SteVTEC

Wow sales really collapsed after the 3rd gen model from 2003-2009.

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html

All that hype about how much sales have increased was just a bunch of fluff. They probably pulled it from 2009-2010 data. A lot of that was due to the economy, but between U.S. and Canada they were selling in excess of 90k Legacys per year. They never got out of the 40k range with the 4th gen model. A huge collapse in sales that never recovered, far beyond what the economy at the time could have accounted for. So yeah, more bland and bloated styleless design please.

TangoRed

I think this model will do better. A couple of things:

1) The Outback is now its own separate model. Was that the case before? I remember it being just a trim level.
2) Competition is MUCH more fierce now and the current gen had poor fuel economy compared to its peers
3) More people are interested in AWD now- perhaps that will be a selling point for more people. Both the Fusion and upcoming 200 have it/will have it as well.

doge

Subaru has always been considered a niche brand, a few years ago there cars started selling well and they were at a crossroads. They had to make a decision, stay niche and keep on selling to there base or ride the wave of momentum and go for a greater market share. The new impreza and now legacy have shown that they decided to go with the latter. As an enthusiast i'm disappointed, unique cars like the Forester XT and the quirky wrx are what made the brand unique. The question is will they succeed?

Mazda tried the same thing, the zoom zoom concept and sporty passenger cars made them into a likable brand. Success of the first gen mazda 6 & 3 made them go for a greater market share by introducing models like the CX-9 and the vanilla 6. Its clear that hasn't worked, sales of the 6 were abysmal no where near the numbers of the first gen. Mazda revised there strategy and the new 6 and 3 are now very likable vehicles light weight and agile. Lets hope Subaru doesn't loose a decade like Mazda did..

mmarshall

The exterior looks just fine. Mainstream mid-sized sedans aren't supposed to look like sports cars.

mmarshall

The turbo Legacy GT is also gone...but it was never a large part of Legacy sales to begin with.

speedflex

Maybe not but a new car shouldn't look like a generation behind competitors.

mmarshall

Time doesn't always make for better designs. 10-15 years ago, for instance, it was much easier to get in and out of the rear seat of the average sedan without banging your head on the low-droop-down, humpback-whale roofline. Sedans didn't try and look like coupes like they do today.

spwolf

eh. read the fine print there... so much for huge collapse, lol.

hlee12

did subies hire hyuuundie front office - automative collager?

SteVTEC

Sooo... everybody else has collapsed by 50% also and never recovered? I think not.

spwolf

no, it states this:


Which means:
2004: 89k (highest sales with Legacy and Outback counted together)
2008: 67k (last year sales with Legacy and Outback counted together)
2013: 160k - new Legacy + Outback

So nothing fluffy about sales increase... Last month Subaru sold as much as VW + Audi combined.

Carmaker1

That's a stretch, it does not. Ford's kinetic design language has more connection to this. The interior looks more like the current (soon-to-be refreshed) Camry. This is what Ford sedans looked like 10 years ago, at BEST:












New Legacy by comparison:



I agree with your second sentence, as it does not resemble Ford's from 10 years ago. The exterior is an improvement, while the interior is very bland and a backward step in some areas.

I will forever love the 2003-2009 Legacy, as I wanted a GT Spec. B as a first car. Subaru's best design effort in my opinion, with the 2nd generation post-bug eye(2002-2007) WRX and WRX STi following after.

GT Limited




GT Spec. B

stlgrym3

iTrader: (4)

let's see, front fascia of Ford Taurus, side profile of Nissan Altima, and rear of Hyundai Genesis (current version). at least Subaru covers all territories.

yowps3

The interior of the '04 was premium.

The current one is CHEAP quality.

Also Subaru no longer uses their signature frameless windows!

From this







To this ugly bloated fish


It looks even uglier in person as these photos do not do the ugly proportions any justice

Blackraven

It looks nice. I like it. =)

Better design that the previous generation (fifth generation BP and BM) that's for sure