SUBARU Legacy 2020

Body and cabin

The new Subaru Legacy is sleeker and more contemporary, but still easily identifiable. It has gained 5.7 cm of width for 2020, making the cabin even roomier than in 2019. There is ample room for four adults, though the more sloping roofline hampers rear access somewhat. The trunk is squarer than before and according to Subaru can accommodate four full-size suitcases, compared to three before; to be confirmed in a full test.

The leather seats in our two test models combined generous padding with good support. For the first time, from Subaru, the driver’s seat includes a thigh extension in Limited and Premier trims. New for 2020, the Premier comes with vented Nappa leather front bucket seats, like the Ascent SUV. Even without the high-end leather trim, finish and the quality of materials fully match that of the competition.

A new, 29.5‑cm (11.6‑in.) touch screen is now the centerpiece of the dashboard. Vertically positioned similar to a Volvo or Tesla, it houses radio, navigation, climate, driver assist and even the seat heat/cool control functions. Subaru retained volume and tuning knobs for the audio system and hard buttons for temperature and defrost. The system design is logical, but it still requires taking your eyes off the road too often, for seconds at a time. The former model’s more traditional controls, which included a real button to deactivate the lane departure alert, for example, were much more practical.

In the base Convenience model, the single screen is replaced by two 17.8‑cm (7‑in.) displays, one above the other. A few additional hard buttons provide access to the infotainment system, but the other challenges remain.

Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, front and rear USB ports and hands-free Bluetooth will keep connected motorists happy. The new Starlink telematics system, offered free of charge for three years and transferable, provides remote communication to start or unlock the vehicle, locate it in case of theft or obtain an alert if a driver exceeds a predetermined speed. It can also call for help in case of a serious accident.

Safety

In 2013, Legacy and Outback became the first Subaru’s to offer the EyeSight suite of safety technologies. Seven years later, all EyeSight features, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, are now standard, with a lane centering function added for 2020.

The only systems still missing on the base model are blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert.

All models get LED headlights; we’ll see if they obtain the required rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for the Legacy to be labeled a top safety pick. The 2019 model made the grade with maximum scores in all IIHS tests. The 2020 version’s more solid structure should guarantee the same outcome, especially since it includes an extra channel on each side to dissipate impact energy.

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Mechanical overview

Subaru claims that its global platform has significantly evolved since it was launched with the Impreza compact three years ago. The redesigned Subaru Legacy features nearly five times more structural adhesives (for increased rigidity relative to traditional welds) than the 2017 Impreza.

The suspension maintains its front strut, double-wishbone rear setup. However, all components have been redesigned so as to better adapt to the new platform. According to a evaluation by Subaru, the Legacy should reach 88.8 km/h before losing grip in Consumer Reports’ challenging obstacle avoidance test. That is almost as fast as a 2013 Subaru BRZ, a much sportier vehicle.

Subaru’s trademark all-wheel-drive system always sends at least 40 percent of power to the rear wheels, and up to 50 percent in case of wheel slippage. Selective braking also can vary torque distribution between the wheels of the same axle.

Still no electric motor or even a hybrid under the hood of the Subaru Legacy, but rather a significantly revised version of the 2.5‑litre four-cylinder that has been powering this sedan for years. Introduced on the 2018 Forester, 90 percent of the parts of this iteration of the flat-four engine so dear to Subaru have been renewed, including the direct fuel injection system. Power is boosted to 182 hp, from 175, and torque, to 176 lb‑ft, from 174. Torque delivery is more linear than before, which should promote smoothness in everyday driving.

For more vivacity, Subaru now offers a 2.4‑litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder in replacement of the old 3.6‑litre six-cylinder. The new engine outputs 260 hp and 277 lb‑ft of torque, or 4 hp and 30 lb‑ft more than the one it replaces. Moreover, maximum torque is attained at much lower rpms (2000 rpm, instead of 4400 rpm).

Both engines come with automatic stop/start and are matched to a new-generation continuously variable transmission. The CVT now simulates up to eight speeds in heavy acceleration or in manual mode, two more than in 2019.

The Natural Resources Canada's combined city/highway rating of the base engine decreases to 8 L/100 km, from 8.2, a very competitive result for a car equipped with full-time all-wheel drive. The improvement is even more striking with the new turbo engine: it should require an average of 9 L/100 km—12 percent less than the old six cylinder.

Driving impressions

For the past 10 years, Subaru has always oriented the Legacy towards comfort to the detriment of sporty handling. Driving enthusiasts could complain but, quite frankly, it’s smoothness that faithful fans of midsized sedans usually appreciate.

And smoothness is what the Subaru Legacy is all about. At the press launch north of Kelowna, B.C., nothing was able to perturb the comfort of the cabin during our drive of the Legacy, including serial small bumps, pavement cracks in turns, ruts or even gravel roads. The suspension truly cradles the occupants while delivering good road holding, backed by the unobtrusive all-wheel drive system.

The only downside of this compliance is observed on long surface waves, which can bounce the rear end once too often, especially during enthusiastic driving. The car holds its trajectory well but displays its limits very clearly. At the same time, the steering proves too light for adequate feedback, despite its faultless precision.

Unfortunately, the Subaru Legacy GT is no more dynamic. The suspension takes the extra weight of the engine into account but is still tuned for comfort. The steering is just as uncommunicative, and there is no sport mode to liven things up. Only the extra power of the turbo engine adds a bit of excitement.

The turbo engine is nearly as linear as the old six-cylinder, which is rare for a turbocharged four. It also is notably discreet, proof of better soundproofing than an Ascent SUV with the same powertrain. The base engine does a good job and should satisfy most potential buyers. However, the slow accelerator programming hampers acceleration quickness after the initial thrust.

The efficiency of the driver assist technologies is worthy of mention, especially the lane keep feature, which avoids the ping-pong effect of other such systems. Along with the efficient and easily modulated brakes, these well-calibrated systems enhance the overall feeling of safety the Legacy delivers.