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:

    Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
    The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR). The emergency locking retractor allows normal body movement but the retractor locks automatically during a sudden stop, impact or if yo ...

    Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded
    To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air conditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner operation whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as dur ...

    Cargo & Towing
    If you're looking for cargo space, the hatchback is the better choice, as you might have guessed. Volume behind its backseat is 27.9 cu. ft., more than double the sedan's 11-cu.-ft. trunk. With it ...