2008 Subaru Legacy and Outback

By Benjamin Cyr

More changes, always interesting

If there’s a manufacturer looking for a prestige image, it has to be Subaru. In the last four years, many style changes have been made to all models. A brand new grill appeared two years ago on many and, suddenly, it disappears from the 2008 stable. Perplexing! Now, let’s look at the Outback and the Legacy. The latter is the middle Subaru sedan and for those who don’t know the Outback, think of a station wagon version of the Legacy. The major difference, however, apart from the aesthetic, lies in the Outback’s looser suspension and superior ground clearance. Equipped with Subaru’s excellent 4WD system, the Outback will breeze through, even during winter, secondary roads. Note the appearance change this year in both models.

In fact, Subaru’s front end sports a new makeover including grill, headlights and bumper. There are also minor modifications to the rear lights, rims and others. Personally, I find the changes more substantial on the Legacy; the cabin has an improved look and better quality materials.

The motorization choices remain practically the same this year. You’ll find the 2.5 litre, 4 cylinder Boxer now developing 170 hp and 241 pound feet of torque. We tried the most luxurious and expensive version, the 3.02 with the Premium package. It boasts a 3.0 litre, six-cylinder engine developing 250 hp and 215 pound feet of torque coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. This, in general, results in good performance. We tried out a Legacy also equipped with an automatic transmission, but wedded to a 2.5 litre turbo. Both versions, strangely enough, provided essentially the same performance but in a totally different manner. We are referring to 0-100 km/h in about 7 seconds. The 6 cylinder is rather linear while the 6 cylinder turbo displays two personalities: slow under 3000 rpm and very lively at faster speeds.

Likes:

• The high level basic options package in our 3.0R Premium which includes an excellent audio system, xenon headlights, a navigational system, leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof and much more;
• The comfort. It’s always great regardless of road conditions, especially the Outback with the higher ground clearance and the supple suspension;
• The improved detailing in the Subaru- ,miles ahead of several years ago;
• The cargo volume seems good in the Legacy however, the 850 litres in the Outback  is ideal for those looking for extra space without having to buy an SUV;
• The attractive pricing. The four cylinder Outback 2.5i starts at $30, 995 and the basic Legacy version with the same engine goes for $26, 995;
• The security and efficiency of the Subaru 4WD system which celebrates the 35 year anniversary of this technology;
• The Si-Drive system allowing motor management finally operates adequately. I first tried it in a manual Legacy GT Spec B. The difference between the three modes was minimal. The addition of a manual transmission brings an appreciable improvement in performance and fuel consumption.