Subaru LEGACY 3.0R
Few Cars In The Legacy 3.0Rs Price Bracket Can Pack Quite Such A Heavyweight Punch. Andy Enright Is Impressed
Whichever way you choose to slice or dice it, 242bhp in an executive-sized saloon is a serious slug of power. When that power is deployed through all four wheels and an automatic gearbox and is available for just £24,250, its impossible to argue with that sort of value for money. Despite this, the
Subaru Legacy 3.0R remains a relatively undiscovered gem.
Think about whats on offer here. All-wheel drive and this sort of power often runs to at least £30,000 if youre looking at this class of car. Yes, you can access this sort of power for marginally less if you opt for an Impreza/Evo class rally replica but the Legacy is cut from more sophisticated cloth. Its closest competitor is probably Jaguars X-TYPE 3.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
 |
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
|
| Value |
|
0-litre, but this is less powerful and, if you opt for an automatic version in order to compare like with like, retails at around £3,000 more. Although the
Subaru cant quite match the Jaguars prestigious badge, there are plenty of other areas where the Japanese car comprehensively mauls the baby Jag. Its a lot cleaner in terms of emissions for a start and fuel economy is better. The Legacy saloons emissions figure of 229g/km is very good for a car with an automatic gearbox, as is the combined economy figure of 29.
4mpg. The engine has been developed from the previous Outback H6-3.0 unit but the fitment of Active Valve Control, an electronic throttle, reprofiled pistons, a lighter crankshaft and an ingeniously designed exhaust system has liberated another 36bhp to give this Legacy some heavyweight muscle. If you want an even more focused Legacy, the 3.
0R spec.B is offered for just a little more and has a manual gearbox plus various specification enhancements. Although the sprint figure of 7.9 seconds to 60mph may not appear hugely impressive, do bear in mind that this 3.
0R is an automatic and that the flat-six engine does its best work in the mid ranges. Whats more, the all-wheel drive traction guarantees that youll be able to virtually replicate these figures in wet or dry conditions when front-wheel drive rivals like the
Ford Mondeo ST220 and the
Alfa Romeo 156 GTA are impotently winking their traction control lights at their frustrated drivers as they sit waiting for power to arrive.
"All-wheel drive and this sort of power often runs to at least £30,000 if youre looking at this class of car"
This traction advantage is a massive boon when accelerating from a standstill onto, say, a fast flowing roundabout or when you need to pull out of a T-junction safely. Because the boxer engine is in-line with the gearbox which is again in-line with the prop shafts and rear differential, frictional losses are reduced to a minimum. In addition, the drive shafts are of equal length for a pure division of power, thus reducing the unseemly torque steer that powerful front wheel drive cars often suffer from. Should you attempt to defy the laws of physics when cornering, Vehicle Dynamics Control software will attempt to keep everything in check.
This uses sensors in all four wheels to detect slippage and can brake certain wheels if it feels the vehicle is likely to slide. Experienced drivers can switch VDC off for more playful rear-wheel biased handling. Where legal, the Legacy 3.0R will run on to a top speed of 147mph.
All the Subaru trademarks continue. The frameless windows, the boxer engines and the all-wheel drive transmissions are all present and correct, but the big difference is that the Legacy is at last a car that your passengers will enjoy as much as you do. Subaru have poached Andreas Zapatinas from Alfa Romeo and theyve snagged a very capable designer. Encouraged by recent part-shareholder General Motors, Subaru now seem to have a little more integration between their engineering and design departments.
The latest Legacy is at last the car that most car nuts wish it always had been. The styling has been sharpened up, excised of all the fussy detailing and gawky lines. The basic silhouette still shouts Subaru, but the deftness of detail in the headlamps, the swage lines and the perceived tension in the body is something that has eluded the crayon-wielders at Subaru to date. Everything is just that little bit neater.
The mirrors house Mercedes style side repeaters, the wheelarches bulge gently out, topped by a pronounced hip. The roof pillars are elegantly slim and the wheels do a better job of filling the arches. One can almost imagine Zapatinas taking a red pen to blueprints of the old car. If you think that the exterior lines have been sharpened up, just wait until you drop into the cabin.
Although its probably too much to expect
Audi or
BMW style at the first strike, the fascia is one of the better designs out there. Gone are the acres of brittle grey plastics, flimsy cupholders, scratchy fabrics and uninspiring dials. In its place is a dashboard of sleekly industrial metallic finish, overlapping aluminium-ringed dials, soft-touch surfaces and rubber and felt-lined door pockets and cubbies. For £1,500 extra Subaru offer a Legacy 3.
0Rn model with standard satellite navigation. Despite only featuring height adjustment for the steering column, its an easy cockpit to get comfortable in. Head and legroom are generous up front and the seats are reassuringly supportive. This is a Subaru, remember.
Access to the rear isnt the best, the wheelarch making the door shape a little awkward, plus theres a big transmission tunnel marring foot space for a third central passenger. The estate version boats better headroom but the penalty for the saloons swooping lines is rear headroom thats a little restricted for the taller passenger. Consolation comes in the form of one of the most accommodating boots in the class. The load area is usefully free of intrusions, is fully carpeted and the estate version features a split rear
seat and a very long and flat load area.
The market for cars of this size tends to break down into three loose bandings. There are upspec versions of mainstream models like the Ford Mondeo and
Vauxhall Vectra. Then there are the sub-prestige brands like
Volvo,
Lexus and
Saab. Finally there are the true premium marques like
Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes and BMW.
Where does the Legacy 3.0R fit into this scheme? In truth its difficult to say. With prices starting from £24,250 it would seem lodged firmly in the mainstream bracket but its so unconventional it seems to defy any conventional classification. One thing thats not up for debate is that whether you opt for saloon or estate it offers stellar value for money and its doubtful your neighbours got one.
That alone will be more than enough for some.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Subaru Legacy 3.0R range
PRICES: £24,250-£26,750 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 15E
CO2 EMISSIONS: (saloon) 229g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / Max Speed 147mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined) 29.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS with EBD / Seatbelt pretensioners / VDC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm (saloon) 4665/1730/1425
<< Back to Subaru car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Subaru Cars For Sale UK
