In our quest to find Japanese cars that are able to keep up or pass the nice German pieces of engineering, we already tested the Lexus IS250/350 and the Honda S2000... but we were still looking for a family car/estate to achieve that target. There are plenty of Japanese alternatives, but they were not really up to standard when compared to Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Until now that was, because a rather unknown manufacturer (to the general public that is) offers a very interesting alternative to our big German estates: here's the Subaru Legacy Wagon 2.0GT Spec.B !
The model we were able to test is the automatic version with Subaru's SI Drive (more on that later) that develops 260bhp and 343Nm out of a 4 cylinder 2.0L DOHC engine. The power of this engine is transmitted through Subaru's infamous Symetrical AWD system to all wheels. The car weighs 1775kg and the manual gearbox version develops 280bhp. Here's a selection of what the German competition offers:
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI Quattro:
TurboCharged DOHC 2.0L 4 Cylinder engin, 200PS, 280Nm
Audi A4 Avant V6 3.2 FSI Quattro Tiptronic
V6 3.2L engin, 256PS, 330Nm
BMW Serie 3 Touring 325i
4 Cynlider 2.5L Engine, 218PS, 250Nm
BMW Serie 3 Touring 330i
6 Cynlider 3.0L Engine, 258PS, 300Nm
Benz Serie C Touring C280 4-Matic
6 Cylinder 3.0L Engine, 231PS, 300Nm
Benz Serie C Touring C350 4-Matic
6 Cylinder 3.5L Engine, 272PS, 350Nm
As you can see, only the real rival of the Legacy is the MB C350... but that's until we look at the price. Do we really need to say that the Legacy is a lot cheaper than the C350?
More bang for the buck, a lot cheaper... but does this Legacy offer the handling you can expect? With a strong background in the world of rally sports, Subary offers cars with excellent handling, vehicles that stick to the tarmac and it's really difficult to make a Subaru get out of control under normal circumstances thanks to their Symmetrical AWD system. The experience gained in muddy or snowy rally roads really pays off here, and this experience comes in handy when designing everyday cars. Japanese climate situations are often extreme, it's not a rare sight to see 2 metres of snow during the winter season on the streets of towns near Tokyo, heavy rain is quite usual too during the summer, turning the roads into very slippery surfaces, and it's this experience that allows Subaru to finetune the chassis and handling to offer the best possible solutions for the very demanding Japanese motorists.
In the recent past, Subaru has adopted an additional feature on their cars to offer an even better handling, the SI Drive or Subaru Intelligent Drive. This system offers 3 driving modes: the (default) "Sport" mode, the "Sharp Sport" and the "I" (Intelligent) mode. Subaru has quite a diverse customer base with diverse needs, and it's an excellent idea from the manufacturer to offer 3 driving modesin order to please everybody. When you're a driver that likes the "red zone", the best setting is the "Sharp Sport" because it shortens the gearbox in automatic mode. Once your wife/husband gets into the car with you, you'd better switch to "Sport", the default mode by the way. Finally there is the "I" or Intelligent mode that offer longer gears but without limiting the performance. It does offer a substantial fuel economy of 10%, and it's perfectly suited for city roads or when you have your kid(s) in the back.
So what about the interior and comfort level in this Legacy? The first thing to notice in this automatic version are the 2 long levers behind the steering wheel, used to change gears in a very efficient and easy manner. We had no issues at all to get hold of these during a more intense driving session (in "Sharp Sport" mode so thus speak ). when it comes to electronics and other controls on the steerign wheel, there are nor suprises, everything works well and is on par with the competition. We liked the on-board navigation system a lot, especially the on-board computer and touch screen that is very easy to use and displays all the info you need like the real-time fuel comsumption, the remaining mileage with the fuel that is left, various parameters about the servicing intervals and a bunch of other information sources. The pre-installed audio system is very good, but we were a bit disappointed by the rather retro/cheap-looking stereo that defaces the interior a bit... well, a lot actually, just like the airconditioning buttons.
The seats and driving position have multiple settings, but we found that we were seated a bit too high when we engaged in some seriously sporty driving. The seats are fine, the back is well supported, and even after a long journey, you won't feel any pain... but just like the stereo and other buttons, the materials are a bit cheap, and this car really deserves a tad higher quality materials on the inside.
So what do we think of this Legacy Wagon 2.0GT Spec.B? From a technical point of view, it offers better performance than the German competitors, it has very sporty looks without being too flashy, you can take this car anywhere without being noticed immediately. We have some restraints about the interior like the cloth used for the seats and the design of the car stereo, and this finishing is just below the offering by Benz, BMW or Audi.
Subaru Legacy Wagon 2.0GT Spec.B
). when it comes to electronics and other controls on the steerign wheel, there are nor suprises, everything works well and is on par with the competition. We liked the on-board navigation system a lot, especially the on-board computer and touch screen that is very easy to use and displays all the info you need like the real-time fuel comsumption, the remaining mileage with the fuel that is left, various parameters about the servicing intervals and a bunch of other information sources. The pre-installed audio system is very good, but we were a bit disappointed by the rather retro/cheap-looking stereo that defaces the interior a bit... well, a lot actually, just like the airconditioning buttons.
