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.

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