2008 Subaru Legacy

(*est. $20,495 to $33,995)

Pros

Safety, dependability
Good handling
Variety of options and trim levels

Cons

Cramped cabin
Premium fuel recommendation
Expensive hard-to-find parts

Our Analysis

The Subaru Legacy has a reputation for safety, boasting perfect scores in government and independent crash testing and a nice list of standard safety features. Some evaluators noticed a tendency for the Legacy to fishtail in accident-avoidance maneuvers, however. The somewhat-limited availability of Subaru parts and service providers may further increase expenses over time. In all, reviewers feel the Legacy is a solid contender against the market-leading Honda Accord (*est. $20,360 to $28,060) and Toyota Camry (*est. $18,720 to $28,270).

Solid, credible reviews for the Subaru Legacy are available from a number of sources. Consumer Reports magazine and ConsumerGuide.com provide helpful data, and Motor Trend magazine's editors included the 2005 Legacy in their comprehensive Car of the Year evaluations. Editors at Edmunds.com publish a detailed single-vehicle evaluation of the Subaru Legacy, focusing on aspects of design and performance such as safety, value, comfort and interior design. The Legacy, when optioned with stability control, also makes the list of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety's 2008 top safety picks thanks to its stellar crash-test scores. The Car Family's editors evaluate the Legacy's usefulness as a family hauler. Editors at BuyingAdvice.com include the Legacy on a list designed to highlight the most reliable sedans and wagons available in the U.S., but they don't include much information on where they acquired their data.

Most reviews find the 2008 Subaru Legacy's list of features luxurious enough to warrant consideration. Long-term reliability appears to be a particular strength. It's also a nimble handler. Steering is accurate and responsive, and the Legacy's ride is composed and comfortable. Cabin design is aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. But while attractive, the Subaru Legacy's interior is rather cramped for this class, and foot space in back is particularly tight. Acceleration with the standard 2.5-liter engine is subpar, but more powerful GT models drink a lot more fuel -- premium-grade fuel at that.

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2008 Subaru Legacy

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Consumer Reports tests virtually every car available, including the 2008 Subaru Legacy. One of the best features of this review is its documentation on reliability, which provides a forecast for the current model year based on survey data from prior model years.

Review: 2008 Subaru Legacy Review, Editors of Consumer Reports

2. Motor Trend Details/Subscribe

This somewhat-older review dates from the Subaru Legacy's last major redesign, so it still contains some helpful data. Motor Trend COTY judges note that the Legacy's 2005 revisions constitute a noteworthy improvement in styling and refinement without compromising performance.

Review: 2005 Motor Trend Car of the Year Testing, Editors of Motor Trend

3. ConsumerGuide.com

ConsumerGuide.com performs road-testing on virtually all of the cars and trucks available in America, ranking each one against a class average. The 2008 Subaru Legacy's overall score is a few points below the average for midsize cars, although editors note that they've only tested GT models thus far.

Review: 2008 Subaru Legacy, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Sept. 30, 2008

4. Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com editors evaluate the 2008 Subaru Legacy on safety, interior design, driving experience and other qualities. They term the Legacy "a family car that does a nice impression of a sports sedan," and include this model on their list of recommended sedans.

Review: 2008 Subaru Legacy Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

5. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the 2008 Subaru Legacy a "Top Safety Pick." In order to merit this recognition, a car must earn the highest rating of "good" in all three crash tests, plus offer electronic stability control.

Review: Top Safety Picks 2008, Editors of IIHS.org

6. The Car Family

The Car Family thoroughly tests each model for family functionality and practicality, and everyone is along for the ride. The no-longer-available Subaru Legacy wagon (it's been replaced by the Outback) is their choice for best station wagon, while the sedan gets a "B" grade, primarily because of expensive parts and repairs.

Review: The Complete Guide to Family Sedans: Finding the Best Car, Editors of The Car Family, Mar. 21, 2008

7. BuyingAdvice.com

Winners here are included based on historical reliability. Numerical ratings and brief reviews are included for each, but the origin or meaning of the rating isn't clearly explained. The Honda Accord tops this list, followed by the Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, Mitsubishi Galant and Volvo S40.

Review: 5 Most Reliable Sedans & Station Wagons (Family), Editors of BuyingAdvice.com, Apr. 30, 2007

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