Lots of Toyota DNA is slowly creeping into Subaru, looking at the new Subaru Legacy here, which reeks of the Lexus GS when viewed from the rear. It’s different from the concept version shown at the NAIAS earlier this year which featured sharper lines.
The new Legacy sits on a longer platform than the outgoing model, in line with customer demands for more metal for their money these days, but it’s still not grown to over 2,800mm, instead keeping to 2,751mm, and that is only 80mm longer than before.
Despite a longer wheelbase it only grows only 35mm, which means Subaru is getting better at packaging their cars, as the overhangs are shorter now and more space is dedicated to the interior room. The car is also 90mm wider and 80mm taller than the outgoing car.
The Legacy uses a MacPherson strut at the front and a double wishbone for the rear suspension, mounted to the rear subframe. The front suspension is mounted to the new engine cradle, and Subaru says this improves steering response and adds to overall rigidity.
The new Subaru Legacy now comes with the option for a CVT transmission that Subaru calls the Lineartronic CVT, mated to Subaru’s traditional boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive. It uses a chain-type system which Subaru says has higher torque capacity and lower friction, thus is more efficient than belt CVTs. There is a manual mode with 6 pre-defined virtual gear ratios, swappable via paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
A few engine options are available. The baseline Legacy 2.5i uses a 2.5 litre single cam boxer putting out 170 horses at 5,600rpm and 230Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. You can have this in either a 6-speed manual or the CVT. Subaru’s baseline engine uses a resin intake and has some better cooling design in the head to help improve fuel economy. The catalyst has also been improved to reduce emissions and the engine is now lighter.
In the middle is the 2.5GT, also featuring a 2.5 litre engine but this is turbocharged to produce 265 horses and 350Nm of torque between 2,000 to 5,200rpm. This is only available with the 6-speed manual. The turbocharger system has been updated to raise performance and reduce emissions. The torque curve is smooth and flat, while it doesn’t start kicking you back into your seat at 1,xxx rpm ranges it’s pretty close at 2,000rpm. The turbo is placed directly under the forward part of the crank to shorten the distance that the exhaust gas must travel, and lower the vehicle’s center of gravity.
For those who prefer normally aspirated power and an automatic gearbox, there is the Legacy 3.6R, featuring a boxer-6 3.6 litre engine with 256 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 335Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. It is only available with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The 3.6 litre engine is said to be packaged in the same dimensions as the earlier 3.0 litre.
Last but not least, for those looking to have a bit of fun with the new Legacy, the absence of a real parking brake that’s been replaced by a new electronic parking brake will be kinda disappointing. What’s with car manufacturers these days, heck even the Z4 doesn’t have one. Oh well.
Check out a full photo gallery after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Like Camry…. Am I the first to comment? Hahaha
First glance i taught i was looking at Lexus GS300.
Nice one.
Like A Camry…Loose subaru genetics
"The absence of a real parking brake that’s been replaced by a new electronic parking brake will be kinda disappointing."
Well, i think this car is to aim those customer who needed more luxury package compare to normal impreza. So the new stuff is just an attration to those ppl..
from centre rear view, the lights look like BMW 3-coupe..
Ugly front end – again?
Subaru just never learnt the lesson, over and over again..
Weird front grill, but hope the engine is fantastic or if not better as per earlier model.
Where is the hood scope? Subaru is getting more and more pussy design.
Rear lights can be done better. Extended red light (to boot cover) but interrupted signal / reverse light seems not coherent.
i have no idea what subaru are doing.. they're getting from bad to worse.. theres no more such thing as a subaru DNA anymore. i really dont know what to say about the look of this legacy.
rear looks like a honda accord! yeah i truly agree with losing its DNA..in this situation porsche still got their own identity.
subaru legacy
not have legacy anymore….
Funny,a Toyota owned marque trying to look like its competitor Honda.
Subaru's interior always looks good indeed!
F**k toyota for screwing Subaru! This is Camry with Boxer & AWD, not true to Legacy legacy.
nothing nice here…..
disappointing design….
Wat da heck?!
Man…Subaru designers is getting from bad to worse! That's seriously ugly front fascia…
This car resembled plenty of car like camry, lexus, bmw(the rear light) and new Honda city. The design not SoBARU anymore.
This is so Toyota-ish! blame toyota designers for this.. they have just killed the Legacy instantly..
subaru have just shoot itself in the head.
it is simply a toyota with subaru badge on it. toyota has one big problem their lineup are almost the same which they doesn't really care the tradition of the original car of it.
where is the famous and trademark of subaru's pillarless windows ? the nice shape of the sedan WRX is now a hatch with pillar windows. things just got wrong.
I thought is was a Toyota.
subaru is now toyotas, and as usual, toyotas all look the same.
as adrianclw said, it looks like a lexus gs.
quite a souless car if u ask me, nothing shouts this is a subaru. subaru is now a boring car.
rears look seems like new accord….
this is what i said so in earlier post (about subaru in toyota).
toyota scuks.. they kill the subaru's image.
they kill the subaru's spirit. they kill subaru's soul.
they just made subaru as a slave. s3x slave maybe.
yes.. subaru now is a damn boring car. just like their mofo toyota.
not bad ..
the rims looks like they took from bmw ..
Why does the back screams previous-gen 7-series to me?
And the front is a lil in the ugly side.
Nice, but looks like a toyota, If keep up this trend, then people will just say subaru is just a toyota with a badge. Something what infiniti is to nissan
hmm.. seems like.. lexus GS and chevy epica got drunk one nite… n………..
love its gear knob tho…
I find that behind also looks like BMW 3 series coupe! Very disappointed.. I wonder why Subaru will make the design like OMG! Crazy… The old 1 is much better!
Good job Subaru,
you use "save the earth concept" by recycle the old design…
But with less charming looks…
too toyota!
love that drivetrain, plenty of power wohoo![quote comment="226457"]this is what i said so in earlier post (about subaru in toyota).
toyota scuks.. they kill the subaru's image.
they kill the subaru's spirit. they kill subaru's soul.
they just made subaru as a slave. s3x slave maybe.
yes.. subaru now is a damn boring car. just like their mofo toyota.[/quote]
dey, got nothin good to say, screw off la mofo hater…….
[quote comment="226544"]love that drivetrain, plenty of power wohoo![quote comment="226457"]this is what i said so in earlier post (about subaru in toyota).
toyota scuks.. they kill the subaru's image.
they kill the subaru's spirit. they kill subaru's soul.
they just made subaru as a slave. s3x slave maybe.
yes.. subaru now is a damn boring car. just like their mofo toyota.[/quote]
dey, got nothin good to say, screw off la mofo hater…….[/quote]
You know what? you're just sooo toyota fan.
you know nothing what subaru should be.
i think the car now just 'drive like toyota'.
no aggresive spirit of subaru at all.
boring.. boring…
just compare the last legacy sti vs this.. this is soooo boring!
looks kinda dated… even before launch.
[quote comment="226589"][quote comment="226544"]love that drivetrain, plenty of power wohoo![quote comment="226457"]this is what i said so in earlier post (about subaru in toyota).
toyota scuks.. they kill the subaru's image.
they kill the subaru's spirit. they kill subaru's soul.
they just made subaru as a slave. s3x slave maybe.
yes.. subaru now is a damn boring car. just like their mofo toyota.[/quote]
dey, got nothin good to say, screw off la mofo hater…….[/quote]
You know what? you're just sooo toyota fan.
you know nothing what subaru should be.
i think the car now just 'drive like toyota'.
no aggresive spirit of subaru at all.
boring.. boring…
just compare the last legacy sti vs this.. this is soooo boring![/quote]
oh, and i suppose you know all bout subarus?? wo, aint that ironic?? and youre not even a fan, …lame.yes im soooooooo toyota fan, got a problem?? to bad and u can continue hating.
its boring coz youre just numb.what u thinking subarus are all bout aggresive??
drive like toyota??which toyota?? prado drives like a truck, supra can kill m3s , so which is it??
lalalala…………..
toyota fan also boring.. just like toyota.. yawn…