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:

    Headlights (models without HID headlights)
    Halogen headlight bulbs become very hot while in use. If you touch the bulb surface with bare hands or greasy gloves, fingerprints or grease on the bulb surface will develop into hot spo ...

    Safety & Pricing
    The new Legacy has yet to be tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Standard safety features for 2010 include six airbags, an electronic stability system and antilock brakes. Click ...

    Charge warning light
    If this light illuminates when the engine is running, it may indicate that the charging system is not working properly. If the light illuminates while driving or does not turn off after the engin ...