After most of us assumed the new Legacy was going to be redesigned, Subaru decided to wait a couple more years. The newly released 2018 Subaru Legacy is just a mild refresh of the older model. It comes with small exterior upgrades as well as some changes to its powertrain but more on that later. The end result remains one of the better choices in its class due to all the gear it comes to for the price. The 2018 model will likely start at just under $23,000 which is quite good for all the features it offers. The higher end models will go to as far as $35,000 which means it will be one of the cheaper cars in its class.
2018 Subaru Legacy In detail
The Legacy remains based on the same chassis as before. This means it doesn’t benefit from the increased structural rigidity or the lower center of gravity as the Ibiza.
source:subaru.com
However, this isn’t as important because the Legacy is a true family sedan with plenty of space and a relaxed ride. The comfort offered to its passengers is usually quite good and the engines are smooth enough for most.
The interior of Subaru Legacy
The 2018 Subaru Legacy has been upgraded heavily over its predecessors and that’s quite clear once you step inside. The dashboard is clear and quite modern and the materials are usually above the average even though this wasn’t true up until a few years ago. As standard the car comes with a rather good set of safety systems, both active and passive, which make it one of the safest choices in its class.
source:subaru.com
The infotainment system features both Apple Car Play and Android Auto and its screen is higher resolution than most. The steering wheel is a three-spoke unit which feels great but the materials on the spokes aren’t as good as in the rest of the cabin. Both the front and rear passengers can sit comfortably and there is a considerable amount of head and legroom in the back.
The looks
Over the previous year model, the 2018 car comes with revised front and rear bumpers. In the front it gets more aggressive fog-lamp housings and a more visible splitter. The rear features a new diffuser-like insert on all models including the single-exhaust version which features fake grilles that do seem a bit tacky.
Subaru Legacy Video
Subaru Legacy 2018 Under the hood
Unfortunately the 2018 Subaru Legacy comes with the same two engines as before. The base car gets a more than adequate 2.5 liter naturally aspirated flat-four gas mill. This provides up to 173 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque which is right around the average of its class. However, the engine delivers most of its torque at rather low RPMs and it feels good despite being down on power. For those looking for more Subaru is also offering the 3.6 liter flat-six engine.
source:subaru.com
This has been around for a while now and it didn’t change much in the meantime. The engine offers good power and it is one of the more reliable powertrains on the market. Its only major drawback is the fuel consumption which is not as good as that of a turbocharged engine. The 3.6 liter mill still offers 256 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque which means it remained unchanged for more than 8 years at this point. All wheel drive is standard across the range which is also one of the car’s main selling points. This actually features a good amount of torque vectoring through ABS, so it is quite capable. Unfortunately the only transmission is a CVT gearbox. This actually simulates gears as those in a normal transmission which makes it feel sluggish and not as good as an actual automatic.
