Once upon a time Subaru just made regular cars, ones that didn’t pretend to be SUVs. This began to change when Subaru created an Outback version of its large wagon, the Legacy in 1995. These days Subaru is best known for its quasi-SUVs, the Outback and the Forester. However, the Legacy continues on, even if virtually no one is aware of its existence. The other day I visited the nearby Subaru dealer to drive the 2003 Forester. I liked the Forester, but since I’m not really an SUV person figured I’d like a lower to the ground, performance-tuned wagon even better. The Outback gets all the recognition, but since it sits an inch or so lower and rides on performance tires the Legacy promises to be the sharper handler.

For 2003 Subaru has slightly jiggled the Legacy line-up. Last year there was the base L, the sportier, higher content GT, and a leather-lined GT Limited. For 2003, the GT gets the Limited’s extra stuff and the Limited is gone. To fill the gap this created, Subaru has added an “L Special Edition” that includes a dual panel sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 16” alloys shod with performance tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE92s), foglamps, and fake wood interior trim. (Which one of these is not like the others, which one of these…) These extra goodies add only $900 to the Legacy L’s low price. As with all Subarus, all-wheel-drive and anti-lock brakes are standard. Audi has rebuilt its reputation based on the performance benefits of all-wheel-drive. Many of the same benefits are available here, for less. Much less. Given its $21,620 window sticker, the Legacy L Special Edition threatens to be a little known steal for the enthusiast. Only one way to find out.

Subaru Legacy Reliability

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Styling

There’s a reason people seem to require all of that Outback trim to get excited about Subaru’s cars. The Legacy wagon’s styling is eminently forgettable. It’s not ugly, it’s not beautiful, it’s just there. Especially in the silver paint of the car I drove. The styling is so conventionally boxy that the Legacy could easily have been designed fifteen or more years ago. In fact, this is the third generation Legacy, yet it continues to look much like the first and second. The styling just gets a bit more bland each time as they refine the same basic theme. The sedan’s styling is a touch more distinctive, but still seems to have a hard time attracting eyeballs. The front end was slightly restyled this year, but I find it hard to believe that anyone will notice the differences. If they do, I suspect they’ll find that the new fascia (bumper facing) adds a touch of ugly to the formerly bland front end.

Still, I could live with the exterior. Like I said, nothing offensive. And some people might like the stealth quality of such plain styling, or that it suggests the car’s focus on utility. My real aesthetic problem with the car began on the inside. After driving the new Forester, with its very well done interior, the Legacy’s interior (shared with the Outback) seems woefully dated. The large quantity of obviously fake wood deserved special mention. So much for that sporty feeling. Why couldn’t they have used that ugly fascia money to create some new interior trim instead? Maybe some of that metallic stuff that words so well in the new Forester? Aside from the plastic timber, the interior is just as bland and dated as the exterior.

Accommodations

You sit quite a bit lower in the Legacy than in the Forester, though still moderately high for a car. The dash isn’t too high, and the view out is expansive in all directions. In the L seat height is not adjustable, but this isn’t much of a problem. The seat itself is fairly comfortable, and unlike that in the Forester provides good (though not great) lateral support. The side bolsters nicely cup your body.

Despite the car’s lower height, the rear seat in the Legacy is actually higher off the floor than that in the Forester, so thigh support is better. The main issue with the rear seat is that it’s much more cramped than that in an Accord, Camry, or Altima. Two adults will fit back there, but their knees will be much closer to the front seatbacks. As for three adults, the Legacy is a couple inches narrower than those competitors, and this translates into noticeably less shoulder room. Of course, they don’t offer wagons. Saturn does, but the L-Series wagon (the closest thing to the Legacy wagon among today’s limited number of wagons) is similarly narrow. Come to think of it, these cars are very similar in interior dimensions.

The sunroof is an unusual two panel unit. The front piece only tilts up, while the rear piece retracts in the usual manner. Distinctive, but I’m not sure what the point is. Why should the back seat people get that open air feeling? I’d prefer a large conventional one-piece sunroof, like that in the Forester.

Cargo room is fairly good. Though it’s not as spacious as the cargo area of the Saturn, Audi A4 and BMW 325 wagon owners will be envious.

On the Road

I drove the Legacy with a manual transmission. This gave the engine the best possible shot at getting me excited. It didn’t quite succeed. The Legacy wagon weighs a couple hundred pounds more than the Forester, but uses the same engine, a 165 horsepower 2.5 liter horizontally opposed four cylinder. Acceleration is marginal when this number of horses confronts approximately 3400 lbs. Forced me to work the gears a bit, though in some instances that can make for more fun. For those who want this wagon with more power, the Legacy-based Outback is available with a 3.0 liter six, but only with an automatic,

More than the amount of power, I had a problem with the noise quality and refinement of this engine. The Forester’s engine felt the same, but in an SUV the somewhat unrefined sounds (similar in basic character to an old VW Beetle) seemed appropriate, even adding to the character of the vehicle. The Legacy, however, presents itself as a car. The styling says car, and the view from the driver’s seat screams it. In a car frame of mind, the sound and feel of this engine no longer seem so appropriate. Instead of seeming sporty, they simply seem a bit rough. Of course, Volvo’s five cylinder engine is no better, and it doesn’t seem to hurt their sales much.

On the plus side, Subaru shifters tend to be nice, and this one was no exception. Effort is slight and the feel is satisfyingly notchy going into gears. Throws are moderate in length, perhaps a bit long for a sports car but appropriate for a quasi-SUV. Best of all the lever feels solidly mounted and displays no slop between gears, unlike many manuals I’ve driven. All in all, Subaru clearly still cares about their manual transmissions.

Handling is fairly good. The chassis feels very balanced, whether diving into a turn or powering out of one. Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system likely deserves much of the credit. Unlike that in many SUVs, this engine sends power to both ends of the vehicle all of the time. Automatic transmission Subarus use an electronically controlled clutch instead of the manual’s viscous coupling center differential to distribute power between the two ends, but I am not sure how much this affects performance. The brochure does not distinguish between the two systems when describing how Subaru’s all-wheel-drive works, so they must work in a similar fashion. The performance tires on this Legacy certainly stick better than the SUV tires on the Forester. The steering is light in effort, but not too much so, and feels reassuringly precise and linear. Feedback through the wheel is good, if not great. Put all of these positive attributes together, and I found the Legacy very easy and even entertaining to drive aggressively. That said, I believe there is still some untapped potential here. Perhaps because the stickier tires enabled me to push the Legacy harder through turns than I did the Forester, the Legacy’s suspension felt softer, especially at the rear. A stiffer rear suspension could make the Legacy’s fine handling even better, lending it sharper responses and a more aggressive feel.

The softer suspension is not all for naught. The ride is smoother than that of the Forester. Not quite up to luxury car levels, but certainly a match for most other family sedans, few of which handle as well. It’s significantly better than the ride of the Saturn L-Series. Noise levels are similarly competitive. The main issue is that between how the car feels and the interior ambiance the Legacy does not feel like a premium vehicle. Of course, it isn’t priced like one, but many cars manage to feel more expensive than they are. This one does not.

Pricing

As I’ve already mentioned, the sticker on this wagon was $21,620. Edmunds suggests that dealers typically knock off an even grand. Although I’m not in love with the car, just a bit over twenty seems pretty good for a good handling all-wheel-drive wagon with ABS and a sunroof.

The closest competitor is the Saturn LW200. With ABS and 16” alloys the Saturn stickers at $21,650, and Saturn dealers don’t discount. Since a manual is no longer available in the L-Series wagon, add $800 to the Subaru’s price—which makes them about even. The Saturn looks better in and out than the Subaru (these things are relative, after all), but its seats aren’t as good and it doesn’t ride as well. The Saturn includes a few extra features, most notably side curtain airbags (for side airbags in the Legacy you need to get the GT), but also notably lacks the Subaru’s all-wheel-drive and sunroof. So, compared to the Saturn the Subaru’s price looks pretty sweet.

A Jetta wagon has an even more cramped interior but based on the specs has a bit more cargo room. (Frankly, I don’t see it.) With alloys and a sunroof (available for 2002, unclear for 2003) a Jetta GLS non-turbo wagon runs around 21,000, and VW dealers appear to only discount a few hundred dollars. So again prices end up very similar. The VW has more style and side airbags, the Subaru has more room, more power, and all-wheel-drive. I guess it depends on your priorities, but the Subaru again appears the better value.

The next least expensive all-wheel-drive wagon is the VW Passat. In 2002 VW’s all-wheel-drive system was available with the mid-level GLS trim (about $28,000). For 2003, it’s only available with the loaded GLX which costs just under $33,000. It’s a much more luxurious car than the Legacy, with more features standard, but you pay for every bit of it. To find a Subaru comparable to the Passat GLX, it’s necessary to upgrade to the six-cylinder Outback L.L. Bean Edition, which stickers for $30,520 and typically sells for about $28,900. I have also driven that car, and might review it soon.

An Audi A4 1.8T wagon with alloys costs about $28,800. Add another $1,600 for a sunroof, because it comes in a package with leather. A BMW 325ix wagon with sunroof runs about $32,500 after a small dealer discount. So if you want a manual transmission all-wheel-drive wagon and don’t like the Subaru, be prepared to pay much more money for a smaller wagon elsewhere.

The best alternative may actually be another Subaru. The Forester has a more stylish interior that is nearly as roomy, is more fun to drive, and with a sticker of 21,070 costs just a bit more than the comparable non-special Legacy L. Generally I prefer cars to SUVs, but with these two Subarus I’d go with the Forester.

Last Words

Subaru has the makings of a fun, inexpensive wagon here. But they need to do a little more work first. Redesign the interior, stiffen up the suspension a bit, and perhaps get more power out of the engine (through a turbo or a slightly detuned regular gas 3.0 liter six), and this would be a great car. Subaru needs to put the kind of thought into this car that they have into the Outback to create a strong, coherent package. More than anything, what the Legacy currently lacks is an appealing character.

As it is, I want to like this car, but can’t get past the boring plastic-wood filled interior and mild power deficiency (which certainly gets much worse with the automatic). Among Subarus, I’d go with the Forester. Of course, based on what Subaru has done with the new Forester, I wouldn't be surprised if the next Legacy (due around 2005) is everything I was looking for in this car.

If the Forester did not exist I would recommend this car. Because the Forester does exist, I do not. The Legacy is a good car for the money if you want an all-wheel-drive wagon. But the Forester is better, and costs about the same.

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Amount Paid (US$): 21,620