apexjapan Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Ross in Japan got a chance to drive the new Legacy GT 6-speed. Response was fantastic - there was no lag on the 2.5-liter. 4th gear, from 1500 revs it just pulls. It wasn't the most exciting pull (ahem) he's had in 4th gear, but enough to be interesting. 4th gear/1500 rpm was about 40km/h. Doesn't feel like there is any lag at all, but really needs some opening up of the intake and exhaust. While it gives an impression of being heavier, it does not feel heavier on the road. Steering, reflexes felt lighter than his 08 WRX. It feels like a really well-balanced car. Suspension feels a bit like the 08 WRX, but far more refined. Brakes are fairly average, nothing special about them, nothing bad about them. Ross really didn't get a chance to push it hard, so cannot really comment about body roll. The front suspension has been redone. One of the areas of complaint on the earlier Legacy, the somewhat wobbly steering response in corners, feels like it has been eliminated. Sort of like an older legacy with the lower arm bushings replaced with AVO upgrades. The interior of the car is much better than the previous 05 Legacy that he owns. And according to Ross, when he was getting out of his 08 WRX he was driving that day, and moving into the new 2010 Legacy, it felt like he was hopping out of a 1987 Honda Civic into a modern Audi. Ross gives Toyota a big thank you for the good influence there. The center console feels like suede leather, is very comfortable. The seats felt like you are sitting in the seat instead of on top of it. Interior space is much better, you don't feel like you are sitting in the lap of the person next to you. The biggest downfall for Ross is he could not do handbrake turns anymore as Subaru moved that to the dash area via an electric button. But it did add a lot of room to the center console. There was no road noise at all compared to his 08 WRX. When it comes to long distance trips across the United States, this the best Subaru yet. It is a bit big for Japan, but the perfect sizing for the United States. For Japanese buyers, expect to get door dings, because it's going to take up the entire parking space generally available in Japan. The rear seat is so large now, the cute Japanese saleslady looked like a midget back there. At idle, there was no engine vibration at all. The new engine mounting system is much better, with the mounts pushed further out from the engine. They moved the engine mounts back further, which shifts the weight of the engine to the back of the car. That's shifted the weight transfer back, and improved the overall handling. Looked pretty good in person. It definitely needs to be dropped two inches and have bigger wheels on it. Not a fan of the chrome accents on the sedan, but would be getting a wagon anyways. Photos still don't do this car justice. http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0070.jpg http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0075.jpg http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0080.jpg http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0084.jpg http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0077.jpg http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/09_news/0906_2010_leg/IMG_0084.jpg Regards, Paul Hansen http://www.avoturboworld.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaymesbry Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 good review... any notes on the 6 speed tranny? definitely looks good in that blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Is Ross talking in the third person about Ross or is someone capturing his thoughts and reporting them? Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 It's puzzling how the impressions can be so different. While the exterior in person is tolerable (however mobile appliance-ish) , I found the interior to suck, cheaply designed with gaudy styling and horrid seats. The quality of materials and design is well below BP/BL. I guess to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexjapan Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 I'm just ghostwriting for Ross, sorry for the mix of wording. He wasn't a fan of the 6-speed tranny, well, at least not of the shift lever. Felt like playing a video game. And it's just his opinion of the interior, it's not like he was going to buy the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 He wasn't a fan of the 6-speed tranny, well, at least not of the shift lever. Felt like playing a video game. I didn't drive one, but shifting while stationary was very joystickish... it's cable operated. Meh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaymesbry Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 hrmm i guess i gotta drive this new 6 speed for myself to see whats funny with it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FX35B4 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Did Ross get miniture legacy from dealer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskajoel Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 when i look at THOSE pictures, i find myself not wanting to throw up quite as bad. I'm sure the USDM version will look just as horrible as we're all expecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmarko Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Still ugly as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I didn't drive one, but shifting while stationary was very joystickish... it's cable operated. Meh. Agreed..and agree with a lot of the review. The seats i feel like I still sit on them and not in them but they are better...no parking brake lever on a stick is a little weird particularly w/its location I am looking forward to driving it...just not sure if I want to give up the wagon:cool: My vB Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 It's puzzling how the impressions can be so different. While the exterior in person is tolerable (however mobile appliance-ish) , I found the interior to suck, cheaply designed with gaudy styling and horrid seats. The quality of materials and design is well below BP/BL. I guess to each his own. I thought the interior was much better than the BL. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex--TheGreek Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 As always, very usefull information Paul! Please keep us updated on anything regarding the JDM model. Also, did Ross say anything about how the car felt(power wise) compared to the JDM BL5? I'm curious because hp and torque numbers between the BL5 and the new model seem identical... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex--TheGreek Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 It's puzzling how the impressions can be so different. While the exterior in person is tolerable (however mobile appliance-ish) , I found the interior to suck, cheaply designed with gaudy styling and horrid seats. The quality of materials and design is well below BP/BL. I guess to each his own. Correct me if i am wrong, but the Legacy you saw and sat in is the USDM model right? The Legacy reviewed here is the JDM Legacy which is manufactured in Japan, and from what i have read from people that have experienced both USDM and JDM BP/BL models is that the build quality of the interior/fit and finish of the JDM car is much better than the USDM car. So i think we are comparing 2 "different" cars here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 No. BL/BP interior is no different quality wise between JDM and USDM, I don't think it's the case with BM/BR. Sure there some styling differences (like black center console/radio), but nothing big. BM feels cheap. Hard dash, clusterfuck of crappy fake leather and plastic on the door cards - no more flowing smooth lines of the BL/BP door cards. Badly designed angular lines of the wood accents (not too mention the faux wood being uber ugly itself). Cheap stalks without even ribs on the e.g. headlamp switch. Bad ergonomics of the clustered little switches of auto A/C controls (so convenient dials from BL/BP axed). Steering wheel that suit Ford pickup truck. Cheap gaudy gauge cluster, no longer electroluminescent like on BL/BP GT. Horrid lazyboy like front seats. Flat bench like 1950s Oldsmobile in the rear. Yuck overall. It's truly a Camry like interior. You can never accuse them of copying Audi or BMW, or say at least Passat, which you certainly can say about BL/BP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex--TheGreek Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 No. BL/BP interior is no different quality wise between JDM and USDM IIRC the general consensus from persons who sat in both JDM and USDM LGT's is, that the JDM car has better interior fit&finish than the USDM one. Now, since i have never even seen a USDM Legacy i cannot talk by experience I don't know if you ever had an experience from the JDM model? I think Paul can help us on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 IIRC the general consensus from persons who sat in both JDM and USDM LGT's is, that the JDM car has better interior fit&finish than the USDM one. Now, since i have never even seen a USDM Legacy i cannot talk by experience I don't know if you ever had an experience from the JDM model? I think Paul can help us on this... I saw EDM, which is made in Japan. Note, there are differences in fit & finish between early (05-06) USDM and later models, the early ones having nicer materials and details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viber Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 SI Drive, Push Button Start, No plasti-wood, fog lights... Oh wait, that is the JDM model... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 gimmick, gimmick same wood, available. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 IIRC the general consensus from persons who sat in both JDM and USDM LGT's is, that the JDM car has better interior fit&finish than the USDM one. Now, since i have never even seen a USDM Legacy i cannot talk by experience I don't know if you ever had an experience from the JDM model? I think Paul can help us on this... Guys that think it's better than previous cars must be driving a POS. I sat in the USDM car and feel the same as unclemat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syndicate Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 ...it's nice to see positive initial impressions. Now if AVO can only get their hands on a car and get to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 ...it's nice to see positive initial impressions. Now if AVO can only get their hands on a car and get to work If the new turbo is a twinscroll (likely is), expect AVO replacement no sooner than 2016 (sorry guys). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryq89 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 wow the JDM one looks 1000000 times better then the USDM one ...... im goin to import one hahah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexjapan Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 ...it's nice to see positive initial impressions. Now if AVO can only get their hands on a car and get to work Next week.... Regards, Paul Hansen http://www.avoturboworld.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D0WNxSH1FT Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 SI Drive, Push Button Start, No plasti-wood, fog lights... Oh wait, that is the JDM model... SI Drive, useless. Turning your key is that difficult? They get the same fake wood, fake aluminum, or a fake CF option. Fogs are an option in the US, if you want them pay for them, if you don't it isn't required and reflected in a higher MSRP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.