mmarshall

I spent the morning at my own local Subaru shop...with a special invitation to the new 2010 Legacy/Outback preview. They had 3 of them on display.......a dark gray 2.5L Outback Limited and two 2.5L non-turbo Legacies; one dark red and one medium/dark blue. All three had the CVT, which is Subaru's new showcase transmission this year.

As the Legacy/Outback, in general is my personal favorite line of cars, I went over all three with a fine-tooth comb, but I won't write up a full review because I was looking at these cars for my own sake rather than for other people, or by request. Still, I'll record what I consider the good and bad features of the new redesigns, based on these 3 specific models. I test-drove the dark-red Legacy, as that was the only one outside the showroom and ready to drive. None of the three had price stickers on them, as they were company-preview cars.

This is, of course, a VERY important line of cars to me, and will quite possibly be my next purchase as well, as I have been extremely pleased with my old Outback.

While there was evidence of some cost-cutting in standard features, this was made-up for in the inclusion of some new features which were unavailable before....several of them were things that I had specifically suggested (and was quite vocal about)...as they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I was also pleased that they did a MUCH nicer job on the new Outback than with the new Forester, which, IMO, was in some ways an insult.


PLUSSES

The new CVT is a gem (and this was an issue I had previously been concerned about). There is a little of the RPM-flare that most CVT's have, but, like the superb Nissan CVT's, no surging or rubberbanding. The 5 driving "ranges" or gears, give it a noticeable increse in flexibility that the old 4-speed automatic in the base 2.5L lacked. And there is MUCH stronger throttle response....from the same engine with the same power ratings. Subaru claims a whole second off the 0-60 time, and they aren't kidding. Basially, it makes the new 2.5L feel like the old 3.0L H-6. If they would put this transmission in the smaller, lighter 2.5L base Impreza, it would fly. Subaru also got the message about the awkward zig-zag shifter in the old Outback....the CVT has a nice fore/aft shifter with a manual slot and nice, big, easy-to-use paddle-shifters that look and feel nice. The CVT I drove was in the 2.5L Legacy, but the Outback is only marginally heavier (150 lbs) and should have more or less similiar performance.


They kept nice wood-paneling in the Outback Limited, on both the dash and door panels, and gave it a polished-swirl pattern. The silver/chrome trim inside is nicely done and doesn't look cheap.

The whole interior is larger than before.

The leather seats are comfortable and form-fitting, with a nice grade of leather.

Stereo tuning has gone from an awkward rocker-switch to a nice round ****.

The cheap underhood prop-rod has been replaced with nice gas struts.

The paint job on all three cars I looked at, was superb; much better then before, especially the mirror-like medium/dark blue Legacy.........borderline Lexus quality.

The Outback Limited now has higher-profile 60-series tires (from 55) for a smoother ride.

The (now) window-frame-surround doors aren't as thick as before, but have smooth-operating, slick door handles.

The heated-seat controls, in the same location on the console as the old car, are more durable and snappier-feeling in operation.

Headroom is superb in front and OK in the rear (Outback), even with a sunroof. The rear seat is raised a little, theater-style for added visibility from the rear seat.

The black body-side cladding has been raised a little to protect more of the lower-body from paint damage....and now has a nice painted-silver "Outback" logo on it.

The whole instrument panel has a well-finished, classy look.

The headliner and sun visors have not been cheapened like on many new cars today.

Traction/Stability control (VSC) is now standard across the line, and has been integrated into the AWD, though this eliminates the former LSD (limited-slip differential) hardware, and its actual performance on slippery surfaces remains to be seen (I test-drove the new Legacy this morning in warm, intense, jungle-like humidity and spotty showers/thundershowers, but the road wasn't slick enough for a real test.


MINUSES

The cargo pull-cover is now standard only on the top-line Outback Limiteds...on the base model, you must now purchase it as an accessory.
And you must also now purchase the rubber cargo-bed liner tray as an accessory on all Outbacks.....it was formerly standard. (The bean counters strike)

The nice pull-up parking brake on the console has been replaced by an awkward pull/push tab on the lower-dash.

The coolant temperature gauge, like on the Impreza and Forester, is gone, but on both the Legacy and Outback, it is replaced by a MPG gauge. Red/blue idiot lights, as on the Impreza/Forester, now show cold and hot engine temperature. Subaru "justifies" this on the grounds that most Americans don't look at the temperature gauge much, but I'm not convinced....I sure do.

The dash materials look classy, but are of slightly harder-surfaces than before....the door-trim surfaces are both hard and soft.

The old, flexible, folding side mirrors have been replaced by rigid, non-folding ones. Pure cost-cutting, nothing else.

I was hoping Subaru would go with an engine START/STOP button this time, but they stuck with a conventional ignition key/switch.

The standard splash guards and wheel-well vinyl-cladding are gone, but, as described above, there is more cladding on the lower-body itself to compensate.

The heated-electric grid for the front window-wiper de-ice, like on the smaller, Impreza-based, Outback Sport seems to have integrated with the regular defrost button, turning them both on and off at once. I don't like that feature, because it keeps heating up the lower-part of the windshield continuously and (maybe) could overheat the glass and make it crack. In my old Outback, the two features (regular window defrost and electric windshield-wiper defrost) are two different buttons, independent of each other....I prefer it that way.






Folks, even though I miss a few features the former Outback had (or may have to now pay extra for, I may (?) have found my next car. But, of course, I also want to wait and see how the base Legacy and Outback compare to these higher-trim versions I looked at today. This was only a preview, and the lower-trim cars weren't there today.

mmarshall

SLegacy99, have you had a chance to see them yet?

trukn1

LOL,,,can only see the smile on Marshall's face while reviewing this car.

mmarshall

I'm as objective in my reviews of Subarus as I am with any other brand, despite my admitted attraction and partiality to them. The new Legacy and Outback have negative features just like any other cars......some of them needless and annoying.

geko29

No Turbo/6MT option in the wagon? Weak sauce. That would be my first pick. Looks like a nice ride overall though.

SLegacy99

Not yet, may check it out after work tomorrow. Though they never offer me test drives at my local dealer.

Thanks for the prelim. info. I think the CVT is something many of us were wondering about. And can I say that dash, hand pull parking brakes annoy me.

trukn1

Oh absolutely! I know that your reviews are very objective despite the brand; and it always shows. I only made the comment b/c everyone knows what a die hard Subie fan you are.

SLegacy99

I'd take one, but apparently not enough people did prior, thus it is no more. That being said, Subaru doesnt offer everything after a redesign. For example, my Legacy debuted in '95, got the new 2.5L engine in '96, which wasn't available with a 5MT until '97. So there is hope yet.

mmarshall

There are no Legacy wagons or Outback sedans any more.....both were dropped a couple of years ago. All Legacys are now sedans, and all Outbacks are wagons. Legacy turbos continue for 2010 with the 6MT (in fact, an automatic is not available on this model). You are correct that the turbo Outbacks have been dropped, but a new 3.6L H6 engine pretty much gives the same torque as the old turbo H4, albeit without a manual transmission (automatic only).

Subaru's research found that sales of MT turbo Forester and Outback wagons were too low to continue production...only about 4% of sales. That's why the 5MT turbo Forester is gone (automatic only now), and why all of the turbo Outbacks are gone.

mmarshall

In the last couple of years, though, Subaru marketing and design has started to test my paitience. I think the company reached its peak in great designs around 4 or 5 years ago, and, with some exceptions, is on a slide. But it's hard to argue with that new CVT, though, particularly if it proves durable (which not all CVTs are)

SLegacy99

Whats interesting is that the 800 6MT only Impreza STi Limiteds were snatched up pretty quick. And that was in '07. One would think that Subaru might have gotten on the ball with something similar by now in Legacy, Forester, or Outback form. Hmmm.....

mmarshall

Absolutely. Impreza turbos have always had far more appeal than turbo Foresters and Outback.....witness the enormous success of the WRX. And Subaru chose, for 2010, to keep the turbo Legacy sedan in production as well, though its manual-transmission-only marketing may (?) hurt its sales in urban and dense-traffic areas.

geko29

Oh, I was aware that the body style and model name are synonymous (ie that "wagon" refers only to the Outback). And the H6 might have been a reasonable second choice, again if they offered a MT.

I figured that was the reason. I'm not surprised as much as I am disappointed. We Americans seem to have an irrational fear of wagons that can move--they're more or less reserved for old people to drive in the slow lane. Thus the lack of fast wagons is our own damn fault.

The sedan still looks like a great car, and may get considered when I decide to trade in my 10-year-old 3-series. I'd just prefer the wagon.

SLegacy99

Yes, it will be interesting to see how it sells or why it was chosen to only be in MT. Perhaps we will see an automatic option later. I guess, I wouldn't be surprised if they simply didn't have time to install the CVT in it with all of the changes in the '10 Legacy. Of course, a CVT GT will certainly **** off all of the enthusiasts who prefer not to row their own gears.

mmarshall

Healthy-powered wagons are still available in the American market, but you have to hunt for them. BMW makes a few of them, and Mercedes does AMG versions of several wagon/SUV-type vehicles, including the R-Class. The Forester turbo is still available, but with automatic only. And Jeep does a Hemi-powered Grand Cherokee.

I'm with you on the wagon. Like you, I like its versatility.