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:

    Backseat
    Headroom is good in the sedan's backseat, but with the driver's seat fully back my knees pushed well into its soft backrest. With it in my driving position, for full clutch engagement, the backsea ...

    Windshield wipers
    MIST : Mist (for a single wipe) OFF : Off INT: Intermittent LO: Low speed HI: High speed To turn the wipers on, push the wiper control lever down. To turn the wipers off, return the lever to t ...

    P (Park)
    This position is for parking the vehicle and starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is mechanically locked to prevent the vehicle from rolling freely. When you park the vehicle, fir ...