also super comfortable and safe. You get an incredible amount of value for what this car costs. I strongly recommend this car to anyone that is looking at sedans. The all wheel drive is tops in the industry and performs as promised in winter driving conditions. I look forward to other reviews from you. Great work!
As an engineer, I find your review of the 2024 Legacy superb. I have the same model as you are reviewing but in blue. Everything you state is spot on regarding functionality and performance especially with the 2.5 litre engine and driveline. Just a reminder, on the freeway, keep the speed just under 70 mph, 67 or 68 is good and your mileage will reach 37-39 mpg all day in moderate outdoor temps around 60-70 degrees or so. Low temps degrade mileage significantly. Thanks again for the great unbiased review, a rarity...mark the engineer
The 2.5 NA is perfectly fine for most people. It gets a little loud under hard acceleration but this isn't a luxury car. It's a conservative sedan with excellent safety ratings and good tech that will still look good 10 years after you buy it.
Great vehicle. My 24 Subaru Legacy Limited was around $31k after discounts and 1.2% financing (interest rates were a little over 6% at many places at the time) at Courtesy Subaru. For what you get, I don't think it can get any better for the snow and cold winters we had up here in South Dakota. I was upgrading from my 2016 Honda Accord (given to my little sister for her 16th bday) and performance in heavy snow and heavy rain is noticeable. I don't like the Crosstrek or Forester size car and the Outback was a little too expensive for the trim that I want after the dealership markups. The Subaru Legacy was perfect and a champ during Winter and very cold Spring. I can't wait to see how it performs this summer.
Under $40,000. Is that supposed to be good? Auto makers have a serious crack problem and want us to pay for it. How about under 25,000? For fuck sakes with these prices and their wet dream is a 100 month payment plan
I mean if you looked around a little, Subaru Legacys are pretty discounted, you can find a Premium trim for $26k and change. Limiteds can be had for under $30k. There's a reason why this car is being discontinued, they ain't selling.