2021 Subaru Legacy

Carrying over with very minor changes for the 2021 model year, prices for the Subaru Legacy start at $22,895. It is available with a standard all-wheel drive, which makes it stand out from its crowd. It represents the best of luxury technology from the Japanese brand and competes against the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Altima.

The Subaru Legacy is available in a wide variety of trims, mainly six of them. This lineup also spans two different engines: a 2.5 L boxer naturally aspirated engine and a 2.4 L boxer turbocharged engine. Price ranges from $22,895 to $36,145 without options. It comes with adaptive LED headlights, automatic climate control, dual 7-inch displays, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, etc as standard.

Which trim should you buy?

Since there are so many trims on offer, it is quite hard to make up one’s mind. However, we found that the Limited trim is the one that makes the most sense to us. This is because the car is priced quite reasonably but has a lot of features in this particular trim level. Going for the more powerful engine would mean a significantly higher investment, and since the base engine itself is quite decent for the car, we felt it was unnecessary.

When it comes to the performance of the Subaru Legacy, one is generally left impressed. The car is powered by a 2.5 L naturally aspirated boxer four-cylinder engine that is quite humble but does its job well. It results in an output of 182 hp and 176 pound-feet of torque. The more powerful engine is a 2.4 L four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine that puts out 260 hp and 277 pound-feet of torque.

Even with the base engine, the power output is pretty much on par with the rest of the category, while the turbocharged engine is truly on another level. This results in a 0 to 60 mph time of just 8.4 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 16.5 seconds. The engine is mated to a CVT transmission and comes standard with all-wheel drive.

One can see that among the competitors, despite having all-wheel-drive, the Subaru Legacy is the slowest car of the bunch, but it is also the cheapest. It is not too inferior in terms of power figures but drops down in terms of the real-life acceleration figures. Although this is not by a big amount, and the car compensates in the top speed, it is worth mentioning.

How well does the 2021 Subaru Legacy handle?

When it comes to handling, the Subaru Legacy feels much better than any of its competitors. The all-wheel-drive system gives it the kind of feel that none of its front-wheel-drive competitors can offer. The steering also feels very direct and requires very little effort, which is also confidence-inspiring. There is definitely some body roll, but nothing that drops you of much confidence.

It also has exceptionally good ride quality due to the suspension setup that Subaru has incorporated in this car. One is definitely made to feel comfortable inside the car. One of the biggest drawbacks is the start-stop mechanism as its operation is never smooth. Overall, it makes one feel enthusiastic to drive.

2021 Subaru Legacy Braking Performance

Subarus have had a name for never compromising on braking performance. The Legacy has very confident brakes and makes the car come to a halt from 60 mph in just 127 feet, which is excellent. This is facilitated due to 12.4-inch rotors up front and 11.8-inch rotors in the rear which manages to stop the vehicle well even with its 3,581 lbs weight. 

As we have observed in terms of performance, the rivals manage to come out on top again. One big disadvantage for the Subaru is that this is a bit heavier due to its all-wheel-drive system. However, the performance is not too different and the brake rotors are similarly sized, if not larger than its competition. Going for a stiffer suspension setup will definitely increase the braking performance.

Over time Subaru has slowly improved their engines to the point where they are not only refined and smooth but also supremely efficient. The Subaru Legacy has an EPA estimated fuel efficiency rating of 27 MPG in the city, 35 on the highway, and 30 combined. It also has a huge fuel tank that can hold 18.5 gallons, resulting in a combined range of 555 miles.

Although the Legacy has very decent fuel efficiency, it delivers a much better range than any of its competitors due to the very large fuel tank. All of them have much better fuel efficiency, but that should not ever make us feel that the Legacy is not fuel-efficient. The category is just so focused on these numbers that the other cars have supremely efficient engines. 

When it comes to the interior, Subaru intends to treat its customers to the best. The seats are excellent and supportive, without being too hard. The noise insulation is also nice and the ride is plush. The material quality is unrivaled and the design is also amazing. There is also abundant space inside the cabin and the driving position is also nice.

Another strength of the Legacy is that the visibility outwards is excellent. However, ingress and egress are slightly harder than some of its competitors. One of the only disadvantages is that there is a lack of physical buttons on the cabin and touchscreen controls dominate the space. The cargo capacity is on a league of its own at 15.1 ft.³, which can be further increased by folding down the rear seat.

The cabin of all cars in this category is quite spacious, but the Nissan Altima feels a bit cramped in the rear. The Honda Accord has concentrated on providing that much more space, both in the cargo area and the rear seat, which is definitely a strategy that works really well in the segment. All cars seat five passengers with ease. Some standard features include:

• Heated and Power adjustable front seats with driver seat memory
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter handle
• Sport Cloth/Leather/Nappa Leather upholstery for seats
• Keyless Access with Push-Button Start and PIN-code vehicle access
• Auto-dimming rearview compass mirror with HomeLink
• Multifunction 3-spoke steering wheel with tilt/telescopic adjustment
• Dual front and rear USB input ports
• Dual-zone climate control with CFC-free air conditioning system

What’s there to keep you entertained?

When it comes to infotainment options, there is plenty on offer. There are two infotainment screens: an 11.6-inch screen and a driver information display. The driver information display is also digital. The sound system was also decent, and the infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.

There are plenty of features, but the interface is a bit hard to get used to. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi capability
• HomeLink
• Satellite Navigation
• Bluetooth
• AM/FM Stereo
• USB Ports and AUX
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• 4/6 speakers

The Subaru Legacy was redesigned in the year 2020 and hence looks very modern. Although it is not the design that is extremely polarizing and hence does not offend anyone, it definitely has more character than the rest of its rivals. It conveys Subaru’s modern design language which is quite good-looking. The elegance reminds us of luxury Japanese offerings such as Lexus.

The Subaru Legacy is a smaller but heavier car than all of its competitors but offers the kind of strengths that its rivals don’t. It has a short wheelbase but remains much more maneuverable due to that. It also offers the best ground clearance in the segment and is the only car that can handle some rough terrain and slippery weather conditions. Some standout features include:

• 17/18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with all-season tires
• LED Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH)
• LED Fog lights
• LED Tail lights
• Windshield wiper de-icer and heated side mirrors (All-Weather Package)
• Power tilt/sliding glass moonroof
• Trunk spoiler
• Two-speed windshield wipers with variable-intermittent mode and mist feature
• Single exhaust outlet
• Dual stainless steel exhaust outlets

When it comes to safety, every Subaru has always kept up a standard of its own. But being a luxury vehicle, the Legacy comes with a whole host of driver aids that includes forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams control. It has also scored an overall five-star rating in the NHTSA crash tests and is also a good performer in the IIHS tests. Some of the standout safety features include: 

• EyeSight Driver Assist Technology
• DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System
• Blind-Spot Detection
• Lane Change Assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Reverse Automatic Braking
• Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC)
• Brake Assist with Brake Override System

2021 Subaru Legacy Vs. 2021 Honda Accord

The Honda Accord has been a good choice in the segment. It has always offered good performance with the balance of excellent fuel efficiency and interior space. The current model promises all of this, but the Subaru Legacy appeals to people who want a more mechanically capable car. The choice between the two comes down to what you expect from your sedan.

2021 Subaru Legacy vs. 2021 Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry is one of the most popular picks and has been for generations. It promises very low maintenance cost and good resale value. But the problem is that the Camry does not remain a very unique pick due to its conservative styling and engineering in general. The Subaru Legacy, on the other hand, is as offbeat as it gets.

2021 Subaru Legacy Vs. 2021 Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima is probably the dumbest pick of the segment. As such, it does not offer much in terms of performance, or interior space. It also has very generic features and does not provide much that manages to capture interest. The Subaru Legacy is also a much more modern car that earns our respect.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy is a car that manages to offer a lot at the cheapest price in its segment. It is decently capable mechanically, which is a lot compared to its front-wheel-drive rivals. It also provides excellent space in the interiors, a good amount of tech features, and so on. Its safety and infotainment features are also the latest ones we can expect and hence makes for an excellent buy in 2021.