2020 Subaru Legacy Touring

THE AUTO PAGE

BY

John Heilig

·         MODEL: 2020 Subaru Legacy Touring

·         ENGINE: 2.4-liter turbocharged 4

·         TRANSMISSION: CVT (High Torque Lineatronic)

·         HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 260 hp @ 5,600 rpm/277 lb.-ft. @ 2,000-4,800 rpm

·         WHEELBASE: 108.3 in.

·         LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 190.6 x 72.4 x 59.1 in.

·         TIRES: P225/50R18

·         CARGO CAPACITY: 15.1 cu. ft.

·         ECONOMY: 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway/20.0 mpg test

·         FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 18.5 gal.

·         CURB WEIGHT: 3,779 lbs.

·         TOWING CAPACITY: Not recommended

·         COMPETITIVE CLASS: Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata

·         STICKER: $36,795 (includes $900 delivery)

·         BOTTOM LINE: Subaru’s entry into the mid-size segment, the Legacy, retains some of the manufacturer’s CUV attributes with the convenience of four-door sedan utility.

            Most sedans in the mid-size segment don’t have standard all-wheel drive. The Subaru Legacy does, along with just about every other Subaru. This not only gives the convenience of better traction on less-then-ideal roads and in bad weather, but also improves handling by lowering the center of gravity.

            The 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer 4-cylinder engine offers decent power at 260 horsepower. We had no problems, for example, merging onto highways, even when opposing traffic was bearing down on us. 

            I have had issues with Subaru CVT transmissions, but in the Legacy the CVT worked well with no whining. This one was quiet, which leads me to believe that it could have been a sound deadening issue or a faulty gearbox in previous models. 

            Dominating the center of the dash is a huge 11.6-inch infotainment screen with all the standard features. It reminded me of the Tesla screen. I did have problems with the audio. The first time out it worked fine. The second time out there was no sound, no matter what I did to try to correct it. Then, the third time was the charm, and everything worked well. I suggest a serious read of the owner’s manual.

            Overall ride quality is good with comfortable heated front seats. They offered good side support. Style wise, the front seats, doors and dash were covered with saddle leather surfaces. Rear seats are also heated and the backs fold easily to increase cargo capacity. Rear seats offer good legroom, up 1.4 inches from the previous model. 

            Interior design is good with a tray on the right side for the passenger’s phone. There’s also pocket on the right side of the center console for storage. The center console/arm rest is small, however. 

            The blind spot monitor is a bright light on the exterior rear mirror housing. There’s a standard back-up camera, but there is also a front-view camera located in the front grille,which is convenient for parking. It gives a 180-degree view. There’s also a rear cross traffic display. 

            While there is no heads up display per se, if the driver is inattentive (or if the Legacy thinks so) a red alert flashes on the windshield. Two cameras straddle the rear view mirror to keep track of what’s going on ahead.

            Overall, the Subaru Legacy has a place in the competitive mid-size segment. On the plus side it offers all-wheel drive among its other unique features.

(c) 2019 The Auto Page Syndicate

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2019 Mazda6

THE AUTO PAGE

By

John Heilig

• MODEL: 2019 Mazda6 Signature
• ENGINE: 2.5-liter turbocharged 4 
• TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual mode  
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm/310 lb.-ft. @ 2,000 rpm 
• WHEELBASE: 111.4 in. 
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 192.7 x 72.4 x 57.1 in. 
• TIRES: P225/45R19 
• CARGO CAPACITY: 14.7 cu. ft.  
• ECONOMY: 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway/27.3 mpg test  
• FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 16.4 gal.  
• CURB WEIGHT: 3,580 lbs.  
• TOWING CAPACITY: Not recommended 
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata 
• STICKER: $36,560 (includes $920 delivery, $500 options)  
• BOTTOM LINE: The Mazda6 deserves to be on anyone’s list of choices for a midsize sedan, based on its looks, size and performance.

            I’ve always liked the Mazda6. It is firmly in the family of midsize sedans, yet I feel it doesn’t get enough respect. 

            Styling is spot on, with curves in the right places. Test cars rest in my driveway between excursions, and I often stare at them when I’m sitting on my front patio. So I get to compare styling over time. On the 6, the front fenders, for example, could have been lifted from the RX-7 style book, but with more conservatism. 

            Internally, the combination of “parchment” (light grey) leather seating surfaces and black dash is striking. 

            Ride quality is very good. Overall, the ride is smooth, but some of our more energetic Pennsylvania road surfaces did transfer back into the cabin.

            There’s good power from the 2.5-liter turbocharged Skyactive 4. In general, the engine is quiet, more like a 6-cylinder, although on hard acceleration there is some rumble. On good asphalt roads, no noise enters the cabin, either from the engine or tires.

            There are two drive modes in the 6, normal and sport. In sport, the engine holds its speed longer before the transmission shifts. You get the feeling you’re in manual mode and you forgot to upshift. There is a manual mode to the 6-speed automatic, with paddle shifters behind the wheel.

            Front seats are comfortable with some side support. Mazda considers itself a performance car manufacturer (remember “Zoom, Zoom”?) so its seats tend to hold you in place. Front seats are also heated and cooled. The heated rear seats offer good legroom. Rear passengers have their own HVAC controls, as well as individual reading lights.

            For entertainment, there is a good, but confusing, audio system that requires some learning to master. Tuning and volume controls are on the center console, but the “tuning” knob also controls the infotainment screen functions. Additionally, the navigation system was difficult to program. “Search by name” led me, not to my local coffee shop but to a candy store in Connecticut.

            The HVAC system is good, and we’re at that time of year when we use both heating and cooling functions.

            Interior storage consists of a nice large cubby at the base of the center stack. There are the standard two cupholders in the center console plus a small console/arm rest with two USB and one 12-volt outlet.

            There is the conventional rear view camera plus the option to switch it on plus a 360-degree view that is a handy feature when you’re parking in tight spaces. 

            In the back is a very good trunk of 14.7 cubic feet. Cargo capacity can be increased by lowering the rear seat backs - releases are in the trunk - to create an essentially flat floor.

            If you’re in the market for a midsize sedan, the Mazda6 should definitely be on your shopping list. It has all the features you’d want, plus knockout styling that separates it from the pack.

(c) The Auto Page Syndicate 

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