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A mild face-lift, a sporty new “3.0 R Limited” trim level, a redesigned instrument panel, the cancellation of the wagon body style and the addition of a few new standard features (including tilt and telescopic steering wheel and an auxiliary audio jack) are the major changes for the 2008 Subaru Legacy line.

Price: $20,495 – 33,995.
Invoice: $19,365 – 31,535.

Introduction

Although it may not attract the spotlight as much as its enthusiast-leaning Impreza WRX sibling, the 2008 Subaru Legacy is deserving of much more than supporting actor status in the carmaker’s lineup. As the brand’s main midsize sedan, the Legacy is meant to appeal to two main types of buyers: those looking for something sportier than the ubiquitous Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and those who want the advantage of all-wheel-drive traction for foul-weather driving. For 2008, Subaru has given its Legacy a subtle face-lift, evident from changes to the Legacy’s grille and lighting systems fore and aft. The company also added a new trim level this year, the 3.0 R Limited, that features a 245-horsepower flat-6 coupled to a rev-matching, paddle-shifted automatic gearbox. There are also revisions on the inside with new seat fabrics and an updated instrument panel.

Keeping with Subaru tradition, all-wheel drive is standard across the board and nearly all 2008 Legacy models are propelled by a horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine (called a “boxer” or “flat” engine design). A sure-footed demeanor, thanks to the AWD and the boxer engine’s lower center of gravity, is a standout trait of the Legacy. Before you scoff at the scarceness of six-cylinder power (only available on one of the Legacy’s six trim levels), consider that we’ve found the GT’s turbocharged four to be a spirited sweetheart that rivals many V6s in terms of outright performance, refinement and power delivery.

In an attempt to pump up the sporting factor even more, Subaru offers a gizmo called SI-Drive on some trims. SI-Drive adjusts the electronic throttle’s response as well as the automatic transmission’s shift points. There are three modes: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp to choose from. The Intelligent mode optimizes fuel-efficiency, but expectedly blunts performance while the Sport Sharp mode does the inverse. Sport falls somewhere in the middle. Any guess as to which mode we prefer. On the whole, we’re pretty fond of the 2008 Subaru Legacy. Its all-wheel drive, fine ride and handling balance, and lively, sport sedan personality make it an easy recommendation for driving enthusiasts in need of a midsize sedan. Stellar crash test scores also further its appeal. The few drawbacks to the Legacy include a backseat that’s on the small side and the limited availability of certain features, such as stability control.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The 2008 Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan with all-wheel drive. The six trim levels are comprised of base 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited, 2.5 GT spec.B and 3.0 R Limited. The base 2.5i comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, an MP3/WMA-capable CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack, keyless entry, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a trip computer and full power accessories. The 2.5i Special Edition adds a moonroof and a power driver seat. The 2.5i Limited includes leather seating, heated exterior mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and an upgraded audio system with an in-dash CD changer.

The sporting 2.5 GT Limited features a turbocharged engine, SI-Drive, a limited-slip rear differential, larger brakes, quicker steering, bolstered sport seats, a three-spoke Momo steering wheel and electroluminescent gauges. The 2.5 GT spec.B sedan adds an upgraded Torsen limited-slip differential, stability control, a sport suspension with Bilstein dampers, 18-inch alloys with performance tires, a navigation system, ground effects and alloy pedal covers. The 3.0R Limited essentially substitutes a six-cylinder engine and paddle-shifted automatic transmission for the 2.5 GT spec.B’s turbo four and manual transmission. The navigation and stability control systems are optional on the midlevel trims, but unfortunately can’t be had on entry-level ones.

Interior

The Legacy’s well-trimmed cabin is one of its strongest virtues. Clean, logical design is tastefully accented with convincing faux aluminum and wood grain trim. The red-and-white gauges and three-spoke Momo steering wheel in the GT Limited, spec.B and 3.0 R models add a sporty flair, while all trims boast excellent build and materials quality. While the backseat is comfortable for two passengers, shoulder room and legroom are still pretty tight for this class. Kids should fit with no problem, though. The Legacy’s trunk is also on the smallish side at 11.4 cubic feet. However, it does feature both a ski pass-through and fold-down rear seats to optimize cargo capacity.

Powertrains and Performance

Three engines are available for the Subaru Legacy, and all Legacy models feature all-wheel drive. The 2.5i models get a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (or flat) four-cylinder that makes 175 hp and 169 pound-feet of torque. The GT Limited and GT spec.B models get a turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-4 that makes 243 hp and 241 lb-ft. The 3.0 R Limited has a 3.0-liter flat-6 that produces 245 hp and 215 lb-ft.

Legacy 2.5i models are equipped with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. GT buyers have the choice of the five-speed manual or a five-speed auto. The spec.B has a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.0 R has a five-speed automatic that (like the five-speed auto on the GT trims) features paddle shifters and rev-matching downshifting. Performance of the GT trims is especially thrilling; we timed a GT spec.B at just 5.7 seconds in the 0-to-60 dash.

Driving Impressions

Equipped with the base 2.5-liter engine, the 2008 Subaru Legacy provides adequate acceleration and polished road manners that are sure to please whether your commute is all highway or includes a few twists and turns. If you can swing it, though, the upgrade to the turbocharged Legacy GT Limited or spec.B is well worth it. Those cars are quick and entertaining to exercise on a back road, especially when equipped with one of the manual transmissions. Hard-core enthusiasts will note that the Legacy exhibits a bit too much body roll to be considered a bona fide sport sedan, but the trade-off is a forgiving highway ride — even on the Bilstein-equipped spec.B. Steering is light, precise and high in feedback with all Legacy models.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and whiplash-reducing front headrests are all standard. Stability control is standard on the GT spec.B and 3.0 R trims and optional on the 2.5i Limited and GT Limited trims. In IIHS crash tests the 2008 Subaru Legacy received the Gold Award (its highest honor) after the car earned “Good” ratings (the highest) in frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests, and for its head restraints’ ability to prevent whiplash in rear-end crashes. The NHTSA rates the Legacy very high as well; the vehicle has a perfect five-star rating for both frontal and side-impact crash protection.

Subaru, the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Co., Ltd, is best known for their use of boxer engines in their vehicles along with standard AWD. Over the years, Subaru has built up its reputation for high quality, reliable vehicles that don’t sacrifice performance for daily practicality. Introduced in the United States in 1996, the first Subaru Legacy Outback was marketed as ‘The World’s First Sport Utility Wagon’. The Legacy station wagon featured all wheel drive, body-cladding, off-road tires and slightly higher ground clearance. A crossover sport-utility vehicle, the Subaru Outback was based on the Legacy/Liberty station wagon. The Outback was created in response to the truck-based SUV craze that had begun to reach fevered pitch with customers. Subaru station wagons, even those equipped with all wheel drive, where being forsaken in lieu of the popular new SUV’s.

The popularity of the Outback was helped in part by ads featuring Australian ‘Crocodile Dundee’ star Paul Hogan using the Outback in scenes were it competed again leading SUV’s, most notably the Ford Explorer. Largely visual changes were made to the existing Legacy extended roof Touring Wagon platform to suggest a more adventurous, rugged persona. In Japan the Outback was named the Legacy Grand Wagon before being renamed the Lancaster in 1997, and then again in 2005 as the Outback. An all-wheel-drive Outback was introduced to the US market in 1995 by Subaru as a 1996 model. In Australia, the model has been known simply as ‘the Outback’. Alongside the Subaru Legacy and Subaru Tribeca models, the US Outback is manufactured at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Indiana. In 1998, the Outback Sport, which was based on the Subaru Impreza 5-door hatchback was introduced.

Olivier Boulay was hired by Subaru on a short-term basis to design the exterior of the Subaru Outback. In 1996, it became a separately-marketed line in the United States. It was at this time that the vehicle received Outback-specific changes that included unique bumpers, taller tires with more pronounced treat, slightly higher ground clearance, and tweed-like seats and door panel inserts. Only available with the DOHC 2.5 liter engine, the JDM Grand Wagon and Lancaster received a 10 hp improvement in 1998. On a select few Outback sedans and wagons, non-functional hood scoops were found, non-functional because Subaru did not install the turbo into any Outback vehicles.

Price: $23,195 – 31,495.
Invoice: $21,845 – 29,485.

To simplify the powertrain implementation of all wheel drive, and because of the natural smoothness of the engine design, Subaru chose to use the boxer engine in the Outback. Due to the fact that the engine sits inline, or longitudinal, with the transmission, instead of being transverse, the body roll of the Outback is minimized. Instead of being offset, the weight of the engine and transmission are balanced, which causes the weight of the engine and transmission to be unbalanced in the engine bay in other vehicles. Because the engine sits low in the engine bay and close to the ground, the Boxer engine affords a low center of gravity, in comparison to other vehicles. This also makes the vehicles more stable in moderate to high speed maneuvers.
While other manufacturers attempt to balance the offset weight by making their powertrains weight evenly distributed, this only results in making the powertrain heavier than the Subaru layout. The Subaru’s power train is manufactured from lightweight aluminum. Providing perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, the boxer design eliminated the need for a harmonic balancer attached to the front of the engine at the crankshaft. With this type of powertrain layout, torque steer is also reduced. Having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length and extending from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular from the transmission achieves this feat. All past and current USA Subaru’s can be easily recognized by their trim levels and the color of the outside door panels. While base trim levels can always be identified by their black plastic door handles, uplevel models have painted door handles directly matching the exterior color.

Sold in New England in 1999, the Outback Sport Utility Sedan was featured with a limited production test run. The SUS was introduced nationwide for the following year due to its success. The Outback became its own model in 2000, and along with receiving a 4-door sedan into its lineup, the Outback also received an available horizontal six-cylinder engine. Titled the ‘Lancaster’ in Japan for the second generation, the six-cylinder was also renamed the ‘Lancaster 6′. The second generation six-cylinder was featured with Subaru’s VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system, which integrated stability control with traction control. The VDC system was joined to an all new AWD system which split the power 45/55 front-to-rear in normal conditions. The system cuts power to the spinning wheel when a spin is detected, and reroutes power to those that aren’t.

Depending on transmission choice, other models retained the typical AWD layouts that have been seen in previous generation Outback models. Relying on limited slip differentials to redirect power front to rear, rear to front and from one rear wheel to the other, manual models came with the mechanical ‘Continuous AWD’ system, which was normally 50/50 front/rear. Automatic models featured an electronically-controlled AWD system that was 90/10 front/rear, that redirected differing amount of power to the rear wheels continuously depending on hard the accelerator pedal was pressed. Differing front the previous 4-cylinder model in that it became an SOHC design, the Outback came standard with a 165 horsepower 4-cylinder boxer engine. Maximum torque was available at a lower rpm.

The only vehicles ever factory-equipped with McIntosh stereo equipment, the highest trim level of the Outback received a 200 W McIntosh stereo system as standard equipment from 2001 to 2003. Available options also included an in-dash 6-disc CD changer and dual moonroofs. Rather than resembling U.S. models, Australian Outback models were designed closer to the Japanese models. The evidence lies primarily in the placement of the headlights, rear taillights, front and rear bumpers, the side indicators on front quarter panels, and higher placing of the ‘Outback badging’ on the front door bodywork, rather than being placed on the plastic cladding.

Australian models were released in an early style with all-in-one headlights, gold colored cladding, a light gray cloth internally, light brown wood textured dashboard, and a plain instrument cluster. Available as an aftermarket option was a nudge bar, which was a smaller style of bulbar or roobar. From 2002 through 2004 the style was updated to feature silver cladding, a new updated range of paint color options, a dark gray/black cloth internally, multi-unit headlights, dark gray plastics, and a very dark brown faint wood texture, along with metal trims on the dials of the instrument cluster.

Available models included the base ‘Outback’, the ‘Outback H6′ which now included the 6 cylinder engine with VDC, and the ‘Outback Limited’ which featured a new sunroof along with cloth/leather seats. The Outback H6 was now available in a single metallic pearl off-white color, rather than the usual color either gold or silver cladding, and also featured slightly different 16′ wheels. Available only in automatic, the size of the 6- cylinder engine was most likely the reason, due to not enough space to fit the manual box and associated dual range mechanicals.

Introducing the fourth-generation Legacy at the 60th Frankfurt Auto Show in 2003, the Outback name was now being used worldwide with the launch of the second-generation Outback wagon. Introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show were models equipped with a 3.0 L H6. Based on the most recent Impreza, the Impreza-based Outback Sport is marketed on Subaru’s U.S. website as a trim of the Impreza. For the 2008 model year, the Outback received an enlarged, chrome-ringed grille. In this same year, the Legacy wagon and Outback sedan were discontinued in the U.S., leaving only the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon.

The 2009 Subaru Tribeca is unchanged following its freshening for the 2008 model year. This midsize SUV has seating for five or seven in base and uplevel Limited models. All-wheel drive without low-range gearing is standard. The sole powertrain is a 256-hp 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine that teams with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Maximum towing capacity is 3500 lb with the available towing package, 2000 lb without. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags that cover the first two seating rows, and front side airbags.

Rear-obstacle detection and a navigation system with rearview camera are available, as is remote engine start. An optional rear DVD entertainment system is exclusive to seven-passenger Limiteds and requires the available navigation system.

The 2010 Subaru Tribeca gets a few changes, including new trim levels and standard 7-passenger seating. This crossover SUV comes in mid-level Limited and new-for-2010 entry-level Premium and top-line Touring trim levels. The 5-passenger Base and Limited versions have been discontinued. All-wheel drive without low-range gearing is standard. The sole powertrain is a 256-horsepower 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine that teams with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Maximum towing capacity is 3,500 pounds with the available towing package, 2,000 pounds without. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags that cover the first two seating rows, and front-side airbags. Heated front seats are standard on all Tribeca models.

An uplevel audio system, sunroof, rearview camera, and specific trim are standard on the Touring. A navigation system and DVD entertainment are available. This report is based on evaluations of the 2009 Subaru Tribeca.

The 2009 Subaru Outback undergoes a model reorganization. These SUV-flavored wagons have all-wheel drive and horizontally opposed engines. Outbacks share their basic design with Subaru’s midsize Legacy sedan, but have a slightly raised suspension. Outbacks come in 2.5i, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 XT Limited, and 3.0 R Limited trims.

Limited replaces the previous L.L. Bean. All 2.5i models have a 170-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. XT Limiteds have a 243-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder. The 3.0 R has a 245-hp 6-cylinder. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on 4-cylinder models. An automatic is standard on 2.5i Limited and 3.0 R, optional otherwise.

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. All have a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback. A navigation system and remote engine start are available on certain models when equipped with the automatic transmission.

The 2010 Subaru Outback is redesigned with freshened styling, a revised model lineup, and a new 6-cylinder engine. This midsize car is about 3 inches wider and longer in wheelbase than the 2009 Outback. Two engines and six models are offered, all with horizontally opposed engines and standard all-wheel drive. The 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, and 2.5i Limited have a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine.

A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on 2.5i and 2.5i Premium, and a new continuously variable transmission (CVT) that behaves like an automatic is optional on those two and standard on 2.5i Limited. The top-line 3.6R, 3.6R Premium, and 3.6R Limited have a new 256-horsepower 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine that teams with a 5-speed automatic.

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front-side airbags. A wireless cell-phone link is standard on Limiteds and optional on all other Outbacks. Heated front seats are optional on 2.5 Premium and standard on 2.5i Limited, 3.6R Premium, and 3.6R Limited. Leather upholstery is standard on Limiteds, while a navigation system is optional.

The 2009 Subaru Legacy lineup gains a new trim level–the 3.0 R. These midsize sedans offer all-wheel drive and horizontally-opposed engines. Legacy is available in 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, and 2.5 GT trims, each with 4-cylinder engines. The 2.5i models have 170 hp. GT and sport-themed GT spec.B are turbocharged and have 243 hp.

Also available are the 3.0 R and 3.0 R Limited. They have a 245-hp 6-cylinder. Manual transmission is standard on 2.5i and 2.5i Special Edition. Automatic is optional on 2.5i and non-spec.B GTs. The automatic is standard on 2.5i Limited and 3.0.

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. The spec.B has a sport suspension and specific interior trim.