Test Drive: 2020 Subaru Legacy combines sure-footedness with Tesla-like tech. And the 260-horsepower turbo option is a must.

Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy/  Exterior styling for the Subaru Legacy has been freshened for the 2020 model year.
Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy/ Exterior styling for the Subaru Legacy has been freshened for the 2020 model year.

On the afternoon that our 2020 Subaru Legacy tester was delivered to the Times Free Press offices, rain turned to sleet which then changed over to snow.

"Shouldn't you head for the mountain?" one of my co-workers asked me about 6 p.m.

"No worries," I said. "I'm driving a Subaru."

When it comes to trucks and automobiles, I've always been sort of an all-wheel-drive snob. The feeling of sure-footed safety in a Subaru is a blessing when foul weather comes to call in a mountain-surrounded city like Chattanooga.

Indeed our Legacy Limited XT, with standard all-wheel-drive, sprinted up the mountain as if it had on spiked climbing shoes. Actually, had the snow been half a foot deep, the result would have been much the same. For my money, Subbies are the best mass-market snow-cars in the world.

Most Subaru lovers gravitate to the Subaru wagons and SUVs, notably the rugged Outback, the compact Forester or the three-row Ascent. But the Legacy is good choice for people who simply don't need the extra seating and cargo space but who want the secure, planted ride of a Subaru. And it doesn't hurt that Subarus are among the most reliable new vehicles on the road.

photo Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy / The exterior color is Magnetite.

The 2020 Legacy, which rides on the company's new global platform shared with the Outback and other models, is a vastly improved automobile. And if you can spring for the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine (instead of the base 2.0-liter boxer), you'll get a major horsepower boost, all the way to 260-hp (up from 182).

Subaru Legacy models are available locally at Kelly Subaru at 900 Riverfront Parkway. Late this week the downtown dealership had three Legacy models in digital inventory, including one Limited XT model like our tester.

FAST FACTS

* Model: 2020 Subaru Legacy Limited XT * Exterior color: Magnetite Gray Metallic * Interior color: Black * Engine: 2.4-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-charged * Horsepower: 260 * Transmission: CVT * Fuel economy: 32 mpg highway/24 mpg city * Local Dealer: Kelley Subaru * Price (as tested): $35,095

WHAT IS IT? The Legacy is a mid-size sedan with seating for five and standard all-wheel-drive. The 2020 model includes a slightly reworked exterior and major interior upgrades, including a Tesla-like 11.6-inch high-resolution touch screen mounted vertically above the center stack.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Our well-optioned tester has an MSRP of $35,095. A base Legacy starts at $22,745.

WHAT WE LIKE: Subaru was an early-adopter of the safety-tech revolution, and all 2020 Legacies have some version of the company's excellent Eyesight suite of electronic safety features. The car is also extremely stiff and insulated which makes for a vault-like sense of cabin isolation.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Not many nits to pick with the Legacy, although exterior styling tends to be a bit conservative for some poeple's tastes.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS: People don't believe me but Legacy drives like a BMW. The heavier-than-average steering and powerful engine in our tester make it a confident ride. Spring for the turbo-charged engine if you can afford it.

BOTTOM LINE: The Subaru Legacy is an often overlooked, but highly-functional, model in the Subaru line-up. Prospective buyers of Toyota Camrys, Honda Accords or Hyundai Sonatas should check it out.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.


View other Test Drive stories by Mark Kennedy



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