‘THE SUV OF SEDANS’
Subaru embraces normalcy with four-doors aimed as an alternative to crossover craze
VERNON, B.C. For a company that used to embrace weirdness — SVX, XT, BRAT, Baja, anyone? — Subaru has spent much of the 21st century becoming decidedly conventional.
Not that going mainstream has done the manufacturer any harm; its sales growth, at least in North America, has outpaced most of its rivals. Still, when it comes to its cars, Subaru is turning into a Japanese version of what Volvo used to be (with the exception of the street hoodlum WRX STI versions): safe, long lasting and kind of plain.
Which brings us to the new Legacy, a genuinely affordable, honest, mid-size, all-wheeldrive, four-door family sedan that is seemingly a perfect fit for Canadian drivers. Those are a lot of qualifiers, but for those tired of seeing crossovers of various types and sizes in every driveway, the 2020 Legacy delivers the goods with pretty much the same four-season capability as the higher-riding soft-roaders. In fact, the tagline for the new model’s launch is “the SUV of sedans.”
And, for those who prefer a bit more zip in their daily commutes, good news: The seventh-generation sedan sees the return of the turbocharged GT models, offering a sportier and more engaging driving experience.
The turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer four-cylinder engine, first introduced in the Ascent crossover, pumps out a solid 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, a significant jump compared with the base models’ (Convenience, Touring, Limited and Premier) normally aspirated, 182-hp, 2.5-L four. Both engines are mated to a continuously variable transmission with eight discrete “steps” built in, so Subaru isn’t building supersport four-doors here.
There are a lot of subtle improvements, starting with small increases in length (up 38 millimetres) and wheelbase that result in more room for occupants and a small uptick in cargo space. A base engine overhauled with 90 per cent new parts — as well as direct injection and auto start/stop — an all-new suspension, torque vectoring on all wheels, greater fuel efficiency, improved aerodynamics, more sound deadening, added content, tablet-style infotainment system, upgrades to the EyeSight safety system — and the list goes on.
In testing Subaru’s vaunted full-time all-wheel-drive system on a Limited model ($34,295), we started the morning drive route north on Highway 97 in the Okanagan Valley before venturing onto various undulating back roads, including some gravel stretches, to test out the effectiveness of the new Legacy’s additional sound deadening. The car was impressively quiet over the entire route, no matter the road surface. Equally deserving of praise is the sedan’s ride and handling. The car, whether powered by the 2.5 L or the turbo 2.0 L, offered well-damped suspension with sporty agility and a light touch to the steering on the twisty bits.
The 2.5-L boxer four is certainly smoother and quieter than the engine in the previous-generation Legacy, the caveat being that Subaru boxer motors have an inherent coarseness to them, especially on startup. The bigger issue is a lack of solid mid-range zip, the engine requiring a heavier foot on the gas pedal when it comes to passing power.
Jumping into a Limited GT version ($37,095) highlighted what an additional 78 hp will bring to the table. The turbo four spooled up quickly and gave the Legacy decidedly more urge when additional acceleration was required (zero to 100 km/h in just over six seconds). More noticeable with this engine, however, was that the CVT seemed to lag a bit when big throttle was applied.
Inside, the Legacy cabin — at least the tested Limited and Limited GT trims — is striking in both content and execution. The most conspicuous improvement is the upgraded infotainment system, integrated into a vertically mounted 11.6-inch tablet-style touch screen (except the base Convenience trim, which gets dual seven-inch touch screens) that incorporates vehicle, HVAC, navigation and multimedia controls. Other features include a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, driver’s seat and mirror memory function, and adjustable driver’s seat cushion length.
Yes, the overall passenger-car market is in serious decline and, yes, Subaru Canada will readily admit the Legacy has long suffered from low brand awareness. Yet the company says that sales volume still justifies the new model.
The 2020 Legacy is available in six trim levels and pricing starts at $26,395 for the Convenience and tops out at $39,095 for the Premier GT. The car will arrive in dealerships this fall.
Driving.ca