The 2010 Subaru Legacy's redesign has been long overdue. Its sophisticated new look is sleek, but as Mom always says it's what's on the inside that counts. The sedan's redesign added nearly 4 inches of legroom for the second row, and the car's now wider across, which increases shoulder and hip room in the front and rear seats. The redesigned Legacy isn't a head-turner per se, but it's sharp enough to get you through any valet station with your head held high.

My test car, a Legacy 2.5i, had a standard six-speed manual transmission; it's not often that I get a chance to drive a sedan with a stick shift. It provided an element of sportiness. Add to this the loud engine and road noise and the Legacy seemed like a much sportier car than your typical family sedan.

However, the Legacy's 170-horsepower four-cylinder engine felt underpowered at times. Starting from a stop was OK, but it didn't accelerate with as much oomph as I'd have liked. The Legacy got from Point A to Point B, but I had to readjust my driving style somewhat to help it along.

• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety