Subaru is cutting a new version of its long-running hit sedan, the Legacy, due in showrooms this summer.
Cutting — or perhaps sharper — is the best way to describe the fifth-generation car, which is redone for 2010 with a rakish design, more powerful engines and claims of a smoother chassis. It will be unveiled at the New York auto show in April and is very close to the concept shown in Detroit.
The Legacy is about an inch longer, and the wheelbase, the height and the width all grow more than three inches from the '09 model. With its bigger headlights and pronounced wheel arches, the car clearly has more of a presence than its predecessors, but still hangs its hat on all-wheel-drive technology and function for outdoor enthusiasts.
Under the hood, the spotlight model is the turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder. Power grows to 265 hp (22 more than the '09) and kicks in faster (5,600 rpm vs. 6,000 rpm), while torque increases 17 lb-ft to 258 lb-ft.
The turbo is said to be 30 percent more responsive thanks to new placement — the unit is now mounted under the motor instead of on top — and it breathes better thanks to a new air dam in the hood scoop. The unit also switches on faster than the previous model's turbo. Zero to 60 mph is estimated to be 5.9 seconds. We haven't driven this car yet, but Subaru execs are optimistic that we can better that time.
The rest of the engine lineup also has been fortified. A four-cylinder is rated at 170 hp, and the six-cylinder offering has been upgraded to 3.6 liters from the last-gen's 3.0-liter unit and makes 256 hp and 247 lb-ft.
A chain-type, continuously variable transmission is also new, and the six-speed manual is fresh for the United States, though it's been used in Europe for more than a year. A five-speed automatic shifts on the higher-end 3.6R model. Both of the automatics can be driven in manual modes.
Fuel economy is expected to be as much as 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway for the base car with the CVT, and range increases thanks to an 18.5-gallon tank.
The chassis has been stiffened, though Subaru says the ride is quieter and smoother. In front, the suspension has a MacPherson-type strut setup mounted to the engine cradle. A double-wishbone configuration is mounted to a subframe in the back, and it replaces the multilink configuration used before. This is said to improve stability and handling. Wheels range in size from steel 16-inchers to 18-inch alloys.
Inside, the Legacy has plenty roomy — we did sit in it, and the new version counts 103 cubic feet of passenger room. Everything is within reach, the seats are comfy and it was almost agonizing to be able to grab the shifter — and not do anything. Our visit was to look and touch, but not drive, unfortunately. There also is a three-spoke steering wheel, and it's wrapped in leather in all models but the base car.
There's a new voice-activated GPS, ambient lighting and a 60-40 split fold-down back seat. The electronic parking brake and new "hill-holder" system for parking in uneven places also are worth checking out.
Despite additional features and an obvious increase in size, the Legacy puts on less than 50 pounds, and the base version checks in at 3,379 pounds.
Pricing hasn't been announced, but it's expected to be similar to '09 models.
