The Outside

I liked the outgoing Legacy. Its appearance — assertive up front, aggressive in profile — set it apart from a number of tubbier-looking competitors. Sadly, times have changed. The Legacy has caught up in girth, which Subaru says was in response to shoppers finding the last one too small. It isn't appreciably heavier by the numbers, but it no longer looks skinny, at least to my eyes.

The actual styling is a whole other affair. I see some Infiniti G37 up front, a Saab 9-5 in back and some Subaru Impreza along the sides. I find it not so much controversial — that can be a good thing — as simply overwrought, chaotic even. It's no worse than the Accord, another car stuck nursing wounds from the ugly stick. Decide for yourself about the Legacy's appeal, and drop me an email when you do.

    See also:

    System monitors
    A diagnostic system continually monitors the readiness of the seatbelt pretensioner while the vehicle is being driven. The seatbelt pretensioners share the control module with the SRS airbag s ...

    Temperature A, B, C
    The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions o ...

    ABS system self-check
    Just after the vehicle is started, you may feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar to when the ABS operates, and you may also hear the sound of the ABS working from the engine compartment. ...