BOWMANVILLE, ONT. – It ain’t easy being a midsize sedan in today’s SUV craze. The infants brought home from the hospital in them are now buying trucks, while their grandparents, who proudly took photos alongside theirs to paste in the family scrapbook, are now opting for the taller seating of a crossover.
Cars are down, SUVs are up, and what’s an automaker to do? In Subaru’s case, it opens the shop doors and sends its Legacy – a model it’s been building since 1989 – and tunes it with a refresh for 2018. The restyling updates the sixth generation of the Legacy, introduced for the 2015 model year. Similar changes are also made to the 2018 Outback, the crossover-sport-ute that’s based on the Legacy.
The Legacy continues to offer two engines: A 2.5-litre four-cylinder making 175 horsepower and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, and 3.6L six-cylinder producing 256 horsepower and 247 lb.-ft. of torque, both with Subaru’s signature horizontally opposed configuration. They’re essentially unchanged, save for some weight and friction reductions in the four-cylinder to reduce vibration and help with fuel consumption.
Given that only three per cent of buyers opted for a manual transmission, Subaru has dropped it in the Legacy, and only the continuously variable transmission (CVT) remains. It’s not a great loss, as the manual was a rather unsporty unit placed mostly for price. On four-cylinder models, the CVT receives improvements for sound reduction and efficiency, and all trims get tweaks to their throttle and brake response, the gearshift lever, and to the suspension for a smoother ride.
Between dropping the stick shift and changing some of the options, Subaru has reduced the number of available trim levels from twelve to six. The 2.5i starts at $24,995, a rise of $200 over the same model in 2017 (if you’re comparing last year’s base price, remember that it was for the manual transmission), and goes up to a high of $33,795. The six-cylinder 3.6R comes in a single top-line trim level for $36,795.
All models include all-wheel drive, which under most conditions delivers 60 per cent of power to the front wheels. Subaru’s famous “symmetrical” all-wheel system doesn’t mean equal power to each tire, but to the way the components are placed as a mirror image on either side of the axis, which the company says gives the vehicle better balance.
The Legacy styling tightens up handsomely with a new grille, revised bumpers and headlights, and a new wheel design for the 2.5i. Inside, there’s a new steering wheel, improved air conditioning, laminated side windows for noise reduction, and extra USB ports in the rear console. The infotainment system has also evolved, with larger screens and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity on all trim levels.
Subaru’s EyeSight is now standard equipment on the Sport and Limited trims, as well as optional on the Touring, but unavailable only on the base 2.5i. The system includes safety technologies such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping warning and assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, and pre-collision braking and throttle management. All of this is handled through a stereoscopic camera above the rearview mirror – the “eye” in EyeSight – which Subaru says provides these higher-tech features at a mainstream price.
I drove both the four- and six-cylinder models, both on the road and on a track for handling assessment. The Legacy is a heavy vehicle, which is a plus-and-minus. The weight cuts down on how quickly you get off the line, especially in the 2.5i, and this is not about snappy acceleration. On the other hand, it feels pleasantly solid and substantial. The ride is smoother and quieter than I recall from previous Legacy models, too.
There are sportier models in this segment, but the Legacy isn’t running with that crowd. There’s relatively little steering feel, and while it goes where you point it, the response is smooth rather than quick. But all of that is okay, because drivers are all different, and those who want a comfortable cruiser will find it here. The six-cylinder naturally gives you more passing power on the highway, but the volume-selling 2.5i gets the job done.
The cabin is roomy, in both the front and rear seats. Subaru has been gradually improving its quirky interiors, and the Legacy’s layout is plain but practical. The larger infotainment screen results in bigger, easier-to-tap icons, while all of the climate controls, including the heated seats, are hard buttons, as they should be – I hate having to go through computer pages to reach the stuff that should be instantly reachable, such as turning down a suddenly-too-hot chair. My new gotta-have-it feature, a heated steering wheel, is included on the Limited trim levels (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it on a cold morning – you’ll fall in love with it, too).
This car’s big appeal for many Canadians is its all-wheel drive. When you’re cross-shopping, remember to account for this feature if you’re comparing models that don’t have it. The Legacy is caught in the downturn all larger sedans are facing, far eclipsed by its Outback sport-ute sibling, but check it out anyway. Really, it’s okay to buck the anti-sedan trend.
