The 2015 Subaru Legacy is steady, reliable and fun

I first learned about Subaru while working at a car dealership in Chapel Hill, NC during college. We had several import brands, and I knew the least about this Japanese car. Thankfully, I had a few Subaru salesmen friends who were passionate about these vehicles – come to think of it, every Subie salesman I worked with was a Subie enthusiast. I learned a lot on that car lot… I learned that Subarus are a great brand – they are reliable, safe and fun to drive. They are practical, efficient, and serve as trustworthy workhorses for those who don’t need a big SUV or truck. Subaru has long been, in my mind, an underdog in the average consumers’ consideration of a new vehicle – especially a sedan. The 2015 Legacy, along with its predecessors, are good options for families and individuals looking for a new or used reliable vehicle.

Highlights of the 2015 Subaru Legacy

• It’s a safe performer in any weather with standard all-wheel-drive.
• Coming in at $30,000, the Subaru Legacy is a steal.
• The interior achieves comfort balanced with minimalism.
• This Subaru doesn’t stand out like some of its siblings; the exterior isn’t memorable.

What’s to like about the 2015 Subaru Legacy?

Interior Comforts The interior is simple, which we like. But it is perhaps too minimalist in some aspects. We would like to have seen nicer finishes on some of the center stack items. Some parts appeared as though they would easily break after a few years of normal wear and tear. For a car that’s so rugged on the outside, we’d like to see the same on the inside. Heated seats for all four passengers is a treat. This is a continuing trend that we’re seeing in the affordable auto market–features that were once reserved for only the most luxurious of vehicles are now found in entry-level cars and SUVs. While the heated seats were nice–and worked really well–we missed the heated steering wheel accompaniment. There’s plenty of room for all four passengers in the Legacy; plus there’s a nicely sized trunk and 60/40 split rear seats to expand cargo options (a must have in any sedan in my opinion). Subaru’s in-house technology works really well. It may not appear as fancy as some others, but we found it to be very easy to use. The icons and font are large enough to read clearly, and the items function with a simple press of the finger. This works with or without gloves on, for what it’s worth. Exterior Design Styling, for us, was just a little too familiar. Specifically, the grille is strikingly similar to that of the current Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata. (Enough with the guppy mouth!) The exterior leaves us yearning for the sportier versions of the Legacy of yore – particularly the tubro with the hood scoop. We recently compared the Acura TLX and Hyundai Sonata, and we’d slot the Subaru Legacy in there as a worthy (and less expensive) competitor for those looking to stay within a $30,000 budget. The above-the-license-plate mounted backup camera was also a nice feature, and one of the best we’d experienced. The higher mount broadens the perspective when in reverse, improving both visibility and safety. The quality of the picture that that camera outputs is also notably clearer than other models in this price range we’ve driven.

Specs on the 2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium

• 2.5-Liter DOHC engine with 175hp and 174-lb ft torque
• 36 mpg highway/24 mpg city fuel economy estimates
• Standard brake assist with brake override system
• Base price range from $21,695 to $29,595 MSRP

How’s it drive? The 2015 Subaru Legacy is easy to drive – it’s confident on the road. Case in point: I was leaving the house for my orchestra rehearsal Monday night and my husband reminded me to drive safely. My reply? “It’s OK, dear; I’m in a Subaru.” Now that’s true confidence in a product. Cornering, torque and all the things that you look for in a reliable, steady sedan can be found in the Subaru Legacy. Drivers won’t be disappointed in the driving experience, and the same goes for passengers. Fuel economy landed at 24 mpg for the mostly city driving that we did, which is spot on with EPA estimates for this car. The gauge hovered around 27-28 miles to the gallon with more of a highway mix. Introducing the Bandito-approved Subaru Legacy All in all – the 2015 Subaru Legacy is a capable everyday companion as well as a good driver for longer road trips. At $30,000 it provides good value for your money with top notch safety features, competitive technology and comfortable interior. Did we mention it’s all-wheel-drive? This four-door is a good option for someone who’s looking to be different than his or her fellow mid-30’s family-(wo)man. If that’s you–always wanting to be different–then, we’d encourage you to give the Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata and Mazda 6 a look as well.