Expert Reviews of 2016 Subaru Legacy 25i Premium
The Car Connexion Expert Review
Senior Editor
June 29, 2016
Likes
- Elegant, better-proportioned wait
- EyeSight active-safety systems
- Standard all-cycle drive
- Tablet-way infotainment controls
- Reputation for reliability
Dislikes
- No sporty model for the lineup
- Evolutionary design
- Only average functioning under the hood
Ownership tip
features & specs
4-Door Sedan 2.5i
4-Door Sedan 2.5i Express
iv-Door Sedan two.5i Limited PZEV
All-wheel drive for the entire lineup, a big dorsum seat, and fantabulous gas mileage might be plenty on their own to woo family-sedan shoppers; the 2016 Subaru Legacy has that, plus top safety, a smooth ride, and a design that fits right in.
It's merely a matter of time earlier mainstream shoppers observe the 2016 Subaru Legacy in the mode that they've already flocked to Subaru's Forester crossover and Outback utility railroad vehicle. The Legacy is no longer the specialty sedan it was in the by.
With standard all-wheel bulldoze, a recent full redesign, and some impressive active-rubber features that don't interruption the bank, the 2016 Subaru Legacy adds up to quite the value, specially in its four-cylinder versions. That's function of why, this past year, we named it out our All-time Car To Purchase 2015.
In design, the 2016 Legacy seems to manage conventionally appealing in a way that models similar the Volkswagen Passat, Chrysler 200, and even Chevrolet Malibu have (at to the lowest degree in contempo model years) been struggling with. It's nicely proportioned—perhaps a bit more than blunt-nosed than it needs to be, but nice nevertheless—and has some overnice detailing all around, with a more rakish, aerodynamic wait that moves the mirrors behind the front pillars. But as the exterior follows a handsome, functional median, the interior goes to a make clean, space-efficient blueprint that's dressed upwardly with nicer materials and trims than earlier.
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Yous won't find Subaru's turbocharged flat-4 here; instead there are flat-4 (2.5i) models and flat-six (3.6R) models, with the erstwhile powered past a 175-horsepower, 2.v-liter flat-4 that needs to be worked hard when more than than just a driver is aboard. Still good sound insulation means that it won't serve as a constant reminder of your frugality. Legacy three.6R sedans come with a 256-hp 3.6-liter flat-6, which isn't equally stiff or responsive as nosotros'd like. This is a smooth, graceful sedan, with a well-tuned ride and nicely weighted electric power steering. For 2016, Subaru has made some slight changes to the damping in superlative 3.6R Limited models.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy—if you haven't been paying attending to this segment of the market for a while—measures up correct in the heart of mid-size sedan territory. Just as all of its key rivals have grown, so has the Legacy; and while it fabricated a major bound in size in 2010, the Legacy didn't go much larger with its redesign final twelvemonth. Although thanks to some smarter interior design, it's noticeably roomier than its predecessor.
It'south all obvious from within, where the cabin feels roomier and wider—thanks in function to seat placement and to the dash corners, which have been pushed farther out to the corners alee. At the aforementioned time, leg room is upward significantly—by several inches, compared to earlier. And you could probably put three adults beyond in back for short trips and all the same have a working relationship with them afterward. The Legacy'due south rear seat still also has 60/40-split folding rear seat backs. Once folded down, the seats expose a large cutout that expands the 15.0 cubic feet of torso space.
The Legacy has already earned acme "Skillful" results in every category from the IIHS—and the Elevation Safe Option+ honour—as well as v stars in every category and subcategory of testing from the federal testers. It's one of the few models we requite a perfect "x" to in Condom. One reason why nosotros like the Legacy so much is that you can opt for the excellent EyeSight active-safety suite on all merely the base 2.5i model; Subaru's sweetened that affordable package this year by adding new accident avoidance features to an already robust (and tiptop-rated) system.
The base Legacy 2.5i model comes with a rearview camera, power accessories, and cruise control. Next up is the ii.5i Premium, which adds a 10-way power driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, and an all-atmospheric condition package, equally well as Bluetooth hands-free text messaging and a vii.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Limited models upgrade to leather seats, 18-inch wheels, a Harman Kardon sound organization and heated rear seats, while 3.6R Limited models get stainless exhaust tips and HID headlights, too. Keyless ignition, a navigation system, and a moonroof are amid the few options, in addition to EyeSight on the Premium.
The infotainment system that makes its debut in the current Legacy wipes the Subaru slate clean. The new arrangement comes at least with a pretty 6.2-inch multi-function touchscreen, 1 that'southward controlled via big tiles and icons, and has swipe and tap gesture control. Information technology behaves a lot like GM's MyLink and IntelliLink systems, down to the ability to ready favorites beyond any media, from Bluetooth streaming to AM to XM favorites.
One other new feature in the 2016 Legacy is the introduction of Starlink Prophylactic and Security features—including a couple of suites of services ranging from emergency and roadside assistance to things similar vehicle locating and remote locking/unlocking.
The flat-4 Subaru Legacy, with its EPA rating of 26 mpg city, 36 highway, 30 combined, is quite impressive. Half-dozen-cylinder models are quite a bit more than thirsty, getting 20/29/23 mpg.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy has a handsome contour and refined interior, although information technology'due south conservative throughout.
As Subaru's flagship sedan, the Legacy speaks to the pragmatic cadre of the make. It tows a eye path in design—not at all pretentious, not frilly, and non too boisterous in any way.
Looking at the blueprint of the 2016 Subaru Legacy up shut, 1 thing we appreciate here in such a no-nonsense sedan is that this model is completely empty of meaningless blueprint gestures, and cues that don't serve in the overarching purpose. Everything but falls into line here, from the more sharply raked windshield to moved-back side mirrors and the mildly sculpted fenders and lower bodywork.
In front end, the logo lies within a vi-sided grille—it's no trendsetter as you've seen it everywhere from the Hyundai Sonata to the Ford Fusion. The more than blunt look of the forepart, and the taller grille together piece of work a bit better with the closely related Outback than they do in the Legacy, although it doesn't make it the way of an elegant, nicely proportioned side view.
You lot'll have to hunt for the badges in back before you tin can definitively name what you're seeing. It's a little bit bearding; though to be fair, that's the case with a six mid-size sedans.
Seemingly in lockstep with the sheet metal, the cabin shifted its design toward a handsome, functional median with last year's redesign. Overall, it'south a clean, easily readable blueprint with a band of metal or wood-grain trim that distinguishes upper-trim levels from base versions. Gauges are lit in bluish, with a small LCD display wedged between the dials for a quick read of directions or audio condition. The vents are stacked college on the nuance, to brand room for a touchscreen interface that sits above a panel of knobs and switches rendered in old-school-Japanese metallic plastic.
While we wouldn't phone call the materials choices in the Legacy the best in its class, information technology'south come up a long style. There are a few inexpensive bits of trim, merely you accept to wait—really await—for them.
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The Legacy is beautifully balanced in terms of ride and handling, but it'due south simply average in dispatch.
Considering Subaru'southward great turbocharged fours, information technology might have been a condom bet that Subaru would have dropped the vi-cylinder engine this past year. But Subaru kept its engine lineup essentially the same. And while they're both solid choices, the four-cylinder models are the ones that we consider bargains—likewise as the models that traditional, somewhat frugal-minded Subaru shoppers will be drawn to.
In the 2016 Legacy, the two.5-liter flat-iv engine makes 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. It's teamed only to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. With 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, the Subaru 3.6-liter flat-6 is the pace-up engine; it gets beat by some turbo fours at this point, merely information technology's very shine, and somehow very satisfying from behind the wheel, even though it's also at present paired to a CVT.
With the flat-6-equipped 3.6R models, floor the accelerator and there's a seamless sweep that comes off as mayhap less dramatic than it should. The flat-6 shaves a second or and then off the flat-4's acceleration times. It's not plain fast, though it is unrestrained.
Equally for the flat-four (2.5i models), this combination is fine for mid-eight-second 0-threescore mph acceleration; with two or more aboard, the 4-cylinder needs to be wrung out, especially up balmy climbs, but actress audio deadening goes a long style to tamp out the wall of dissonance waiting at the other side of the gas pedal.
The apartment-four makes perfect sense in a auto similar the Legacy, i wraps itself in a layer of anticipated, clear responses. Information technology measures out its responses, with perfectly shine steering experience, a seamless transmission that blurs dispatch, and a pause that snubs roughed-upwardly roads. Like the Nissan Altima and Honda Accordance, the Legacy feels more traditional than a Ford Fusion, and equally "premium" as any Volvo.
The flip side of the Legacy's muted responses—even with the 6—is that it's tough to get it excited. The flat-4'south tame responses are, granted, a office of the high-economic system deal. The half dozen-cylinder model takes more stoking than it should, for a few reasons—similar cautious manual programming, and a lack of torque fashion down depression.
With either setup, the Legacy gets a set of steering-wheel paddle shifters and six programmed points on its infinite ratio curve. Y'all'd telephone call them "gears" in a conventional automatic or manual, simply CVTs use belts and pulleys instead. The paddles can pull more than emotion out of either engine, though it takes more than than a click or two downwardly before things become interesting. Different other applications, there'southward no SI-Bulldoze setup in the Legacy—no more aggressive throttle or steering programs, no eight-point shift pattern. There'south room here for an easy upgrade—and it still might come in the form of a GT.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy offers a nice compromise in the feel of its electric power steering. There's not excessive weight on center, yet it increases weight nicely off-heart; the outcome is a motorcar that tracks well, drives easy, and unwinds smartly from tight corners. This year Subaru has made a few boosted tweaks to superlative-of-the-line Limited models (their damping, most notably); let'southward promise they didn't mess too much with a good thing.
Overall, information technology just flows with the aforementioned ease as the compliant ride. The Legacy is settled, but also absorptive—not squishy and listless like a base Camry, not quite business firm like the Ford Fusion.
Betwixt the all-bicycle-bulldoze's new torque-vectoring feature—it can shift power front to back, and use the brakes on an within bike to tighten a cornering line—the Legacy's default mode is calm, cool and collected. Information technology skims gracefully around winding roads without whatever of the traction-command drama that's obvious in some overpowered front end-drivers.
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At that place'south splendid space for v in the Legacy, plus a quiet, refined feel inside that'southward been missing from Legacys past.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy, if y'all oasis't been paying attending to this segment of the market for a while, measures up right in the heart of mid-size sedan territory. Simply as all of its key rivals have grown, so has the Legacy; and while it made a major leap in size in 2010, the Legacy didn't go much larger with its redesign last year. Although thanks to some smarter interior pattern, it's noticeably roomier than its predecessor.
It'due south the biggest and roomiest sedan the brand has e'er offered, Subaru says, and also promises the biggest cabin in the family-sedan segment. By the numbers, the 2015 Legacy is 188.eight inches in overall length, and it rides on a 108.iii-inch wheelbase. That'southward a couple of inches wider than earlier, with 1.6 inches more in wheelbase.
It'southward all obvious from inside, where the cabin feels roomier and wider—thanks in part to seat placement and to the dash corners, which have been pushed further out to the corners ahead. At the same time, leg room is upwardly significantly—past several inches, compared to before.
Subaru splits out that space in a very functional way. The front seats are mounted a petty college than before, and with power aligning, they have a very wide range to arrange a lot of drivers. The seats themselves? In cloth or leather, they could employ more than side bolstering, and really need a lot of tilt in the cushion to feel adequately supportive.
The console that divides the front seats has a large pair of cupholders and a shallow, covered bin that holds a power point and two USB ports—aside from the console bin, deep plenty to agree an iPad.
The Legacy's back seat has a improve setup than the Fusion; the Altima has better cushioning merely the Subaru's rear bench has a less sunken experience, possibly a perception issue stemming from the brighter colors and trim in our primary test car. You could probably put iii adults beyond in back for curt trips and notwithstanding have a working human relationship with them afterward.
In this grade, the Honda Accord is closest to the Legacy's specs, with an inch more wheelbase and a zero-sum gain in forepart and rear legroom. The Nissan Altima is a bit smaller, and while the Chevy Malibu doesn't seem so small, it's downward in every disquisitional measure against the Legacy.
And unlike the base Accordance, the Legacy's rear seat even so has 60/40-split folding rear seat backs. Once folded down, the seats expose a large cutout that expands the 15 cubic feet of torso space. The trunklid itself is nicely squared and cut widely, so loading wider objects should be a snap.
The Legacy's cabin is quieter than ever, thanks to a new acoustic windshield, thicker panels, liquid-filled engine mounts, and more noise insulation throughout.
The Legacy has 119.six cubic feet of passenger and trunk space, which slides in just beneath the feds' 120-cubic-foot definition of a "large" machine. And as a result, curb weight is up to about 3,500 pounds in base of operations trim or 3,700 pounds in flat-vi guise. It'due south riding just a flake more than like a big motorcar than earlier, although in about ways the weight is well-masked.
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Top Safety Choice+, perfect v-star NHTSA ratings, and a summit-rated agile-safety system: Information technology's all here.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy is ane of the best-rated sedans for rubber—and that extends up to luxury cars, which says a lot in itself.
Subaru's EyeSight active-condom suite, which has been expanded for 2016, rivals what's offered in luxury cars with several times the sticker price. And with the latest Legacy, Subaru claims to accept raised the occupant-safety bar. That'south already proven truthful, with top "Good" results in every category from the IIHS—with the the Top Condom Pick+ honor—equally well as nothing but top five-star results from federal rubber officials.
The 2016 Legacy includes all-wheel bulldoze and a rearview camera, and information technology can exist configured with a packet of the latest active-safety applied science like blind-spot monitors, lane-difference warnings, and rear cross-traffic alerts.
Specifically, this past year the Legacy introduced the latest version of its EyeSight driver-assist organisation. It has smaller, improve cameras that are amend able to handle glare, have xl percent better detection range, and can now recognize brake lights alee in traffic. Subaru as well says its system will be less expensive to repair after an accident—since the cameras are mounted inside the windshield, they're protected amend from impacts.
The superlative value of the lineup is the Legacy Premium 4-cylinder model, as information technology tin be optioned with EyeSight for effectually $26,000, and that at present includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assistance. Limited trims as well have blind-spot monitoring and rear cantankerous-traffic warning, two features that are included with EyeSight otherwise.
One other new feature in the 2016 Legacy is the introduction of Starlink Safety and Security telematic features. With a Safety Plus subscription, the car will notify emergency services in a crash, plus automatic collision notification and maintenance notifications. Past calculation the Security Plus Parcel, you get stolen vehicle recovery, a vehicle locator, and remote locking and unlocking.
The Legacy as well comes standard with airbags in the front of the lesser seat cushion, to assist forbid submarining in an accident. And we really appreciate the Legacy's fantabulous visibility; its stiff body structure is delivered with slimmer roof pillars, a boon to rearward visibility. The rubber thoughtfulness goes as far as a feature we never knew existed on whatever Subaru.
Far better infotainment systems and standard all-bicycle drive brand the more affordable models in the lineup quite the value.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy goes upwardly against one of the best (and best-updated) sets of family sedans.
The base of operations Legacy ii.5i model comes with a rearview camera, ability accessories, and cruise control. Next upwards is the ii.5i Premium, which adds a 10-manner ability driver'due south seat, dual-zone climate command, and an all-weather parcel, as well as Bluetooth hands-free text messaging and a 7.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system.
The Legacy 2.5i Limited is the height-of-the-line model, and it upgrades to leather seats, xviii-inch wheels, a Harman Kardon audio system and heated rear seats.
At the tiptop of the range, the vi-cylinder Legacy iii.6R Limited starts at $30,740. It comes with the 2.5i Limited's gear, as well as stainless exhaust tips and HID headlights. There are a handful of options, too, ranging from $one,195 for the Moonroof Bundle up to $ii,990 for a package that adds moonroof, navigation, keyless ignition and Subaru's EyeSight collision abstention system.
Although some of those rivals offer all-bicycle drive as an choice, it'southward worth keeping in heed that all Legacy models include information technology. Based on the mode the Legacy is priced, that makes information technology very bonny in a value sense, especially in its less-expensive forms—as all-wheel drive is often available but on premium variants of rival models.
The infotainment system that makes its debut in the current Legacy wipes the Subaru slate clean. The new organisation comes at least with a pretty 6.2-inch touchscreen, 1 that'due south controlled via large tiles and icons, and has swipe and tap gesture control. It behaves a lot like GM'southward MyLink and IntelliLink systems, down to the power to set favorites across whatsoever media, from Bluetooth streaming to AM and XM favorites.
The stock system too includes an iPod/USB port, HD radio, an auxiliary input, Bluetooth hands-gratuitous calling and audio streaming, and integration for Pandora and Aha streaming services. Upgraded systems and those with navigation have two USB ports and vocalization-control recognition with a good grasp of natural language. Depending on which system you become, there's a separate configurable brandish (upward to five inches across) every bit function of the guess cluster, as well.
A automobile-mounted touchpad lets drivers set a lawmaking that allows the keys to be left in the car. If you're off chasing waterfalls or mudrunning, yous tin leave the fob behind in the motorcar, and just tap the code for re-entry.
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There'south no hybrid, but a combined xxx mpg EPA rating makes the iv-cylinder models quite respectable.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy is, surprisingly, one of the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans with all-wheel drive. However, there are no hybrids or diesel models bachelor in the U.Due south.
The flat-4 Subaru Legacy, with its EPA rating of 26 mpg urban center, 36 highway, xxx combined, is quite impressive. Helping the iv-cylinder Legacy earn those excellent ratings are agile grille shutters, which close to smoothen airflow at higher speeds, and a weight-saving aluminum hood.
Vi-cylinder models are quite a bit more thirsty, getting xx/29/23 mpg.
The Legacy'southward 26 mpg urban center and 36 highway marks are slightly beneath the best forepart-bulldoze vehicles in the segment, the Nissan Altima and Honda Accordance sedans.
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Fifth Subaru, withal no problems on my 2 yr erstwhile 2016 legacy..
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Really good machine
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January ix, 2016
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State of the art rubber features makes this car desirable for senior drivers.
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Source: https://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/subaru_legacy_2016
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