Find Reviews by Make:
The next generation Subaru Legacy is headed upmarket, with a new 3.6 liter boxer six (hello Zuffenhausen!) and six-speed transmission. Familiar 3.0 and 2.5 liter boxer engines should return, and will be joined by the world’s only diesel boxer; a 2.0 four-banger that will almost certainly not make it to the States. More details when the Legacy Concept previews the new look of Legacy at the Detroit Auto Show. If there still is a Detroit Auto Show.
WTF are you doing Subaru. My beloved Legacy. I’ll leave final judgement for when I can see the whole thing but right now it looks a little too much like a G35 copy. Every 6 months Subaru losses it’s way a little more.
Going up in engine size doesn’t look very smart right now with fuel economy on everyones mind.
Robert EDIT doesn’t work again.
It’s nice, but it’s no Kia Soul.
Fuel economy was never a Subaru strength, and with the old engines still available I don’t see the harm.
Is that related to the boxer 3.6L six in the Tribeca?
You can tell that someone at Subaru was offended that people didn’t appreciate the design brilliance of the Impreza and Tribeca’s grille, because they’re trying to slip it in for a third go.
Resembles a Cylon ala Battlestar Galactica
It would almost seem that they are following Toyota and Honda with model bloat. The current Impreza is about the size of a 1st gen Legacy while the Legacy has porked up to near full size dimensions.
Subaru has always ventured off the beaten path when it comes to their styling. The 1st gen Legacy was ahead of its time and I’m a big fan of the current Legacy. On the other had the 1st Gen Tribeca was a disaster. They have had other oddities like the BRAT and Baja pickups or the mini window on the SVX.
Subaru has offered a larger engine that only goes into a a relative handful of higher trim lines.
Now if they would only bring the Diesel to the USDM!
Personally I like it. The Legacy GT will be a 6 Speed Manual only, and the cloth option returns. The 3.6L should be practically identical to the Tribeca, and frankly I think it’s a good idea. Doesn’t need premium (not that I care, but the average buyer is fickle), is not peaky like the turbo 2.5, and allows them to compete against other 6 cylinder offerings.
I think it’s a good move all around, but don’t expect the headlights to stay like this.
Hands off Farago!! Don’t ruin it for me with more airborne genitalia metaphors.
Interesting – I’ll reserve judgment until I see the whole car. Subaru has already reached for “upmarket” as their pricing dictates. Success? Notasmuch.
IMHO the styling peaked in ’05-07… the ’08 refresh looks kinda hodge-podge. Of course I’m biased with my ’05 OBXT.
Fuel economy? Yeah right. I gave up on that long ago… and the diesel is just a righteous tease. (as is a 6-spd manual).
@RedBarchetta,
The 3.6 returns just about the same mileage, and some more “torques” as our English, Tesla-disparaging friend would say.
Significantly, though, unlike the 3.0 H-6, the 3.6 runs on regular unleaded instead of the premium required by the 3.0 providing lower cost of operating consistent with the needs shoppers in the “Flying” Tribeca’s market segment.
On the new Legacy:
Exciting!
Hopefully Subaru will continue to take advantage of the low height of their engines and offer a saloon AND wagon with a low cowl height and downward sloping hoodline. The design of the Exiga, which was purported as a harbinger of the next-gen Outback makes me worry that Subaru will “jack-up” all their cars to Outback height. That would be a real shame especially as it’s not like they have to house an LS7 under the hood.
Exiga pics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_Exiga
This should work out as long as Subaru is able to keep the weight, body roll, and pricing under control.
On the other hand, I think they are going to have a tough time getting significant numbers of people to cross shop Subaru vs. BMW or Lexus.
dgduris:
amen on the cowl height!
i have a legacy GT, and the low cowl doesn’t make its presence known until i’m in someone else’s car. other cars make me feel like i’m driving a ship or a tank or something.
i’m as tall as the roof in the LGT allows, so visibility in *any* car (minus a 1977 thunderbird) should not be a problem for me, but the legacy provides MUCH better visibility than most other cars. i hope they don’t screw it up.
i hope they offer a GT wagon that isn’t an outback this time. i have a feeling they won’t, but that’s okay. model bloat means i can get a five door WRX hatch that’s as big as an old legacy.
Redbarchetta : They are supposed to have done a HUGE improvement to the 09 WRX vs the 08. It’s supposedly as fast as my 05 STi these days (I still don’t regret my purchase). Add in some aftermarket handling bits & you have an STi for MUCH less than an old STi.
I can’t wait to see what the final/new legacy looks like. I’d seriously look at a base legacy wagon as a replacement for my wifes 9+ year old car a few years down the road.
Power is not important to me (I have an STi already) but handling is.
@rochskier,
Hopefully they won’t go too much up-market.
I’ll match the interior of my 2006 Spec. B (oxblood leather + aluminum trim) with any of the Euro saloons any day. Considering the great driving dynamics and ability to avoid the “Auto Spa”, Subaru’s ability to beat the BMAUMBs in the content per dollar analysis could serve them well as the economy tightens.
Actually, they will have a hard time going too far upmarket anyway. Have you seen many Subaru dealerships? I mean, where would they put the latte’ machine?
It’s funny how many of us who read this site have LGT’s, WRX’s or STi’s. Plus, Megan Benoit who contributes to TTAC has an LGT.
Anyhow, the addition of the 3.6 as an engine option for the Legacy was rumored as soon as Subaru announced it as a replacement for the horrible 3.0 in the “Flying V.” I’m glad it wasn’t just a rumor and can’t wait to see a review.
Subie has been getting the Legacy right and the Impreza wrong for a long time. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. BTW the JDM B4 Legacy is a thing of beauty and the Legacy generally is one of the best designs on the road.
The headlights are goofy looking and the grill looks like it came off of the Toyota Tundra. Will probably be the same front end used for the Outback and Baja versions.