The redesigned 2010 Subaru Legacy will continue to offer the Subaru staple of all-
wheel-drive, but it is also shooting for more mainstream appeal.
See more photos of the new Legacy below the article in today's slideshow
A fully redesigned Subaru Legacy will go on sale this summer with extra interior space, fuel economy, and refinement intended to convert it from a niche player in the midsize sedan market into a serious challenger to the best-selling Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the automaker said today.
The first photos of the new 2010 Legacy show that it was faithful to an earlier concept version but that shares little with the styling of the current car, which went on sale as a 2005 model.
American customers will not get a Legacy station wagon, a model that was dropped from the U.S. Subaru line in 2008. The Legacy-based Outback wagon will continue to be sold, likely sporting the same changes as this new Legacy.
The current Legacy has been popular in heavy-snow areas for its standard all-wheel-drive -- a Subaru staple that will continue with the new version -- and has also impressed car enthusiasts for its clean styling and available turbo performance.
But a key shortcoming in the current Legacy was a tight interior and trunk that made the car less spacious than the average compact economy car, which hurt the car's chances as a family car.
Subaru has promised an extra four inches in rear seat leg room, but what will be significant is whether the seat is now higher from the floor. If it remains low to the floor, the extra four inches will only keep rear passengers' knees from digging into the front seatbacks as they are forced upward.
A harsh engine note and excess wind noise from un-framed side windows also gave some potential customers pause; Subaru's long-running 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine continues as a base engine, but Subaru has joined its competitors in adding a frame around the window glass. Subaru has also promised extra refinements to the engine mounting that should reduce vibration.
Joining the existing engine are two new transmissions: a continuously variable automatic and a 6-speed manual. Subaru has estimated fuel economy ratings for the automatic transmission will improve from 20 to 23 miles per gallon in the city and from 26 to 30 miles per gallon on the highway. While that's still not best-in-class, it's better than any other all-wheel-drive vehicle available save the hybrid version of the Toyota Highlander SUV. The base Legacy will still not be quick; Subaru's estimated 0-60 mph time of 10.1 seconds lags most competing midsize sedans.
Two larger engines are also available: a performance-focused turbocharged version of the base 4-cylinder featuring 265 horsepower -- up from the base car's 170 -- and a refinement-focused 3.6-liter 6-cylinder with 256 horsepower. Both are significantly quicker than the base car; the 6-cylinder's 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds won't challenge the Legacy's competitors but also won't leave too many family sedan customers needing more. Those who do can get the sports-sedan turbo's 5.9 seconds.
Subaru hinted to Edmunds.com that the base price of the 2010 Legacy would go down from the current car's $21,295, but has said nothing firmly. More details of the new Legacy will be released at the 2009 New York International Auto Show next month.
Edmunds: 2010 Subaru Legacy
Comments
Thanks for the info about the tight interior and trunk space.
Oh no, it looks just like the Infiniti G-something in the front! What's happened to our beloved Subaru??? Only the STI now stands out as original.
Brady writes, "...the extra four inches will only keep rear passengers' knees from digging into the front seatbacks as they are forced upward."
I'm 5'11" and fit comfortably in the back of my previous generation '00 Outback (ie raised Legacy). You'd have to be a pretty tall person (or traveling in a group of "talls") to have valid complaints about "knee digging". Have you ever sat in the former Legacy?
Hi,
I've not been in the 2000-2004 Legacy/Outback, but my understanding is that it's roomier than the 2005-2009 model.
For clarification purposes, the 2000 and redesigned 2005 Legacy share identical interior dimensions.
I try to avoid using interior dimensions to judge seat space, as too many factors make them misleading, but they do show a contraction in Legacy rear seat space in the 2005 redesign.
What the dimensions do not show is whether the seat sits on the floor or is high enough for good thigh support, which makes a huge difference in comfort. I'm looking at some reviews of the two cars and all are more positive to the 2000-2004 Legacy in terms of rear seat space.
DCCE,
I think it is important that your readers understand that the interior dimensions (including the rear seat height) didn't change in a discernible way but notable improvements in the Accord and Camry, two cars with which it competes, and which were redesigned for MY'02/03, made the '05 interior seem relatively tight. Good car reviews offer a competitve perspective and that's bound to have come out in the "reviews" you refer to and their "more positive" comments about the "2000-2004 Legacy in terms of rear seat space".
BTW, who are the "they" you're relying on for interior dimension data? I typically take my reference material from Consumer Reports. They are the recognized industry leader in automotive evaluation and have been advising consumers since the 1950's. Readers trust them because they remain unbiased (they don't get "freebies" or take advertising revenue), accurate (they buy cars from dealers anonymously and their test evaluation period lasts months and thousands of miles), and their methodical methods produce consistent results that allow reliable comparisons.
Anyway... Subaru's redesigned Legacy looks really good. I'm not overly concerned about seat height because comfortable seats don't need to be high. I excited about the prospect of improved fuel economy and performance from their pairing of the 2.5L 4-cyl with the CVT transmission and like the styling too. Kudos to Subaru!
I got my dimensions from Cars.com, and Consumer Reports was among the reviews I looked at.
2003 Legacy review: "The rear seat is comfortable for two adults but isn’t as roomy as that in the Accord, Camry, and Passat. It’s tight for three adults." Half-red blob for rear seat.
2008 Legacy review: "The rear seat is cramped." White blob.
DCCE,
We're making too much of this. I'd love to go back and forth, I'd point out that you missed the '05 Legacy GT review that got a half red circle and was in Limited trim. And I'd point out the the '08 Legacy 2.5i was tested in a group that included the redesigned '08 Accord and that Consumer Reports "blobs" don't reflect absolute ratings but are relative to competitive offerings. Back and forth we'd go.
I agree with your encapsulation of the upcoming '10 Legacy, I just think your "knee digging" comment isn't fair. Readers might get the impression from your story that the previous generation Legacy is not capable of comfortably carrying two average-sized adults in the back. That's just not true. If we were talking about the previous generation Audi A4, I think the comment would have been justified, that car has a very tight rear seat!
Good luck!
Cale
When I sat behind myself in the current Legacy, my knees were against the front seatbacks. At just under 6', I'm not absurdly tall. The remark was justified; with the low seat and no excess of space, I would not describe the Legacy as seating two adults comfortably.
DCCE,
You're being argumentative. With the front seats properly adjusted there is room for two average-sized adults to sit in the back.
I'm losing confidence in your impartiality.
Cale
Comfortably!
Just because we disagree on whether the seat is comfortable doesn't mean one of us is wrong. I don't see where you would get the idea of any bias on my end, however.
I tried to get in the back of an '09 Legacy. Couldn't do it. My knees were in my chin. I'm 6'3" and couldn't even get back there. Got a Tribeca instead.
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