After taking healthy slices of the compact car and compact SUV categories, Subaru moves another chess piece into place, with the launch of the all-new Legacy midsize sedan and wagon, and its sister car, the Outback SUV.
The Legacy nameplate, one of the oldest in the Subaru stable, makes a welcome shift to a more modern, sportier styling template. The chunky and complex headlights, smooth sides with pronounced wheel fenders and a heavy crease underlining the windows, make for a solid-looking, if generically-styled automobile. 18-inch wheels fill the wells, wrapped in 225/45R18 rubber.
The Legacy sedan is visually bulkier than its predecessor, but it still slides in at 4730mm length and 1780mm width. The wagon checks in at 4775mm length.
The big news is under the hood: the Legacy is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four good for 265 hp and 350Nm. This virtually matches its V6-powered rivals from Honda and Toyota. The engine is paired to a five-speed automatic with paddle shifters. 0-100 km/h acceleration is quoted at a quick 6.2 seconds.
Naturally for a Subaru, the power is channeled through an all-wheel drive system. The Legacy has the SI-Drive system, which allows the driver to change throttle and drivetrain response from docile to aggressive, by twisting a knob on the center console, from “Intelligent” to “Sport” to “Sport Sharp.” Stability control, using the all-wheel drive system and selective braking, help keep the car on the driver’s intended path. ABS disc brakes are of course standard. The front suspension uses MacPherson struts; the rear uses a double-wishbone setup. The Legacy uses Bilstein shock absorbers.
The interior is a cool blend of black leather, soft plastics and metallic materials. The steering wheel is a chunky three-spoke affair with spoke-mounted switches similar to the ones on the Mazda6. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes. Both front seats are power-actuated, with 10-way adjustment and two memory positions for the driver. There’s dual-zone airconditioning, with vents for the rear passengers. The instrumentation uses a hypnotic blue-and-white lighting scheme, with a trip computer mounted between the main gauges. Aluminum pedals and a power sunroof are the finishing touches. Dotted around the cabin are dual front, side, curtain and knee airbags. HID headlamps with auto-on function and auto wipers are standard.
The Legacy wagon presents a good alternative to an SUV with its massive 1726 liters of cargo space, more than triple the sedan’s trunk space of 486 liters.
Contrary to its name, the Outback seems destined for a more subdued, luxury-loving buyer than the Legacy wagon. The Outback is clearly a derivate of the Legacy wagon, and the exterior looks more tame The interior is marked by wood trim and beige leather, and tires are a size smaller, at 225/60R17.
The raised wagon carries a bigger engine, a 3.6 liter flat-six. Output is 260 bhp and 350Nm. The larger displacement will no doubt make for a less hurried, more relaxing trip for Sir or Madam. 0-100 km/h is a more sedate 7.6 seconds.
Subaru hits a sweet spot with its pricing, the well-equipped Legacy Sedan going for P1,998,000 and the wagon for P2,098,000 (before Acts of God insurance coverage). The Outback is priced at P2,398,000. The new Legacy sedan and wagon and Outback SUV are now available from Motor Image Pilipinas, Subaru’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines.
By Jason K. Ang | Photos By Manufacturer
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