Automobile intelligence
Instead of challenging the market-leading Toyota Camry and Honda Accord sedans, Subaru prefers to pitch the Legacy as an upmarket alternative comparable to entry-level luxury cars.
Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a stretch - the fourth-generation Legacy is an excellent vehicle, but simply doesn’t have the star power to compete with brands such as Acura, BMW and Lexus.
That’s where the 2.5GT spec.B comes in. Boasting a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, standard all-wheel-drive, and Subaru’s new SI-Drive throttle-control system, the 2.5GT spec.B gets the Legacy a little closer to luxury-car status.
SI-Drive (short for Subaru Intelligent Drive) modifies throttle response to suit the driver’s mood, offering three programs available by a console-mounted dial: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. Intelligent mode increases fuel economy by reducing engine power and torque, improving efficiency by up to 10 per cent. Sport is essentially the “normal” mode, tuning the throttle control for a balance of power and efficiency. And like it sounds, Sport Sharp produces maximum power with exceptional acceleration. In addition to the 2.5GT spec.B, SI-Drive is also available on the Legacy 2.5GT and Outback 2.5XT.
With SI-Drive, the 2.5GT spec.B has the ability to be whatever the driver wants, whether you’re driving to and from work or taking a high-spirited jaunt through the country.
There’s only one downside: a $45,000 price tag that makes the Subaru more expensive than luxury cars like the Audi A4 and Lexus IS 250 AWD. Then there’s the similarly equipped MazdaSpeed6, which also features a turbocharged inline-four and all-wheel drive.
That being said, the Legacy is a great sedan, and the 2.5GT spec.B realizes the platform’s full potential. Anyone looking for a solid, year-round sports sedan would do well to consider it.
- Design
The 2.5GT spec.B pumps up the Legacy’s conservative exterior with dazzling 18-inch wheels and a functional hood scoop for the intercooler (shared with the regular 2.5GT). The car is otherwise indistinguishable from a regular Legacy, but comes in only one colour - diamond grey metallic - that’s specific to the model.
The Legacy platform features a unitized body built from aluminium and high-strength steel for excellent rigidity, and benefits from advanced weight-saving technologies that offset the added weight from the all-wheel-drive system.
Clean and simple, the Legacy’s inviting cabin looks good from the moment you get in the car, and is easily one of the best interiors to be found in any car. The 2.5GT spec.B features bright, blue seat inserts and metallic graphite accents that add significantly to the sporty feel of the sedan.
With high-quality materials both inside and out, and build quality that’s on par with Toyota, the 2.5GT spec.B demonstrates the attention to detail you’d expect from an upscale sedan.
- Performance
Power comes from a turbocharged, intercooled 2.5-litre Boxer four-cylinder engine that produces 243 horsepower and 241 foot-pounds of torque. It’s the same engine found in the regular 2.5GT (which also gains SI-Drive for 2007), delivering power on demand without overwhelming the car. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard equipment.
Notable differences between the spec.B and the regular 2.5GT include a six-speed manual transmission, lighter clutch, Bilstein performance shock absorbers, 18-inch summer performance tires, stability control, and a limited-slip differential. Keeping with the car’s sporting intentions, Subaru doesn’t offer an automatic transmission in the 2.5GT spec.B.
The Legacy is a better-than-average midsize sedan in terms of performance with very capable handling and quick, accurate steering. With these capabilities and SI-Drive set to Sport Sharp mode, the 2.5GT spec.B races to the head of the class.
Despite all of its performance enhancements, the 2.5GT spec.B feels more like a touring sedan than a sports sedan, offering a firm-but-comfortable ride.
- Environment
Subaru has done a great job eliminating road noise from the Legacy’s cabin, but the high-pitched whine of the 2.5GT spec.B’s turbocharged engine may prove tiresome after awhile.
Controls are very easy to use and high-end, with a nice tactile feel to switches and logical placement on the dashboard. A digital display mounted under the tachometer shows a real-time torque curve in bar-graph format.
The 2.5GT spec.B is the only Legacy not available in a wagon configuration; however, long-suffering Subaru owners will be glad to learn that a 60/40 split-folding rear seat is finally available in the Legacy, and includes a pass-through armrest for skis and other long items.
- Features
With a price of $44,995, the 2.5GT spec.B costs as much or more as some all-wheel-drive luxury sedans, such as the Audi A4 and Lexus IS 250 AWD, and is comparable to a fully loaded MazdaSpeed6, which ranks as the Subaru’s closest competitor.
Standard features include ABS, six-disc CD changer with MP3/WMA playback, DVD navigation system, sport-tuned suspension, automatic air conditioning, tilt steering, power windows, remote keyless entry, power-adjustable and heated seats with driver memory, fog lamps, power moonroof, cruise control, and front/side/side-curtain airbags.
Fuel consumption is rated at 12.3 litres per 100 km in the city and 8.2 litres per 100 km on the highway. Subaru estimates that SI-Drive’s Intelligent mode increases efficiency by up to 10 per cent.
- Thumbs up
Useful SI-Drive; fantastic interior styling; excellent year-round performance.
- Thumbs down
High price, comparably speaking. Does not carry the same status as other luxury brands.
- The bottom line
Proves that Subaru can compete with major luxury nameplates.
Competitors
- Audi A4
An A4 2.0T with all-wheel drive starts at $40,890. Its turbocharged, 2.0-litre inline-four generates 200 hp and 207 ft.-lbs. of torque, while an optional, 3.2L V-6 delivers 255 hp and 243 ft.-lbs. of torque.
Boasting Audi’s impressive quattro all-wheel-drive system, the A4 remains one of the best bargains in the luxury sedan market.
- Lexus IS 250 AWD
The $42,000 IS 250 AWD comes with a 2.5L V6 producing 204-hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. A larger, 3.5L V6 is available, but only with rear-wheel drive.
The IS 250 is Lexus’s sport-oriented entry-level sedan, boasting quick performance and sharp handling that sets it apart from the more conservative ES sedan. The interior, however, is tight in terms of space.
- MazdaSpeed6
The MazdaSpeed6 starts at $35,995, rising to just $41,395 when fully loaded. It comes with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged, 2.3-litre inline-four generating 270 hp and 280 ft.-lbs. of torque.
Fast, powerful, and reasonably priced, the MazdaSpeed6 embodies Mazda’s zoom-zoom philosophy, but isn’t as refined as a vehicle produced by a luxury automaker.
