2013 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited

By Isaac Bouchard

The Legacy midsize car has just undergone its first thorough refresh since getting enlarged and re-engineered in 2010. That car, while loosing the lithe, athletic stance of its predecessor, fit American needs much better, with a roomier, more comfort-oriented interior and better fuel economy. The 2013 facelift has helped markedly with the Legacy’s appearance— especially in front, where new headlamps and fascia give it a slimmer, less “surprised” look.

Not too much has changed with the cockpit aside from the graining on the faux wood, and here the Subaru is starting to feel a little behind the curve. Such cars as the 2013 Ford Fusion and ’14 Mazda6, with their more interesting shapes, polished trim and richer materials, leave the Legacy wanting. The seats have an overly plump feel for smaller occupants and lack lateral support, but those of larger build will find them quite comfortable. The Legacy’s driving position is good, and trunk and back seat space are generous. There’s also a new navigation/infotainment system, which is faster and has clearer, more attractive graphics.

But not all technology is equally helpful. If you have a tendency to plow into people at stoplights or in stop and go traffic, consider the company’s EyeSight system; otherwise avoid it at all costs. It uses two cameras and various computer algorithims to determine if you’re about to rear-end someone, and will stop the car automatically—or at least reduce the speed at which the impact occurs. It also allows the implementation of so-called “active” cruise control (mostly useless in America, where it leaves a huge gap in front of the car that other drivers dive into like lemmings), and lane departure warning, which will scold you with an auditory alert if you’ve crossed a line without signaling.

Like many of these baby sitter systems, its calibrations are too conservative for normal driving, and you’ll be assaulted with so many annoying beeps and other scoldings that you’ll end up turning this $1295 option off. Only it will come back on every time you start the car. Subaru isn’t the only guilty party here, but its auditory intrusiveness is amongst the most egregious. These systems make sense if implemented properly—most German companies have the steering wheel gently vibrate if you’ve done something untoward, a much better way of keeping wandering drivers in check, and Volvo’s collision avoidance is less prone to false alarms, but these systems are more expensive.

The Subaru’s 3.6R powertrain remains a rewarding technological showcase, however. The six-cylinder, 256hp twincam boxer engine, slick automatic and predictive all wheel drive hardware make for a frugal sedan that can handle itself in any weather yet entertain when the mood strikes. While five transmission ratios may seem behind the times, the engine’s broad torque curve, peaking at 247lb-ft, mean it rarely gets caught out. The Subaru also turns in great real-world fuel economy, and sounds quite Porsche-like when you ring its neck.

The Legacy’s ride/handling tradeoff was amongst the best available in the class when it debuted, but an increase in suspension stiffness for 2013 works against it on poor roads. The Subaru still handles well, and has lots of suspension travel, but its ride over smaller road imperfections is now choppy, and it suffers quite a lot of road noise intrusion. Comparison with the Ford, Mazda and new Honda Accord show how the class has moved on. The Subaru’s brake and steering feel are quite competitive though.

The Legacy 3.6R still makes a compelling case for itself. It is parsimonious for such a large, fast machine, handles well, and is aggressively priced. And it is still one of the only all wheel drive cars in the class. These ongoing Subaru virtues should see it continue to sell well and boost the company’s awareness and sales with a larger audience.

EPA ratings: 18/25; 20mpg combined
Price as tested: $33,677
Here is Subaru’s take on the Legacy.

 

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