2010 Subaru Legacy review

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.

See also:

Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never brake suddenly; keep driving straight ahead while gradually reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to a safe place. ...

REV indicator light (STI)
This light illuminates when the engine speed reaches a level set by driver or when the tachometer needle enters the red zone. ...

Photosensors
The mirror has a photosensor attached on the front and back sides. During nighttime driving, these sensors detect distracting glare from vehicle headlights behind you and automatically dim the m ...