Legacy/Outback Reviews & Articles List

[sandwood]

Edmunds now has a December update on their longterm LGT...

[mycl]

Legacy Spec B Review. Just another one of those rave reviews.... "The big question about the 3.0R Spec.B is not about its abilities, but where it fits into the scheme of things. The beauty of this super-Sub is that it doesn't, really: it crosses over into Legacy GT territory but is also capable and classy enough to give genuine prestige models like the $100k-plus Audi A4 3.0 Quattro a real hurry-up. It's something special." [url]http://xtramsn.co.nz/motoring/0,,6429-4006351,00.html[/url]

[miles]

The International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) were presented at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. [url="http://autoshow.msn.com/as/article.aspx?xml=ICOTY&shw=autoshow2005"]http://autoshow.msn.com/as/article.aspx?xml=ICOTY&shw=autoshow2005[/url] Subaru Legacy 2.5i won "Most Dependable Sedan".

[iuksob03]

MSN Autos proclaims B9 Tribeca as one of its "losers" of the auto show. Take a guess about what they didn't like about it. [url]http://autoshow.msn.com/as/article.aspx?xml=winners&shw=autoshow2005&src=News[/url]

[mycl]

[url]http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,13229,00.html[/url] A Jeremy Clarkson opinion that the Subaru Legacy 2.5 outranks a Benz E320 CDI for "exceutive cars" ....

[miles]

[quote name='mycl']Worth posting here i thought.... Liberty (Legacy) 3.0RB/GT pretty much the car of the year in the Australian press (if you exclude the SUV of the year - "ford territory") [url="http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_page/0,8269,12066133%255E21822,00.html"]http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_page/0,8269,12066133%255E21822,00.html[/url] Was judged overall better than the EVO, BMW 5 etc..... just a little more confirmation for all of you who own these wonderful cars....[/QUOTE]

[godwhomismike]

The Legacy is high on Edmund's Top 10 AWD/4WD Vehicles for 2005 list: Check it out here: [url]http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/104466/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..recedmunds.topten.3.*[/url] :D - Mike

[fancub]

If the R32 were as dependable as the WRX STi, then I would agree. As a VW VR6 and LGT owner, I can tell you there is no comparison in overall quality of these cars. Evere heard of [url]www.myvwlemon.com?[/url] It boggles the mind how they are still in business.:)

[leehamster]

This was reported in separate thread, but looks like it never made it on this one. [url="http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/02/28/cx_mf_0228test.html"]http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/02/28/cx_mf_0228test.html[/url]

[mycl]

An excellent Liberty/Legacy GT Review ... from carsales.com.au [url]http://editorial.carsales.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/RT/F36E87986AFB143FCA256FC70026D6BC_Our+Opinion?OpenDocument[/url]

[Colonel Angus]

[quote name='leehamster']This was reported in separate thread, but looks like it never made it on this one. [url="http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/02/28/cx_mf_0228test.html"]http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/02/28/cx_mf_0228test.html[/url][/QUOTE] subaru must have a limited production V-4 engine that we dont know of:D [QUOTE]At, say, 65 mph, with a V-6 under the hood like that of the Infiniti G35, there's enough displacement to call upon for passing. [b]But with the Legacy's smaller V-4 engine[/b], you need to be in fourth gear if you expect to get anywhere in a hurry.[QUOTE]

[seahawksubie]

:cool: Hi everyone - not sure if this is listed elsewhere but R&T just came out with their '26 Great Cars' 2005 Road Test issue - does a comparo between the Legacy GT and the Acura TSX. Some good points for both cars but in the end, the GT won out on R&Ts rating scale. I actually took a TSX out yesterday - finish as expected is great but seems to be a bit sluggish performance-wise against the GT. Only thing I liked better about the TSX is that for $36KCDN, you basically get the optioned-out Subaru Limited version (sunroof, leather etc.). That would add about $6K CDN to upgrade to the Limited - of course, you don't get 250 hp/250 lb ft torque or AWD.

[leehamster]

Some discussion from the original publication. [url="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3099"]http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3099[/url] [url="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3001"]http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3001[/url] [url="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2760"]http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2760[/url]

[TSiWRX]

_C&D_'s latest A4 article (June, 2005) has the LGT on its comparison bar-graphs at the end. -A

[phuzaxeman]

read this and tell me what you think. [url="http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/subaru/legacy/100396955/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=103180&editorialpage=page002"]http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/subaru/legacy/100396955/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=103180&editorialpage=page002[/url]

[wukindada]

[b]Coolbluelb[/b] I am in lakeland too.....small world:)

[SubieDriver]

Saw this today - It was posted on or before July 1st. [url]http://cars.about.com/od/subaru/fr/jf_05_sub_leggt.htm[/url] [b]2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan Test Drive[/b] from Jason Fogelson How does it look? It's got a great personality! I admit it. I'm a juvenile. I love a good turbo, and the 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan has a great one. Add a slick 5 speed manual, standard all-wheel drive, a 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, and the 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan starts to look like a bargain at a base price of $28,595 ($30,354 as tested). Perched between the crunchy granola Outback and the boy racer WRX in the Subaru lineup, the Legacy has charms all its own. [b]First Glance[/b] So, I have this friend you should get to know. She's got a great personality, she's really fun, comfortable and a great performer. Looks? Well, she's got a great personality! Okay, so the Legacy Sedan has kind of a funny looking nose. It's round, and a little bulbous, and it doesn't really fit with the rest of the body. There's a bump in the middle, an air intake that bulges the hood in the center. The sides and back of the Legacy are more linear, with straighter lines running front to rear and big, functional tail lights and a flat deck lid. The optional spoiler and Atlantic Blue Pearl paint ($380) were well applied, and there's a definite feeling of quality construction from stem to stern. The projector style headlights are high-tech looking, and sleekly enclosed behind plexi covers. The individual pieces may work well, but put them together the result is underwhelming. It's not that the Legacy is an ugly car, because it isn't. It's just trapped in-between genres, with some of the unique styling of the Subaru family tempered by a more sedate, mature look. That might be a good thing, though, because you're going to want some stealth ability once you get this car moving on the road. Like I said, she's got a great personality. [b]In the Driver's Seat[/b] The first hint that the Legacy GT is something special comes when you sit down behind the wheel. This is a driver's car. The supportive seat has an 8-way power adjustment, and the leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel is tilt-adjustable. It's easy to find a performance driving position. The instrument panel is clear and efficient, with big red needles sweeping across the tachometer and speedometer in the center of the cluster right above the wheel. Subaru has not cluttered the steering wheel with F1-style controls, choosing instead to add a lever behind the wheel for the cruise control switches. The center stack of climate and radio controls features large buttons and dials, which are very easy to find and operate. A small compartment at the top of the center stack is just the right size for a cell phone and a pair of sunglasses, but a sticker inside warns that the compartment may get hot, so I'm not sure what you could actually keep in there safely -- certainly not candy bars. I'm not a big fan of fake wood, but the woodgrain accents on the dash pillars of the Legacy don't look half bad. The power moonroof is a nice addition, especially the tilt-up feature that's great for letting in a little fresh air while burning up the road. [b]On the Road[/b] There are cars that just beg to be driven fast, cars that taunt you to test the limits of your drivers license and insurance rate. The Legacy GT is one of those cars. The 2.5 liter 4-cylinder boxer engine is turbocharged and cranks out 250 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. That translates to rocket-like acceleration off the line, and great power throughout the rev range. If you like jackrabbit starts and cheetah bursts of power, you're going to love the Legacy GT. In the old days of turbocharging, when you pressed down on the gas pedal you'd have to wait a second before the turbo pressure built up enough to produce power, and then it came on in a hurry. We called it "turbo lag," and it could be treacherous and hard to control. Subaru has tamed turbo lag, and the Legacy GT can be driven in a safe and sane manner (if you have self-control), while still taking advantage of the great performance. The rest of the car is up to the challenge as well, with a firm suspension, great 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and Subaru's standard All-Wheel Driving System. The Legacy GT is capable of charging around corners and curves with abandon. This car is a siren, beckoning you to drive hard every time you get behind the wheel. It's a whole lot of fun. [b]Journey's End[/b] My very first car was a Subaru, a used 1972 GL 1200 that I abused mercilessly while I was in high school. I gained a lot of respect for Subaru through my abuse. The old GL never let me down, no matter how badly I treated it. Subaru owners tend to be very loyal to the brand, and it's easy to see why. The Legacy GT Sedan is a unique vehicle. It may not appeal to you at first glance, but it will make its case the second you drive it. The Legacy GT lineup also includes a Wagon, which I think is more attractive than the Sedan and adds utility for an upcharge of about $1000. The EPA estimates that you can expect 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway from the Legacy GT, though I'd expect the low end of the range if you drive with a lead foot like I do. In terms of price, the Legacy is in the same league as the Audi A4, Saab 9-3 and Volvo S40; though it will blow the doors off of all of 'em. If you lust after a Mitsubishi Evo or Subaru WRX but can't see yourself surviving the punishment or the stares on a daily basis, the Subaru Legacy GT Sedan is a car to consider. You'll get a car you can drive hard without being pushed to your own limits. If you agree that looks aren't everything, you can have a very fulfilling relationship with the Legacy GT.

[emorphien]

[quote name='SubieDriver']In terms of price, the Legacy is in the same league as the Audi A4, Saab 9-3 and Volvo S40; though it will blow the doors off of all of 'em.[/QUOTE] gotta love that

[needforsleep]

[url="http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102657"]http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102657[/url] beats a S4 from 0 to 60?

[IwannaSportSedan]

[QUOTE=Jason Fogelson's Article, Posted by SubieDriver] [url]http://cars.about.com/od/subaru/fr/jf_05_sub_leggt.htm[/url] [b]2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan Test Drive[/b] How does it look? It's got a great personality! I admit it. I'm a juvenile. I love a good turbo, and the 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan has a great one. Add a slick 5 speed manual, standard all-wheel drive, a 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, and the 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited Sedan starts to look like a bargain at a base price of $28,595 ($30,354 as tested). Perched between the crunchy granola Outback and the boy racer WRX in the Subaru lineup, the Legacy has charms all its own. [/QUOTE] So nice that he mentions the Manual Transmission. Good thing he isn't testing an 06 LGT Wagon. [QUOTE] [b]First Glance[/b] So, I have this friend you should get to know. She's got a great personality, she's really fun, comfortable and a great performer. Looks? Well, she's got a great personality! Okay, so the Legacy Sedan has kind of a funny looking nose. It's round, and a little bulbous, and it doesn't really fit with the rest of the body. There's a bump in the middle, an air intake that bulges the hood in the center. The sides and back of the Legacy are more linear, with straighter lines running front to rear and big, functional tail lights and a flat deck lid. The optional spoiler and Atlantic Blue Pearl paint ($380) were well applied, and there's a definite feeling of quality construction from stem to stern. The projector style headlights are high-tech looking, and sleekly enclosed behind plexi covers. The individual pieces may work well, but put them together the result is underwhelming. It's not that the Legacy is an ugly car, because it isn't. It's just trapped in-between genres, with some of the unique styling of the Subaru family tempered by a more sedate, mature look. That might be a good thing, though, because you're going to want some stealth ability once you get this car moving on the road. Like I said, she's got a great personality. [/QUOTE] I'll bet that this part of the article would be written MUCH differently if he were driving a JDM/ROW spec car, with the shorter, less "bulbous" nose. The Hood scoop thing looks great, so I have no idea what the qualm about that is. He needs to make up his mind... is it underwhelming, or is it stealthy? If it werent a bit of the former, the latter wouldn't be true, either. Personally, other than the distended USDM bumper, I think the LGT looks as good as any 4 door out there. The latest de-cladded Pontiac Bonneville is about the only thing that looks as good with 4 doors, but it has other shortcomings, like FWD, and a GM build tag. [QUOTE] [b]In the Driver's Seat[/b] The first hint that the Legacy GT is something special comes when you sit down behind the wheel. This is a driver's car. -snip- I'm not a big fan of fake wood, but the woodgrain accents on the dash pillars of the Legacy don't look half bad. [/QUOTE] I agree on the driver's car bit, but the fake woodgrain? This is calling the author's aesthetic taste into question... The fake woodgrain in the Taupe interior looks like crap! I still wonder if a can of krylon clearcoat and a couple of coats would make the woodgrain peices look a little more natural with a smooth shine, as if it were slightly closer to urethane-treated wood. [QUOTE] [b]On the Road[/b] There are cars that just beg to be driven fast, cars that taunt you to test the limits of your drivers license and insurance rate. The Legacy GT is one of those cars. The 2.5 liter 4-cylinder boxer engine is turbocharged and cranks out 250 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. That translates to rocket-like acceleration off the line, and great power throughout the rev range. If you like jackrabbit starts and cheetah bursts of power, you're going to love the Legacy GT. In the old days of turbocharging, when you pressed down on the gas pedal you'd have to wait a second before the turbo pressure built up enough to produce power, and then it came on in a hurry. We called it "turbo lag," and it could be treacherous and hard to control. Subaru has tamed turbo lag, and the Legacy GT can be driven in a safe and sane manner (if you have self-control), while still taking advantage of the great performance. The rest of the car is up to the challenge as well, with a firm suspension, great 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and Subaru's standard All-Wheel Driving System. The Legacy GT is capable of charging around corners and curves with abandon. This car is a siren, beckoning you to drive hard every time you get behind the wheel. It's a whole lot of fun. [/QUOTE] This is the kind of press that needs further circulation, and the kind of thing that SOA needs to read and internalize before cutting more of the performance out of the Legacy line, before there is nothing left but a mundane AWD sedan. This car should be marketed HEAVILY as an affordible SPORT-sedan and SPORT-wagon. It is more than a grocery-getter alternative to an Outback semi-SUV. [QUOTE] [b]Journey's End[/b] My very first car was a Subaru, a used 1972 GL 1200 that I abused mercilessly while I was in high school. I gained a lot of respect for Subaru through my abuse. The old GL never let me down, no matter how badly I treated it. Subaru owners tend to be very loyal to the brand, and it's easy to see why. The Legacy GT Sedan is a unique vehicle. It may not appeal to you at first glance, but it will make its case the second you drive it. The Legacy GT lineup also includes a Wagon, which I think is more attractive than the Sedan and adds utility for an upcharge of about $1000. The EPA estimates that you can expect 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway from the Legacy GT, though I'd expect the low end of the range if you drive with a lead foot like I do. In terms of price, the Legacy is in the same league as the Audi A4, Saab 9-3 and Volvo S40; though it will blow the doors off of all of 'em. If you lust after a Mitsubishi Evo or Subaru WRX but can't see yourself surviving the punishment or the stares on a daily basis, the Subaru Legacy GT Sedan is a car to consider. You'll get a car you can drive hard without being pushed to your own limits. If you agree that looks aren't everything, you can have a very fulfilling relationship with the Legacy GT.[/QUOTE] Don't the Audi, Saab, and Volvo all come with FWD? AWD optional, except the Saab, which doesn't even have that? Same price league? Option the europeans accordingly (or a G35x, for that matter...) and then talk price. More like undercutting them on price by a good margin, and blowing them away, performance wise, and probably more reliable than the three put together. Anyway, thanks SubieDriver for posting it, I always like to read positive press about the LGT. I think it gets far less than it's share.

[mycl]

Edmunds wrap up long term test of the LGT. [url]http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/LongTerm/articleId=103180[/url] WTF - a 'family' car only? and 'not quite a sport sedan' ... ?!?!?!?

[IwannaSportSedan]

It all comes back to the suspension. They keep going back to that again and again, as well as the LATCH bar in the rear seat for child safey seats... One is a big deal, the other seems less of a regular issue. I hope Subaru reads this. They need to sell their 500 Spec Bs, and then make it a $2k option to put the Spec B suspension on ANY legacy GT, wagon or sedan. WITH BETTER TIRES. I guess we all know what the upgrade path is... Tires -> Brake Pads/stainless lines -> Springs/struts or coil overs -> AP Stage I or II-with-Exhaust... I'd love for edmunds to try and say that such a modded car (potentially no visual differences from stock) is not a real sport sedan, and not quite up to the others... Even though with those mods it is probably cheaper than all of the european competition that Edmunds mentions.

[deimos]

Here are a bunch of German reviews...if anyone her speaks deutsch. I dont :p [url="http://www.subaru.de/showroom/legacy/legacy5/legacy5-presse.htm"]http://www.subaru.de/showroom/legacy/legacy5/legacy5-presse.htm[/url]