Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer road tests and consumer car reviews

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer BP5 2 litre auto 2005

This is my 2nd legacy estate having previously owned a gen 3 variant. Seats are much improved, having better support and a higher feel. The 4 speed auto gearbox is smooth with long gear ratios, the sport facility is excellent, very controllable. I service my own cars and this is quite straight forward with non subaru parts being reasonably priced. Fuel consumption after 3,500 miles is 33 mpg (varies between about 28 and 40mpg). The 2.5 might be a better all round buy as it has 162 bhp as opposed to 135bhp, but almost identical fuel consumption. The engine revs very smoothly all the way to the limiter. Very sure footed positive drive, with a nice feel through the steering wheel. Reasonable boot space with a good selection of additional boot storage. Good selection of airbags and a Thatcham class one alarm are very good features. Front wishbone bushes are a weak point but are easily replaced by aftermarket poly bushes. Excellent seating position and controls, nice instrument lighting.

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer 2.0 diesel 2010

Subaru produce some of the best-engineered cars available today. Almost over-engineered, it’s small wonder that they are renowned for their reliability and top quality. When it comes to customer satisfaction they are in a different league from products sold by the ’stack ’em high, sell ’em cheap’ dealership chains. Most are sold by the traditional small motor business - often family owned - where they live or die by the way they treat their customers. This marque is usually bought by motorists who know quality when they see it and who are not impressed by young shavers of salesmen who don’t know what a ’boxer’ engine is - but are happy to stitch you up with a finance agreement that doesn’t end until Doomsday. The new Legacy Tourer certainly boxes clever under the bonnet, with the new 4 cylinder 2.0 litre diesel horizontally-opposed ’boxer’ engine. It is certainly a connoisseur’s choice of motorcar - and at prices between £26,995 and £28,205 it’s no bargain: just good solid value. Subarus have never been marketed as real off-road motorcars even though all-wheel drive is standard; but the beauty of a truly practical vehicle like this is that it provides all-year-round mobility in the snow and ice of winter, combined with the kind of handling characteristics so desirable when the sun is out and those twisty roads are beckoning. So - forget any notions about ’Well it’s a 4x4 so it should go off-roading’. The Legacy Tourer simply doesn’t have the ground clearance: and neither should it have. It’s a splendid car that benefits from four-wheel drive through all the advantages of road-holding and ultimate safety. And talking of safety, there’s a huge benefit from the Cradle Mounted System for the engine and front suspension. In a heavy front impact the engine and gearbox are guided UNDER the cabin; improving occupants chances of survival. Inside the luxurious and stylish cabin there’s ’spot on’ logical and easy to understand and use, controls and instruments so you feel straightaway at ease. The multi adjustable front and rear reclining seats make the Legacy Tourer a most practical estate - not as voluminous as some: but then ’plenty’ is enough. If you need more, then buy a van. But what’s it like to drive? I hear you ask. Well, quite simply it feels like a solidly planted secure car with compliant suspension that ensures a comfortable ride: and it’s also surprisingly quiet and smooth - making for relaxed cruising at any speed. Ask any motor engineer and they’ll tell you that the horizontally opposed ’boxer’ engine configuration has many inherent benefits; not the least of which is good balance. The very short crank limits vibration - and, therefore, noise - so it makes this possibly the quietest 4cylinder diesel car around. It’s a fairly high revving diesel which some might find unusual, but that’s all to it’s advantage in letting you drive enthusiastically - enjoying not so much the torque (of which there is ample) but the 148bhp. The six-speed gearbox just feels solid and ubreakable with changes that are ’positive’ but without the super slickness you might find in some other Japanese marques. If you’re so inclined, you can make the most of the nicely balanced chassis, brilliant grip and overall dynamics by driving like Dr. Deranged up to warp factor three (120mph) - but you wouldn’t want to because the Lagacy’s strengths lie in the ’all round’ competence that makes such lunacy the last thing on your mind: this is a motorcar for Captain Sensible. So, if you appreciate quality that comes with a better class of concept and a real pedigree, a long drive in this carriage might deliver you to that happy palace of your dreams. You certainly won’t get bogged down with the common herd along the way thanks to 4x4 cleverness that will extricate you from any possible impediment. If Toad was your neighbour I’m sure he’d be hopping mad with envy and wanting one for himself because, in truth, it’s the only way to go. The ’4x4’ has been done many times before but never as well as this. Subaru has made the mould and bowled its rivals over.

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer 3.0 r spec b 2004

I owned a Hawk-Eye WRX before this but found the ride hard and uncomfortable when not pushing on. The Legacy on the other hand can do it all, firm yet a lot more comfortable on the daily grind. The 3.0 flat 6 is a peach, smooth and refined all the way to the red. I have converted mine to run on lpg so £ for £ it effectively does 40 mpg. If you drive an Impreza and fancy a change try one of these. 5*.

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer 2.0 2006

I have owned every model of Legacy estate but this one is a proper sports car. The more it goes up the rev range (7,500) the smoother it gets and the 4wd handling for a large car on the standard Bridgestone Potenzas is superb. And when the going gets tough the low ratio box takes care of everything. The car is a steal at �19,000 for this sort of spec and I’m baffled that there are not many more of them about, particularly in the light of excellent reviews. They are quite obviously the best kept secret in motoring.

Responses to this review

Oh yes, I had 6 estates, great for the dogs and guns you just drive over the estate too where you want to go no fuss good job. p.s. keep it quiet - Alex Dugan from Northern Ireland

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer 3.0 Tourer 2007

Love it. Space and go - take the same money to the BMW dealer and pale at the rubbish they will offer you. So that means the Legacy is cheap but powerful - yes, please believe that and then the owners can quietly enjoy their Q-car - truth is is has the kit, the handling and the go, with space dialed in. And that meshing, growly flat 6. Wonderful thing, I own an 07 3.0 Spec B and it’s the best car I’ve owned. Problems, well an alarm rang on the dash one night and perplexed me, turned out to be a warning that my passenger seatbelt was not engaged. Clearly the car thought the shopping on the front seat was a person. My fault, not the cars, so there you go, problems? of course not, it’s Japanese and uber-cool. Audi 1.9 TDI A4 Avant anyone? Thought not.

Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer 3.0 R Spec B 5dr 2007

You don’t see many of these around, which was what initially drew me to it. Fantastic power and handling, a real dark horse. Huge amount of space and nice kit. I would definately recommend this over the usual run of the mill estates out there.