The Subaru Legacy is offered by a choice of two engines. The base engine is a 182-horsepower 2.5L 4-cylinder "boxer" engine, with the pistons arranged so that they are parallel to the ground, rather than perpendicular to it like in a traditional inline engine. This means a lower center of gravity and again, better vehicle handling without any compromise in ride quality. The optional engine is also a 4-cylinder "boxer," this one with slightly less displacement at 2.4L. However, it does have a turbocharger and thus makes 260 horsepower. Subaru uses a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) to send power to all four wheels. Unlike a traditional automatic, the CVT transmission does not have set shift points-rather it varies ratios on the fly, improving efficiency and keeping the engine in the peak power band. The 2020 Legacy is rated at 35 mpg highway and 27 mpg city with the base engine and 32 mpg highway and 24 mpg city with the turbocharged option.
There are six trim levels for the 2020 Subaru Legacy, base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Limited XT and Touring XT, with the XT badged cars utilizing Subaru's more powerful turbocharged engine.
Standard features on the base Legacy include 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, keyless entry, dual front USB inputs, eight cup holders and Subaru's STARLINK multimedia system displayed through a 7-inch screen. Interesting safety features that come standard on the base Legacy include automatic high beams, a rearview camera, pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning and a lane keep assist function.
Premium trim adds a couple of thousand dollars to the price of the vehicle but adds nicer 17-inch alloy wheels, body colored heated side mirrors, a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a nicer stereo and a bigger 11.6-inch screen in the center console.
The Sport trim comes with 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, integrated turn signals in the side mirrors, a trunk spoiler and cloth upholstery with contrasting stitching.
Limited and Limited XT models begin to knock on luxury car territory, offering leather trimmed seating surfaces, headlights that swivel with the steering wheel, power adjustable front seats, heated outboard rear seats, blind-spot detection and rear cross traffic alert, reverse automatic braking and a 576-watt-equivalent Harman/Kardon premium sound system with 12 speakers.
Top of the line Touring models get auto-folding side mirrors, ventilated front seats, Napa leather upholstery, a 180-degree front view monitor and a CD player.
Comfortable, Spacious Interior
All-wheel Drive
Sleek Exterior Styling
Good Reputation For Reliability
Strong Safety Feature Set
The Subaru Legacy gets a full redesign for the 2020 model year, making this year's model the seventh generation of Subaru Legacy in the United States. The new styling looks a bit smoother and less busy, but shares similar proportions to last year's car. Underneath the skin, the new Legacy rides on a much stiffer chassis than last year. A stiffer body shell makes for a stronger, safer car but it also offers allows for more responsive handling as well as a smoother ride.
The Subaru Legacy is a mid-sized car, competing with some of the best-selling cars in America such as the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. Where Subaru distinguishes itself, is by offering only all-wheel drive-- a distinct advantage to the Subaru for anyone who lives where it snows or rains. In addition, the Subaru Legacy actually undercuts its two main competitors with a base price of under $23,000, which is roughly $2,000 less than a base Camry and $1,000 less than a base Accord.
