The Legacy Continues For Subaru

By Anthony Fontanelle

Since its introduction in the auto market in 1989, the Subaru Legacy has attracted the attention of many car buyers not only for its good looks but also because of its reliability and performance. For the 2008 model year, the Japanese automaker gave the Legacy a mid-generation upgrades.

On the outside, the Japanese auto manufacturer changed the front end of the Legacy. Although Subaru changed the looks of the front end of the car, the change is subtle. Among the changes made by Subaru to the Legacy are the headlights, revised grille and the new side mirrors. On the rear end of the car, changes were made to the rear bumper and taillights.

With the changes dome to the front end of the Legacy, it no longer looks exactly like the Subaru Outback. The changes though could not hide the similarity between the Outback and the new Legacy. Although some critics labeled the Outback and the Legacy as bland in design, there are also those who claimed that the clean lines of the Subaru Legacy is one of its strong selling points.

The powerplant of the Subaru legacy also received upgrades. The engine of the current generation Legacy is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine. The upgraded engine provides mid-range torque thanks to the modifications made to the cam timing of the engine.

According to Subaru, the Legacy's engine can produce as much as 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. That power is adequate enough for the power need of the midsize car. Another engine available with the Legacy is a turbocharged version of the boxer engine. The turbocharged engine can produce as much as 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft of torque.

A new feature for the Legacy, specifically for its drivetrain is the improved five-speed automatic transmission. Following the trend in the auto industry, Subaru gave their automatic transmission a paddle shifter. Precision engineered, the Subaru Legacy's five-speed automatic transmission has a shifting time of 0.2 seconds, that time is considerably less than the 0.6 seconds shifting time for the previous transmission.

One of the most notable features of Legacy even previous models is its handling. Subaru engineers have been developing suspension systems for the Legacy which gave it good handling and steering responsiveness. With that, the Legacy can handle tight cornering even on high speeds.

Aside from the upgrades given by Subaru to the new Legacy, its looks and performance can be improved by using Subaru aftermarket parts.

But even without the aid of these components, the Legacy with all the upgrades given to it by the Japanese carmaker is enough to make the Legacy worth every cent spent on it.

According to auto industry experts, the new Subaru legacy is a positive step for Subaru. The new Legacy is seen as the one to usher a new era for the Japanese auto manufacturer in terms of competing with established nameplates. The midsize Legacy is directly competing with the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord and the reigning North American Car of the Year, the Saturn Aura. With the improvements made on the Legacy, the nameplate is on its way to being a serious competitor in its segment.

About the author:
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.