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http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=148807
Speed Read
First Impressions:
A bigger, better Legacy takes it to its German rivals; shame about the face.
Featured Specs
The thing about niche carmakers is that you pretty much know what their new cars are going to offer. You don't even have to read the catalogs. So what about the all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT? Will it have a revised four-cylinder boxer turbo? Yep. And will it get a rehashed version of Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive? Yes. Will it be quick off the mark, will it handle well and will it deliver good value for money? Ah, yes, yes and yes again.
Now that wasn't too hard.
But in this, the Legacy's 20th anniversary year, Subaru engineers were not content to just produce another same-old, same-old. They decided to up the ante and shoot for leadership with the fifth-generation Legacy sedan. As to whether they have achieved that goal aesthetically with this edgy yet chunky exterior, we'll reserve judgment. But on the road, it's a winner.
Bigger Is Better
To compete squarely against all-wheel-drive sedans like the Audi A4 2.0T and BMW 325xi, Subaru has come up with a meaner, more muscular look, increased the package's overall dimensions, redesigned the suspension system, rebuilt the engine and turbo and even added some high-tech gadgetry like a radar-controlled cruise control unit.
Coming face to face with the turbocharged 2010 Subaru Legacy B4 2.5GT for the first time at our drive at Subaru's proving ground in the mountains near Tochigi, Japan, the car practically screams "street presence." The new Legacy sedan looks taller and bigger all around with its substantially modified sheet metal. It's also bigger under the skin, some 3.7 inches longer, 2 inches wider and 3.1 inches higher, and the wheelbase has stretched by 3.1 inches. Meanwhile, the curb weight has only risen by 44 pounds. All this translates into oodles more head- and legroom, especially in the backseat.
When you take a quick walkaround, it's easy to see that stylists had challenges incorporating the new bigger dimensions.
By far the most obvious modification is the overall height of the car and the thicker-looking front end. With the hood about 3.7 inches taller than before to accommodate more stringent regulations for pedestrian safety in crashes, the designers have had to wrap the headlights around the front end. This styling nuance makes the Legacy seem uncomfortably tall and gives it a look that's more like a crossover than a sport sedan. The aggressively flared wheel arches and neatly penned tail section are by far the car's best design features.
Relocated Turbo Packs a Punch
Powered by a fully revised, turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer-4, the Japanese-market Legacy B4 2.5GT makes 281 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, a sizable jump from the previous engine's 256 hp. Torque rises to 258 pound-feet between 2,000 and 5,600 rpm.
This engine might employ its predecessor's engine block, but every other component is new, including the piston design, cylinder heads, cam profiles, intake manifold and electronically controlled throttle. Of special note is the redesigned turbo, which now sits low down at the front of the engine bay, where it's a lot closer to the exhaust ports, a modification that helps reduce turbo lag.
On the tight, winding road course at Subaru's proving grounds, the new engine struts its stuff, begging us to push harder. On this test day, we have access only to a car equipped with the five-speed automatic transmission, so we dial in the fussy Subaru SI-Drive to Sport Sharp (which anyone who has ever driven a recent-generation Legacy knows is the only mode worth worrying about).
Standard for the Legacy 2.5GT, the SI-Drive knob sits on the center console and offers drivers a choice of one of three programmed engine maps
Speed Read
First Impressions:
A bigger, better Legacy takes it to its German rivals; shame about the face.
Featured Specs
- New turbocharged 2.5 liter boxer-4
- 281 hp; 258 lb-ft of torque (Japan market)
- Double-wishbone rear suspension
- Bigger, roomier
The thing about niche carmakers is that you pretty much know what their new cars are going to offer. You don't even have to read the catalogs. So what about the all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT? Will it have a revised four-cylinder boxer turbo? Yep. And will it get a rehashed version of Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive? Yes. Will it be quick off the mark, will it handle well and will it deliver good value for money? Ah, yes, yes and yes again.
Now that wasn't too hard.
But in this, the Legacy's 20th anniversary year, Subaru engineers were not content to just produce another same-old, same-old. They decided to up the ante and shoot for leadership with the fifth-generation Legacy sedan. As to whether they have achieved that goal aesthetically with this edgy yet chunky exterior, we'll reserve judgment. But on the road, it's a winner.
Bigger Is Better
To compete squarely against all-wheel-drive sedans like the Audi A4 2.0T and BMW 325xi, Subaru has come up with a meaner, more muscular look, increased the package's overall dimensions, redesigned the suspension system, rebuilt the engine and turbo and even added some high-tech gadgetry like a radar-controlled cruise control unit.
Coming face to face with the turbocharged 2010 Subaru Legacy B4 2.5GT for the first time at our drive at Subaru's proving ground in the mountains near Tochigi, Japan, the car practically screams "street presence." The new Legacy sedan looks taller and bigger all around with its substantially modified sheet metal. It's also bigger under the skin, some 3.7 inches longer, 2 inches wider and 3.1 inches higher, and the wheelbase has stretched by 3.1 inches. Meanwhile, the curb weight has only risen by 44 pounds. All this translates into oodles more head- and legroom, especially in the backseat.
When you take a quick walkaround, it's easy to see that stylists had challenges incorporating the new bigger dimensions.
By far the most obvious modification is the overall height of the car and the thicker-looking front end. With the hood about 3.7 inches taller than before to accommodate more stringent regulations for pedestrian safety in crashes, the designers have had to wrap the headlights around the front end. This styling nuance makes the Legacy seem uncomfortably tall and gives it a look that's more like a crossover than a sport sedan. The aggressively flared wheel arches and neatly penned tail section are by far the car's best design features.
Relocated Turbo Packs a Punch
Powered by a fully revised, turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer-4, the Japanese-market Legacy B4 2.5GT makes 281 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, a sizable jump from the previous engine's 256 hp. Torque rises to 258 pound-feet between 2,000 and 5,600 rpm.
This engine might employ its predecessor's engine block, but every other component is new, including the piston design, cylinder heads, cam profiles, intake manifold and electronically controlled throttle. Of special note is the redesigned turbo, which now sits low down at the front of the engine bay, where it's a lot closer to the exhaust ports, a modification that helps reduce turbo lag.
On the tight, winding road course at Subaru's proving grounds, the new engine struts its stuff, begging us to push harder. On this test day, we have access only to a car equipped with the five-speed automatic transmission, so we dial in the fussy Subaru SI-Drive to Sport Sharp (which anyone who has ever driven a recent-generation Legacy knows is the only mode worth worrying about).
Standard for the Legacy 2.5GT, the SI-Drive knob sits on the center console and offers drivers a choice of one of three programmed engine maps
