Subaru Legacy - Contract Killer
Driven: '10 Legacy 2.5 GT Limited
By Carter Jung
źródło: importtuners
MSRP $29,995; $34,146 (as tested)
Engine 2.5L, turbocharged 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder Boxer engine
Power Rating 265 hp, 258 lb-ft tq
Configuration front engine, all-wheel drive
Transmission 6-speed manual
Curb Weight 3,477 (as tested)
Suspension MacPherson strut (front), double wishbone (rear)
Whees/Tires 18-inch alloy wheels; Bridgestone Potenza RE050A 225/45R-18 tires
Brakes dual-piston with 12.4-inch ventilated disc (front), single-piston with 11.4-inch rear disc (rear)
Epa Fuel Economy 18 city, 25 highway
Drive Impression Me likes. Fast, respectable in the handling department and with refinement expected of a car in its class, it's a model I would consider purchasing if I acted more my age (and had a salary commensurate, thereof).
Tunability See above.
At first glance, the '10 Legacy looks like it went through a growth spurt-it seems huge compared to its previous sibling. But it isn't as dramatic as it seems; overall length is increased by a scant 1.4 inches but overhang takes an arctic-like shrinkage with the wheelbase gaining 3.2 inches. Another dimensional improvement comes by way of a 3.6-inch wider track, but at the cost of a 3.2-inch taller profile. Headroom, schmeadroom. More than tape measurements, what does give the Subie a larger presence are the new headlights that arch back toward the A-pillar, blistered fenders, and strong shoulder line that wedges out to the trunk. To completely take in the aggressive styling, one need not look further than the modified Legacy in front of you.
So the new bippu'd Legacy looks sick, how does it drive in stock form? For a full-on sedan, very well. Driving the six-speed manual, turbocharged 2.5L flat-four found in the 2.5GT Limited trim, the car drives similar to that of a WRX-under light throttle, mild mannered. Stomp on the gas and all 258 lb-ft of torque from the turbo kick in with a quickness and the drivetrain spits out 265 hp to all four wheels, propelling 3,400-plus pounds of Subaru from standstill to 60 in under six seconds-wicked fast for an upscale four-door that starts under $30k.
More impressive is how something so midsized can feel so planted. Driving the Legacy to our cover shoot, packed with Leianna Kai (model), wardrobe, and camera and lighting equipment through the hills of Santa Clarita, north of LA, the Legacy trotted through twisties without so much as a wheeze. Instead of the mushy feeling you'd get from most sedans, the Legacy's suspension were taut and the 18-inch wheel and tire combo offered generous grip. While an STI this is not, it's miles from your Pappy's Sebring.
My only complaint with the '10 Legacy is with its navigation unit; the interface took a bit of getting used to and it tended to spit out weird routes. The tunes from the nine-speaker Harman/Kardon audio, however, are the best I've heard in a Subaru, yet.
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