Future 2010 subaru legacy

The new Legacy is way bigger. Up by 1.4 in. overall, 3.2 in. taller, and 3.6 in. wider, the wheelbase grows by 3.6 in. resulting in a 12% gain in both interior space and that critical number, rear legroom. The car is simply cavernous inside. Gads, the rear toe room beneath the front seats could consume NBA footwear. Has the blimping of the average American really gotten this voluminous?

The good news for those few among us who remain "conventionally proportioned" (well, almost) is that despite the supersizing, the Legacy's weight has risen by just 1.4% (credit 38% of its chassis being composed of high-strength steel). And that's a minuscule enough increase to be easily offset by developments under the hood no matter which engine option is fitted. As before, the Legacy arrives in three flavors of horizontally opposed engine -- a normally aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder, a turbo version of the 2.5, and a six-cylinder, though it's capacity rises to 3.6L (per the Tribeca) replacing the elderly 3.0L.
The base engine powering the 2.5i produces 170 hp at 5600 rpm and 170 lb-ft of torque at 5600 rpm, but its emphasis is on tweaks to improve responsiveness and fuel economy. Note that that's a little less power here, but it's produced at usefully fewer rpm.

The 2.5GT is motivated by a revamped configuration of the previous turbo-four, featuring a (now-bigger and higher-boost) turbocharger relocated to beneath the block's nose. Plusses include a lower center of gravity, quicker tip-in responsiveness, and better thermal control of the low-density catalyst. Power climbs from 243 hp at 6000 rpm to 265 hp at 5600 rpm (torque rises from 241 lb-ft to 258 at 2000 rpm). The 3.6R's six-cylinder is hardware already familiar from its Tribeca application, but to recap, it offers 256 hp at 6000 rpm (247 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm). That's up 11 hp and a considerable 32 lb-ft compared with the previous 3.0L mill, which was nearly identical in external size and awkwardly required premium gas (the 3.6 is happy to sip blue-collar regular grade).
However, there's bigger news in the transmission department. Reducing the crankshaft revs are either a six-speed manual or a CVT (I'll get back to this one in a minute) in the 2.5i, a six-speed manual for the 2.5GT, and a conventional five-speed auto for the 3.6R.



And, ah, that CVT. Not only is it the first Subaru CVT since the wonderful old days of the Justy, this is the industry's first application of a CVT in a longitudinal, AWD configuration. Moreover, Subaru's Lineartronic CVT is remarkably compact for such a system, being a chain-type (rather than belt) in order to reduce space and improve efficiency. Another notable is a second clutch introduced in the powerstream aft of the CVT to absorb drivetrain shock when, say, all-four wheels suddenly encounter grippy asphalt after delicately slipping on ice. The moral here, apparently, is that a happy CVT chain is a shock-protected CVT chain. As with many other CVTs, a set of steering-wheel paddles offer an illusion of manually selected stepped gears -- in this case, six ratios.

The new Legacy possesses six developments of note in the world of Subaru. One is framed side-glass (ending the era of frameless side glazing), double sealing of the doors to reduce interior noise, much more widely spaced engine mounts for reduced shake, a complete perimeter engine cradle that provides for an additional mount beneath the engine's nose and better-controlled engine movement in a crash, a double A-arm rear suspension replacing the multilink affair, and an enhanced hill-holder feature. What with the parking brake now being electronically operated, the new hill-holder has parlayed this so it can now do its hill-holding indefinitely, rather than merely for a few seconds.
Externally, the new Legacy walks a visual tightrope. While its market comparison-set is becoming ever-swoopier (punctuated by increasingly amorphous headlight clusters), it must simultaneously retain a purposeful -- almost "anti-styling" -- aura among the faithful. The new Legacy never falls off the tightrope, but it noticeably wobbles at times. But as I said, what they're trying to do here is no easy task. Inside, the Legacy's design is considerably more sure-footed, with a confident and expensive look, and just a trace (thank you) of the Impreza's considerable flamboyance.

Trim levels for the 2.5i and 3.6R consist of the well-equipped (base) versions, a Premium edition that includes an eight-way-adjustable driver's seat, an auto up/down driver's window, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, plus alloy wheels for the 2.5i), while Limited variants add a four-way-adjustable passenger seat, an upgrade sound system, dual-zone climate control, leather interior, and voice-activated GPS navigation with backup camera; the 2.5i specifically receives the CVT and receives the 17-in. alloy wheel-size the 3.6R wears as standard ). The 2.5GT has no base version, though in its Premium trim level adds 18-in. wheels and a hood scoop. Its Limited version adds the four-way power passenger seat, leather, and dual-zone climate control).
No prices have been announced, but Subaru is hinting that it'll be very competitive with its current levels. Which is a lack of upsizing we can all appreciate.