| By Neil Briscoe.
Let's talk about the engine of the new Subaru Legacy first, as it's one of the few major carry-overs from the outgoing model. We had waited for years, decades even, for Subaru to produce its first diesel engine. There had been, at one point, worrying rumours that a diesel engine would have to be 'bought-in' from an outside supplier, sacrificing Subaru's unique boxer engine layout. Thankfully, that wasn't the case, and in 2008, Subaru duly presented to the world it's 2.0-litre flat-four diesel, with 150bhp and 350Nm of torque.
And it's fabulous. There's a faint, deep diesel rattle at tickover, but when you rev it, the flat-cylinder layout gives the engine a fabulous, close-harmony growl. It sounds exactly like the turbo-nutter petrol boxer from the famed Impreza rally days, just with less bass, more alto. It's also buttery smooth, again thanks to its unique layout.
It's also astonishingly economical. You would expect a car with a 1,505kg kerb weight, fitted with an engine that likes to rev and brings just 150bhp to the party when 170-180bhp is the 2.0 TDI norm these days, to suffer badly at the pumps. But no. We recorded a creditable 6.2-liters per 100km average, which compares extremely well with Subaru's claimed combined figure of 5.9l/100km. That's 47.8mpg on average; pretty good for a big, spacious saloon that's also packing the extra weight and mechanical drag of a symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.
Subaru has always made beguiling cars, cars that deviate from the conventional norm with their four-corner traction and boxer engines. Cars with exceptionally high engineering standards, rather than chintzy design or badge status, to the fore. The outgoing Legacy was one of the best cars you could buy for Irish conditions; a beautifully balanced chassis, smooth engines and a reliability record that would make a Swiss watch maker look to his laurels.
Sadly, the new Legacy doesn't quite manage this combination. It's not bad, just not as all-round satisfying as its predecessor.
First off, the styling, which looks a bit over-cooked at the front (a frequent issue with Subarus. Remember the 2000 Impreza?) and rather derivative at the back. It's also much bigger than the old Legacy, and they styling has done little to disguise the bloat.
The cabin also suffers from bloat, forsaking the previous Legacy's plain-but-simple approach for something rather more OTT. The big semi-cylindrical bulge in the centre console is a bit of a puzzler, and although equipment levels are high (Bluetooth phone connection, an electronic handbrake and heated seats are all standard) the switchgear is poorly laid out and, in some places, downright cheap-looking. Subaru has always been a company prepared (rightly) to spend more time on its engines and chassis than on its cabin design, but a bit more coherency in the Legacy's interior would be welcome. On the upside, though, it is very spacious, very comfortable and, as you'd expect from a Subaru, beautifully built.
On the chassis front, you can see and feel where the engineering expertise has been put to good use, but again, the new Legacy trips up in one key area.
The steering is fine; a little over-assisted and light, perhaps, but accurate and quick off-centre, which makes the Legacy feel small and lighter on its toes through a given corner. Grip and traction levels, thanks to the all-wheel-drive, are as usual excellent, and you'll probably never find the Legacy's limits of grip on the public road. Even in the midst of a sudden downpour that rendered the roads slippy and greasy, the Legacy continued, unperturbed.
But the ride is actually quite poor. It's soft enough to allow a surprising amount of body roll through tight corners, which would be fine if it then absorbed bumps and ruts properly, but it doesn't. Instead, road imperfections are transmitted through the body structure with a thump and and occasional crash. In this area more than any other, the new Legacy still needs some work.
There's one other hurdle for the Legacy to jump, and that's price. And sadly, it falls here too. At €34,995, the new Legacy is priced directly against serious competition from the likes of Honda (Accord), BMW (3 Series), Audi (A4) and Mercedes-Benz (C-Class). And while it's better equipped as standard, on the dynamic and badge appeal fronts, it can't compete. Previously, the Legacy was priced at a point mid-way between the mass-market likes of Mondeo and Insignia, but cheaper than the premium brand offerings. This seems to be a more natural habitat and we feel that the new Legacy will struggle against the grandeé marques.
Which is a shame, as in spite of its faults, the new Legacy has a lot to offer, not least its fantastic diesel engine and Subaru's traditional engineering prowess. But the faults do need work, and the price really needs to be re-positioned.
Facts & Figures
Subaru Legacy 2.0 TD Saloon
Price: €34,995
Capacity: 1,998cc
Power: 150bhp
Torque: 350Nm
Top speed: 206kmh
0-100kmh: 9.3sec
Economy: 5.9l-100km (47.8mpg)
CO2 emissions: 156g/km
VRT Band: C 24% VRT. €302 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star; 79% adult, 73% child, 58% pedestrian, 71% safety assist |
