We really like the
spec.B Legacy, but despite its abilities and value for money the
BMW 330i is just too formidable a competitor, certainly in terms of driver appeal and from what you've told us, image too. The Legacy just doesn't seem to hit the radar for most buyers of executive saloons in Europe. Subaru hopes to tip the balance a little more in its favour with a major range enhancement.
A nip and tuck job has been done on the pleasant, but anonymous exterior. At the front are new grilles (with the Outback gaining its own distinctive design) and new front wings that feature an extra Saab-like crease leading back from the (standard) High Intensity Discharge headlights. The cars pictured are the top of the range spec.B, featuring new 'corner spoilers', though all variants receive new bumpers. The rear lights are new too, with the saloon items appearing sleeker. New alloy wheels complete the list of aesthetic changes, with the spec.B standard equipment including the 10-spoke 18-inch wheels pictured; notably more elegant than sporting.
The interior receives attention too, with a high level of standard equipment across the range, including dual-zone climate-control, cruise control, front, side and curtain airbags, a leather MOMO steering wheel, electrically-folding door mirrors and a six-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 capability. New metal-effect materials are used in an attempt to elevate the perceived quality of the cabin and the 3-litre models feature distinctive blue lighting around the cup holders.
Another innovation found on the range-topping 3-litre models is Subaru Intelligent Drive (or SI-Drive for short), where the driver gets to choose between three different throttle maps. Other manufacturers offer the option to choose between normal and sporty throttle maps, but Subaru goes one further by also presenting an option designed solely to improve fuel consumption. The driver chooses between Intelligent, Sport or Sport Sharp by either twirling a round dial on the centre console or by pressing buttons on the steering wheel. On automatic models, the system also controls the calibration of the gearbox, for instance changing up later and kicking down a gear more eagerly when using the Sport Sharp mode and doing the opposite in Intelligent mode.
That's just an overview of the changes really as Subaru has done a lot of work on this car, with too many detail changes to list here. We'll hopefully drive the 2007MY Legacy later this year, so keep an eye on the
Subaru Road Tests page for that. In the meantime, the new Legacy is ready to order, with prices starting at £17,995 on-the-road for the Legacy 2.0R saloon.
Shane O' Donoghue - 22 Sep 2006