Just bought one last week. It's actually my wife's car. We got the 2020 Legacy Limited XT with the 260 HP 2.4L boxer used in the Ascent and certain Outbacks. It's very hard to locate the XT models; the dealer says Subaru will only build on demand, so the dealer has to order it to get it. Our dealer only had it because the financing fell through for the people who originally ordered it. It's plenty fast for what we need it to do, but it is more of a plush cruiser than a sport sedan; which my wife likes. Our other car is a 2019 Subaru WRX Limited 6 speed, so the 2 cars could not be more different except for the turbo and AWD.
Here's what I like so far in the Legacy. Big ass fuel tank (18.5 gal.) and 32 MPG highway yields cruising range of nearly 600 miles ... never had a vehicle with a range over 400 miles. Harman Kardon audio system in the Limited is great, better than the one in the WRX Limited which I never considered bad. The vertically oriented 11.6 inch tablet based infotainment screen in dashboard is pretty nice, but only the TomTom based navigation uses the full screen ... Waze or Google Maps navigation via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will only use half the screen while the other half is reserved for the radio. I'm not into all the safety stuff that the Subaru Eyesight allows since 6MT versions of the WRX don't offer Eyesight, but I do appreciate the Legacy having it. Plenty of interior room. I am 6-'3" and all legs and I can't put the driver seat all the way back without it being too far away from the pedals! The trunk is very big, which is nice since we were tired of SUVs.
Here's what I don't like about the Legacy XT. Where's the damn hoodscoop? I keep giving the STI and WRX bro's the Subie wave and I go unnoticed.
A Crosstrek was on my list and I test drove one along with the Legacy. The Crosstrek was first and when I drove the Legacy I immediately noticed the difference in engine response, those ~30 HP were noticeable to me. I have been driving Jeeps and trucks for the past 20+ years and going to a sedan has me worried that I will forget that I no longer have the same clearance I did before.
I haven't fully ruled out a Crosstrek, but the Legacy is by far the current front runner.
"Detached reflection cannot be demanded in the presence of an uplifted knife." - Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Brown v. United States, 256 U.S. 335 (1921)
"Detached reflection cannot be demanded in the presence of an uplifted knife." - Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Brown v. United States, 256 U.S. 335 (1921)
I mean, I owned an 05 WRX STi, which makes a WRX feel sluggish to the point they're basically two different cars regardless of being based on the Impreza. Thing is, I never went comparing a Crosstrek/Legacy/Outback to that sort of thing. They're obviously going to prioritize different qualities. Looking at any Crosstrek/Legacy/Outback (CVT or not) with the perspective of autocross is sort of a non-starter. If you went into driving them with autocross in the back of your mind and comparing them to an 04 WRX...….ummm, I guess I don't really know what you were expecting to find. Sorta like people who buy a BMW 3-series and get pissed off it's not as roomy as a 7 series, or people who buy a Wrangler and are unhappy that it doesn't ride as well at 80mph as their previously owned Ford Expedition.
I had driven CVTs from other manufacturers (primarily Nissan), and the Subie was by far the best CVT. No idea on actual numbers, but my 13 Subaru CVT is definitely more responsive in daily driving than my 02 Outback 3.6l automatic was, or my wife's 2009 Subaru Outback is. Instant power, no downshifting needed. Even with my Ford Explorer that was fast as fuck, I had to plan the downshift to change lanes in highway traffic.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
What most don't know is that Subaru uses a "split" torque system in their AWD. They vary the ratio of power delivered to the front and rear differentials depending on condition and driving mode. It seems to work quite well in my Crosstrek. The CVT tranny is not on my things to like just as a general principle, but Subaru seems to have a handle on them and is putting them behind more powerful engines than most other automakers.
Subaru also specs full honest to God real synthetic oils for all their lubricants so the transmission CVT fluid isn't going to be terrible from the jump. Indemitsu is their lubricant supplier. They are the ExxonMobil of Japan. Sure you can get better, but it's not bad stuff for an OEM. Also Subaru engineers pump the living hell out of their engine oils. You need to use the factory Subaru engine oil filters or a Wix or NAPA Gold which is a Wix. Wix is the only filter I've found that has a bypass pressure spec high enough to equal the Subaru filter. They spec a really high 24PSI. About the highest I can really recall seeing is 17PSI. Subie engineers place a high value on oil flow in these engines, so I'm inclined to believe they have the CVT covered.
Not mine. I switched to a shifter kart after 2 years due to the glass transmission thing, something the sti did not suffer from. But, I was running a street touring class (street tires, relatively free suspension, intake and exhaust), and given the allowances I had for that car, it was a noisy and hilarious beast. At the time, street touring didn't have a class for the sti. Wasn't an option until there was a class made for it, the evo's, and a bunch of other interesting cars.
Ya, I didn't do any of that. I mentioned ownership as a way of implying a positive view of and familiarity with the brand.Thing is, I never went comparing a Crosstrek/Legacy/Outback to that sort of thing. They're obviously going to prioritize different qualities. Looking at any Crosstrek/Legacy/Outback (CVT or not) with the perspective of autocross is sort of a non-starter. If you went into driving them with autocross in the back of your mind and comparing them to an 04 WRX...….ummm, I guess I don't really know what you were expecting to find.
Owned a awd justy, too, 5sp. The cvt's they put in the later justy's were horrible as well. Also, most horrible oil changing experience of my life. Otherwise, it was a fine little car that was a hoot in the snow.
Common ground! Nissan CVT's are the worst I've experienced.I had driven CVTs from other manufacturers (primarily Nissan), and the Subie was by far the best CVT.
Ha! @randyho, your comment about it being annoying to change oil just made me think of the most annoying thing about the last decade of Outbacks.....
....I don't care about any potential issues that may have been addressed with the CVT. I want to know if I can change a god damn headlight from the engine bay like a normal car instead of requiring the car go up on a lift.
Fucking ridiculous, and probably the biggest thing that could dissuade me from buying another Subie if they haven't gotten themselves unfucked yet.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer