10 Subaru Legacy A few weeks ago,  I was in the Seattle area for a press preview and test drive of the all new 2010 Subaru Legacy.  Fantastic – the trip and the car.  The Subaru folks have made a vehicle that is really great and will be attractive to a lot of families.             The Legacy has been around since 1989 but hasn’t attracted a whole lot of attention.  It was good, but small and did not offer much to the driver.  That has all changed with this new 5th generation.

The Legacy has been around since 1989 but hasn’t attracted a whole lot of attention.  It was good, but small and did not offer much to the driver.  That has all changed with this new 5th generation.  They have increased the car in all directions.  It has a larger cabin, larger wheelbase, and is larger overall.  The seat comfort has been enhanced.  The 2.5 liter Boxer engine has been improved.  It is rated at 31 mpg by the EPA, and remember that this is an All-Wheel-Drive vehicle.  An electronic parking brake is a new addition.  It has bold and sporty styling.  The legroom, headroom, and elbow room are very generous.

            The trip was one of the best I have enjoyed for quite a while.  Subaru certainly got the attention of the journalists on this one.  We began in Seattle by having a preview briefing at the base of the Space Needle.  We were in the large building that houses the Science Fiction Museum and the Experience Music Project.  It houses one of the largest collections of guitars in the United States.  We left the Space Needle and boarded sea planes at Kenmore Harbor, flying over Puget Sound, landing on the water just off Kingston.  At that point we grabbed maps and driving partners and headed out in the new Subaru Legacy.

            In addition to all the roominess, one of the first things noticed about this car was the powertrain and the performance.  It is All Wheel Drive and even offers a new 6 speed manual shift.  Most of you know I prefer manual shift most of the time.  There is even a Turbo Engine that allows this car to get-up-and-go without even the slightest hesitation.

            We drove north across the Kitsap Peninsula and towards Port Ludlow, turning south to Quillcene Bay.  We followed the road around the west side of Dabob Bay through Brennan and the Dosewallips State Park.  The trees were tall and the bay was beautiful.  We took turns driving or navigating, winding our way through small fishing villages, over stretches of water, and climbing small mountains at the beginning of the Olympic Mountains at Olympic National Park.  We tried out everything on the Subaru Legacy, including the paddle shifters for manual control on the automatic transmission.  We took turns riding in the back seat.  We used the new ECO gauge to monitor our gas efficiency.  There is not much that can be said negative about this new Legacy sedan.

            The backs of the front seats have been hollowed out somewhat to provide additional knee-room for the backseat passengers.  The center console is really large with two compartments.  The trunk is spacious and the trunk opening is very wide.  The windows are all framed, like those old cars in our childhood memories.  The framing allows a better closing feel and reduces wind noise.  The Harmon Kardon sound system has nine speakers and can blast you up to 440 watts.  The Navigation system has been upgraded significantly, allowing touch screen controls on a large 8 inch screen.

            It was difficult at times to pay attention to our driving due to the gorgeous scenery.  There are several engine choices, although the most popular will probably be the 2.5 liter standard 4 cylinder that puts out 170 hp.  The 2.5 turbo 4 cylinder provides 265 hp, which is a noticeable difference if you want to accelerate a lot.  A new 3.6 liter 6 cylinder engine is available.  The engines are matched to either a six speed automatic or a six speed manual transmission.
            The All-Wheel-Drive is part of the Subaru DNA.  It is always on and you normally are not even aware of it.  But in difficult situations with sand, snow, ice, mud, and such, the AWD is terrific.  It doesn’t have the full power of a four-wheel-drive Land Rover or Hummer, but the AWD Subaru can certainly compete with the big boys in most off-road situations.

            The new Electronic Parking Brake is impressive.  It engages automatically after a few seconds, even if you are sitting at a long traffic signal or waiting on a passing train.  It automatically releases when the gas pedal is touched, whether in forward or reverse.  There is a push-button control on the dash as well.
           
After a seafood lunch on the south side of the Hood Canal, we headed back north, re-tracing our drive, eventually ending up at Bainbridge Island.  We boarded a large yacht for a leisurely ride back across the Sound, docking at a downtown wharf in Seattle.  It was interesting to have the large ferries passing us, seeming to be going at a fast pace.

            Subaru’s are durable vehicles.  They last a really long time and are not one of those throw-away models.  People that have ever owned one will say they loved it.  Judy and I owned a Subaru for a long, long time and it was one of the best vehicles we every owned.  It was dependable and almost trouble-free.

            The best part about the Subaru legacy is the prices.  The low end starts at $19,995.  The probably average seller will be about $23 to $24,000.  The high end loaded with a bunch of extras will approach $30,000.  This is a mid-size sedan and will compete with the Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, Mazda 6, Toyota Camry, and Honda Accord.  The most noticeable difference with the Subaru Legacy is that it offers All-Wheel-Drive for about the same dollar amount as the others offer standard drive.

            Check out this great car yourself at a Subaru dealer and see what you think about the Legacy.