Three ways the 2015 Subaru Legacy bests the Outback (and other wagons)
Subaru is one of those rare brands where people actually want wagons when it comes to the midsize segment. And that’s a problem for the Legacy sedan — whereas the Outback evokes fantasies of rugged adventure straight out of a North Face catalog, its sedan counterpart is as inspiring as a trip to the local DMV. Not surprisingly, Outback sales outpace the four-door by a factor of more than 2:1. Yet there are three reasons to buy the 2015 Subaru Legacy, as I discovered logging a thousand miles in a week:
Smooth ride: While the Outback and Legacy are siblings, the latter is the more pleasurable Subie around town. On normal roads it glides over roads as though they were polished glass, and feels less top-heavy in corners than its five-door counterpart. That said it doesn’t tackle corners as eagerly as a Mazda6, and when pushed hard the tires get overwhelmed from the body roll. On roads with major ruts — like all of Oakland — it’s not quite as dialed in as an Accord, and there’s some odd jostling in the rear axle over harder bumps.
Nonetheless it makes for a great long-hauler, and didn’t get tiresome even after an eight-hour slog driving from Los Angeles to San Jose. That’s also due to its cush yet supportive seats, hushed cabin, and a 175-hp 2.5-liter boxer engine that makes minimal noise or vibration when flooring it. Unlike the twin-turbo Legacy from 2004, this has no aspirations of being a buttoned-up sports sedan — especially with its sleepy CVT — and for that reason I’d be content with the base engine instead of the thirstier yet equally unexciting 256-hp 3.6. And that’s a shame; the older Legacy used to have a sub-niche as the grown-man’s WRX with the 2.5GT Spec B
The fourth-gen Legacy was positioned more as a sports sedan, especially overseas
Bottomless fuel tank: Midsize buyers tend to keep away from AWD because of the inherent parasitic drag hurting fuel economy, yet the Legacy is competitive with the rest of the segment. In fact, I never drove a car down to Los Angeles that needed so little refueling. Even while going 75 mph on mountain passes and getting stuck in holiday traffic, I made the trip from San Jose to Los Angeles with almost a half tank to spare, and then drove it around for nearly a week before having to top off the gas. I averaged 31 mpg, which is in line with its 28 city/36 highway/30 combined EPA fuel economy estimate. The Outback by comparison gets 3 mpg less for both city and highway while costing $3,000 more, making the Legacy a better value proposition.
Don’t need a wagon for space: Some may justify a longroof for that weekend jaunt to Tahoe, or a Whole Foods grocery run for fair-trade quinoa, but the Legacy hauls plenty with its 15 cubic feet of trunk capacity. It swallowed my tenor sax and guitar while leaving ample room for my visiting family to stuff their suitcases inside. For many that wagon extra space isn’t necesary, and comes at cost of extra weight, a higher price tag, and reduced fuel economy. That said, there is almost 2 extra inches of rear headroom in the Outback, making it better suited for traveling with friends.
Then there are the usual reasons to buy a Subie, like its top-rated safety rating from independent testers when equipped with the updated EyeSight technology. EyeSight is more discerning about impending road hazards than the previous generation, and doesn’t pester you like an anxious mom teaching her 16-year old kid how to drive. Interestingly, the system now reminds you when the traffic ahead of you starts moving, and seems to assume drivers are distracted from Facebook status updates and texts. Like the rest of its lineup the symmetrical all-wheel drive will appeal to those who live the Northwest, or endured the Snowpocalypse on the East Coast.
If the above reasons resonate with you, it’s worth checking out, especially if the more popular Outback is on your wishlist. Otherwise, there are more compelling shades of beige on the midsize market — and that BL Legacy successor enthusiasts have been waiting for, sadly, has yet to materialize.
