Subaru Legacy

The Subaru Legacy is a 4-door, mid-size sedan that has been in production since 1989 (as a 1990 vehicle model). The passenger car is currently Subaru's longest running model in their vehicle lineup. The sedan has been through four generational designs, with the current version first appearing for the 2004 model year. The vehicle directly competes with popular sedans such as the Volkswagen Passat, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. In Australia, the Legacy is known as the Subaru Liberty.

The Subaru is available as a "B"-pillar hardtop sedan. A wagon body style was available until the 2008 model year. The current design features a sleeker, more upscale design than previous models. A large hood scoop dominates the front end of the exterior. A new headlight and taillight design accompanies a larger grille as additional updates to the latest design. Overall dimensions for the sedan body type include a length of 186.2 inches, height of 58.1 inches and width of 68.1 inches.

Inside, the Subaru Legacy's front bucket seats and rear bench seat accommodates up to five passengers. A smartly designed dashboard provides intuitive access to all controls. Rear seating is slightly cramped, with a maximum legroom of 33.9 inches. Total cargo volume for the sedan is 11.4 cubic feet.

Subaru Legacy Trim Levels

Subaru offers a total of six different trim levels for the Legacy – 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited, 2.5 GT spec. B and 2.5 GT 3.0 R Limited. The base model starts out with standard features that include air conditioning, cruise control, height-adjustable driver's seat, power accessories, split folding rear seat, stereo system with CD/MP3 player, remote keyless entry, rear defogger, 17-inch alloy wheels and automatic-off headlights. The 2.5i Special Edition adds only an 8-way power driver's seat and power sunroof.

The 2.5i Limited offers luxurious upgrades such as leather seats and steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate controls, heated mirrors, window de-icer, fog lights and 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 changer. The GT Limited builds on this with a 4-way power passenger seat and mirror mounted turn signals. The GT spec. B incorporates leather/Alcantara upholstery, GPS navigation, driver's seat memory, steering wheel radio controls and upgraded tires. The 3.0 R Limited adds only performance upgrades.

Subaru Legacy Performance

All 2.5i trim levels come standard with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 175 horsepower and 170 lb-ft. of torque. The GT trims receive an upgrade in the form of a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that delivers 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft. of torque. The 3.0 R Limited rounds out the lineup with a 3.0-liter V6 engine that outputs 245 horsepower and 215 lb-ft. of torque.

2.5i trims come matched with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability. The Legacy GT Limited features the same 5-speed manual, but incorporate a 5-speed automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on both the GT spec. B and 3.0 R Limited. Other available performance features include a sport-tuned suspension, performance suspension, traction control, high-performance tires, locking center differential and all-wheel drive.

Subaru Legacy Safety

All versions of the Subaru Legacy come standard with dual front airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, active head restraints and daytime running lights. The GT spec. B and 3.0 R Limited also feature an antiskid system. NHTSA crash tests returned good results, with the Legacy earning a perfect five stars in four out the five applicable categories. In the fifth category (4WD rollover), the Legacy earned a 4-star rating.

The 2009 Subaru Legacy is a carryover from 2008. The 2009 Legacy sedan is available in many different trims. The 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition and 2.5i Limited all make use of the same 2.5 liter, 170 horsepower 4-cylinder engine that also offers 170 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed manual transmission is provided free of charge on the first two, with the Limited seeing the optional 4-speed automatic as standard equipment. Fuel economy is rated at 20 miles per gallon during city driving and 26 miles per gallon on the highway.

The 2.5GT Limited and 2.5GT spec.B both substitute a turbocharged edition of the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder for the normally-aspirated version. The unit cranks out a hefty 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed manual or automatic transmission are available for these models, and fuel mileage comes in at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon during highway cruising.

The 2009 Legacy 3.0R and top of the line 3.0R Limited are powered by a 6-cylinder engine that displaces 3.0 liters and provides 245 horsepower and 215 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed automatic is the only transmission option, and fuel economy is identical to that of the GT Limited and GT spec.B.

All-wheel drive is standard across the entire Legacy lineup.