1. Good-looking ride

The 2023 Legacy’s exterior design gets a bold new look, including a larger grille size and attractive new headlight designs. Those who opt for the Legacy Sport model will also see some red accents in the front grille, a trunk spoiler, and sharp 18-inch black-painted wheels (17-inch wheels come standard on base models).

My test vehicle featured an eye-catching Cosmic Blue Pearl paint job with a gray metallic finish, LED fog lights, LED steering responsive headlights, heated power mirrors with turn signals, and a power moonroof.

Inside the Legacy you’ll find a functional, roomy interior with plenty of room for all five passengers, as well as an ample-sized trunk with 15.1 cubic feet of space. Seating is comfortable but not luxury-level fancy. To increase versatility, the Legacy’s rear seats fold down.

Other interior features of note in the Legacy include:
— Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
— Rear Center Console Vents
— Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel & Shift Lever Handle 
— Heated Steering Wheel
— Automatic On/Off Headlights
— Aluminum-Alloy Pedal Covers
— Heated Front Seats

2. AWD standard, turbo engine option

The first thing to note about the Legacy is that it comes standard with all-wheel drive, which will be quite beneficial to drivers in areas with regular rain, snow or other inclement weather. This fact alone will put the Legacy ahead of some rivals that offer only optional AWD or don’t offer AWD at all.

As far as what’s powering the Legacy, there are two engine options available.

I tested a Subaru Legacy Sport with the stronger option, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque.

This is much more impressive than the non-turbo base engine offering, which should be avoided if possible as it only offers 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque.

On the Sport model, a sport-tuned four-wheel independent suspension is also featured. A CVT automatic transmission comes standard on all Legacy trims, but the Legacy also features a manual mode that allows the driver to use paddle shifters if they are so inclined.

The 0-to-60 time on the Legacy Sport I tested was solid at under 6 seconds, and the overall driving experience in the vehicle was smooth, with responsive handling and cornering. 

While not sporty at the level of more upscale hot rods, the Legacy Sport still handles well and is responsive to driver input. It’s a solid middle ground and most drivers will appreciate how it performs.


3. Pricing is competitive

The base price of the Subaru Legacy starts around $25K, and the top trim Touring XT model is nearly $39K. In between, you get the Premium trim ($27K), Limited trim ($32K) and the Sport trim ($35K).

This price range is about what I would anticipate from the midsize sedan category, and mirrors what you’d pay for a Camry or an Accord.

The Sport trim is higher up in the price range, but I still find it to be one of the more appealing options, as it comes with the stronger engine option, plus multiple features that enhance both the look and driving feel of the Legacy.

Also adding to the Legacy’s value proposition are respectable fuel mileage numbers. Even the stronger engine will get you 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway/26 combined. And the base engine offers 27 city/35 highway/30 combined.

In terms of warranties, the Legacy offers:
— 3 Years / 36,000 Miles Basic Warranty
— 5 Years / 60,000 Miles Powertrain Warranty
— 5 Years / Unlimited Mileage Rust Perforation Warranty
— 3 Years / 36,000 miles 24/7 Roadside Assistance


4. Unique but frustrating tech

Technology is a hit-and-miss situation on the Legacy. The Legacy Sport I tested featured a tall vertical screen measuring at 11.6 inches, and Subaru’s Starlink infotainment system.

Voice commands were not understood well by the system when I tried to input navigation destinations, but they were more effective for radio commands.

Visually, I loved the size of the tall touchscreen and the location of the surrounding touch buttons for climate. But the reality is it’s not the best system when compared to the competition. It can be slow to react to inputs, and the graphics could be improved.

A four-speaker audio system is standard, other models get a six-speaker setup, and you can upgrade to a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon system. Multiple USB ports are included, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard.


5. EyeSight delivers solid safety features

The Legacy comes with the excellent safety features of Subaru's EyeSight, a package of driving aids that include:
— Forward collision mitigation, which will warns of an impending collision and apply the brakes
— Adaptive cruise control, which maintains distance to the vehicle in front of you
— Lane departure warning, which alerts if you leave your lane
— Lane keeping system, which helps steer the Legacy back into its lane

These systems all worked very well in my experience behind the wheel, and help establish Subaru as a safety leader in the automotive industry.

On top of the EyeSight features, other safety bonafides include a full bevy of airbags throughout the vehicle, whiplash protection, Anti-lock brakes, blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic braking.

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