Subaru Legacy

The Legacy car joined the Subaru range at the end of the 80s. Its appearance is dictated by the tough struggle for a place in the sun in the U.S. market. 30 years ago, the Subaru brand experienced strong pressure from Japanese colleagues – Toyota, Honda.

Their machines were more attractive both in terms of appearance and in terms of “stuffing”. The answer to the competitors was strong and accurate – Subaru Legacy became the flagship in 1989. The whole model range is Subaru.

Car history

The 1st generation of Subaru Legacy was presented in the formats of universal, sedan. They were equipped not only with a front, but also all-wheel drive – the latter was an option. The vehicles in the U.S. were equipped with an atmospheric 2.2-liter 163 horsepower engine.

First introduced in 1995, the Subaru Legacy Lancaster was designed exclusively for the Japanese market, but later moved to the U.S. under the name Wagon (car) Subaru Legacy. Americans have always been considered to be adherents of outdoor activities, so the Subaru Legacy Lancaster wagon, which contained a lot of things, became a truly valuable car.

It was loved for its relatively affordable price, durability and endurance, all-wheel drive. In the U.S., the car based on Subaru Legacy Lancaster went on sale in 1994. After 4 years, the second generation of Subaru Legacy came on sale. A characteristic feature of the body of Subaru Legacy was more streamlined shape, improved aerodynamic performance. And the new Subaru Legacy 2 generation optics left no chance for competitors.

With the release of the 3rd generation of Subaru Legacy, its technical characteristics have undergone significant changes. The model was equipped with a branded chip of all “subariki” – symmetrical all-wheel drive. The lineup was replenished with a 2.5-liter “opponent”, an engine with 2 turbines. There was a version of RS.

For several years, the engineers have been working on the 3rd generation, trying to make the units more economical, improving the transmission. A solid restyling took place in 2003, when a 5-speed automatic transmission with SportShift option, a 6-speed mechanic, became available. The radiator grille and stop-lights were changed.

In 2009, serial production of Subaru Legacy B4 of the fifth generation was launched, and in February 2017 the 6th generation Subaru Legacy restyling model was presented to Russia. We will focus on this model in more detail.

Exterior

The first updated Subaru Legacy was shown in 2017. The exterior was retouched and the interior was improved. The new Subaru Legacy can be distinguished from its predecessor by:

• Corner optics that climbed the wings.
• 6-coal radiator grille.
• Trapezoidal air intake.

If we sum up the appearance of Subaru Legacy, the characteristics have undergone minor cosmetic changes. However, the car managed to preserve its family charm. It is still easily recognizable.

Interior

The Subaru Legacy salon deserves special, close attention. Even with Elegance as standard:

• Electric seat drive in front.
• Electric window lifts at the front and back.
• Like salon.
• 2-zone climate control.
• It’s the chair heating, the steering wheel, even the glass.
• Media system is represented by 8-inch screen.
• Rear passengers can use USB connectors and armrests with cup holders.

Specifications

Powertrain

Especially for Russia was released Subaru Legasi sedan with a 2498 cc. The engine of Subaru Legacy is a gasoline “four” with a well-thought-out gas distribution system, rated at 175 horsepower at 5800 rpm.

Transmission

The entire thrust is taken over by a stepless variator – the Lineatronic transmission is considered one of the most advanced. Thanks to a successful combination, the sedan develops 210 km/hour and accelerates to “hundred” in less than 10 seconds.

Suspension

Subaru Legacy B4’s superb driving characteristics are ensured by the McPherson suspension at the front and the double wishbone at the back. The car is characterized by excellent stability on the road and smooth running.

Fuel consumption

The car is very economical. If you read what they say about Subaru Legasi motorists, the reviews of the owners are mostly positive. At the city’s pace, Subaru Legacy’s fuel consumption is 10 liters, while in the highway mode it is only 6.2 liters of gasoline. The combined cycle is 7.7 liters.

Dimensions

What is the exact size of Subaru Legacy? The four-door sedan has the following dimensions in length and width:

• Length – 480 centimeters.
• Shirin – 184 centimeters.
• Height – 150 centimeters.
• Wheelbase – 275 centimeters.

Like many other cars, the Subaru Legacy B4 has an average clearance of 15 centimeters. The trunk has a decent capacity of 506 liters.

Safety

Compared to other cars of the Japanese brand, the Subaru Legashi car is equipped with side airbags, kneecaps, dynamic lighting in turns. There is a rear view camera. In more expensive equipment are available:

• Blind zone monitoring.
• Emergency braking option.
• Cruise control.
• The switching of the high beam/near beam is done in automatic mode.
• Driver fatigue control.
• Active markup control.

Crash test

How safe is the Subaru Legacy family car? Euro NCAP crash-tests conducted in 2009 demonstrate a high level of protection. However, there are also some of their own “white spots” that need to be reworked.

• Driver and adult passenger – 79% of 100%. In a head-on collision, the risk of damage to the driver’s chest is much greater. In a side impact, the upper body is well protected. The greatest risk to the driver and passenger is from the rear. The risk of whiplash injury to the cervical spine is very high.
• The pedestrian is only 58% of 100%. Pedestrians are protected by a total of 20.9 points. At the same time, pelvic protection is absolutely zero (it simply does not exist), blows to the head and legs scored 15.1 and 5.8 points respectively.
• Passenger child – 73% of 100%. The child restraint system has demonstrated high performance.
• Security devices. The most points were scored by the electronic course stability system and the signal that the driver or passenger forgot to fasten their seatbelts.

As a result of a series of JNCAP crash tests conducted in Japan, the car was also awarded the maximum 5 stars for safety. Rewards on a 5-point scale were distributed as follows:

• Slab collision – 5 points for the driver and 5 points for the front passenger.
• Shift collision – 5 points for the driver, 4 points for the rear passenger.
• Side collision – 5.
• The likelihood of a neck injury in a rear-end collision is 4 points for the driver and the same for the passenger.
• Protection of the pedestrian’s head – 5 points.
• Leg protection – 4 points.
• For the reminder that the seatbelt was forgotten, Subaru Legacy got 3 points.

Complections and prices

Subaru Legacy is available in 2 sets:

• Elegance – $323008,00.
• Premium ES – $34809,60.

Buy a subaru by paying $2352,00 more, the motorist will get a car with improved safety Subaru and many additional options. However, the standard equipment of Elegance provides comfortable driving on the road. It is equipped with functions, many of which are present only in premium versions of cars of other brands.

Tuning

The list of spare parts and accessories for car tuning Subaru Legacy is so huge that even a separate article will not be enough to describe it. Someone puts the chandelier on the roof to feel more confident to drive at night.

Others make additional illumination of the torpedo, install neon overlays on the sills and bumper. Of course, you can’t do without a spoiler, an “eyelash” and alternative grilles. All this allows you to transform the already original appearance of the car beyond recognition.

Comparison with competitors

Does the Legacy have any competitors? Certainly – and even a few. They are much more accessible than “Japanese”:

• Skoda Superb – the price list starts with a mark of $21168,00.
• Toyota Camry – from $21952,00.
• Peugeot If someone comes to mind to buy a French car instead of a Japanese one, it can be done for $29635,20.
• And another noble competitor to the Subaru sedan is Infiniti Q. Its price also does not exceed $31360,00. And to be exact, $26969,60.

Also among the competitors of this car are Citroen C5 Sedan, Korean KIA Optima, Opel Insignia and Mazda 6. However, Subaru puts them on both blades due to 2 significant advantages:

1. Full drive.
2. Great handling on the road.

Pluses and minuses

Subaru Legacy has the technical characteristics at the height, and did not pump up the appearance. However, this does not mean that the car has no disadvantages. Let’s try to compare strengths and weaknesses of Japanese sedan. Twisting according to the feedback of motorists who drive Subaru Legacy B4 and Subaru Legacy Lancaster, the positive and negative qualities of the car can be attributed to:

We sum up

Japanese Subaru Legacy is elegance and power in one bottle, which conquer the hearts of even the most biased motorists. Numerous reviews of Subaru Legacy Lancaster make it clear that the vehicle stands out from the competition:

• Individual style;
• Highest comfort;
• Outline specifications;
• Running qualities that are unmatched.

Thanks to the all-wheel drive, relatively high ground clearance, the machine has good cross-country ability on all roads. The undercarriage is well thought-out and the steering is clear. Even at high speed, the Subaru Legasi shows stability and smooth running. Brake system works without failure, guaranteeing the safety of the driver and passengers.

Airbags and a variety of belts are more than sufficient, there is an anti-locking system, a well thought-out distribution of braking forces. The car differs in capacity, but if you are interested in a larger Subaru car, you should take a closer look at the Libero model. Like any other car, Japanese foreign car is not devoid of “childhood diseases”. These include:

• Relatively fast wear of brake pads and discs.
• Pure mudflaps – they literally fall apart.
• Motor overheat.

Also car enthusiasts note decent fuel consumption, expensive maintenance at service stations and doubtful noise isolation of wheel arches. It is worth remembering that all power units of Subaru cars are sensitive to the quality of fuel. Therefore, it is not the best idea to fill them with everything that will come to handy. Repair will cost several times more.

We advise you to read the article: Subaru History

Subaru Legacy 2018 photo

Test drive

Video overview