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2019 Subaru Legacy review

Research, photos, specs, and expertise
6 photos

Subaru Legacy highlights

Customer rating

RepairPal reliability rating

Pros

  • Standard all-wheel drive for added traction
  • Long list of driver-assist features
  • Excellent outward visibility

Cons

  • Engines aren't as powerful as in rivals
  • Below-average fuel economy
  • Not as enjoyable to drive

Mileage (EPA estimate)

20 city, 28 highway, 23 combined

Pricing for current inventory

From $19,998*

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The 2019 Subaru Legacy is a standout for its stability and safety

SUVs typically provide more passenger and cargo space as well as offer more models with all-wheel drive than the typical family sedan. If you've been looking to downsize, your choices have been very limited if you desire the added traction of all-wheel drive. The 2019 Subaru Legacy is one of the rare sedans that not only offers all-wheel drive but includes it as standard equipment.

For 2019, the Legacy sweetened the deal by including Subaru's EyeSight® suite of driver-assist features on all models. Holding the Legacy back are its weak engines. The base four-cylinder is noticeably underpowered when compared to other sedans and even the six-cylinder upgrade falls short of expectations. The only all-wheel-drive competitor, the Nissan Altima, isn't particularly powerful either. For those who don't need all-wheel drive, the Honda Accord and Mazda6 are excellent alternatives.

All Subaru Legacy years

What is new for the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

  • The Legacy is available in a new trim called the 2.5I Sport.
  • The Sport trim has been discontinued for 2019.
  • Legacy trims have been upgraded with Automated Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, and Rear Spoiler as standard equipment this year.
  • The 2.5I trim now comes with CD Audio and Satellite Radio Ready as standard equipment.

2019 Subaru Legacy trims

Curious how Subaru Legacy trims differ? Use our side-by-side vehicle comparison to see the differences and similarities

2.5I:

  • 175-hp, 174-lb-ft of torque 2.5L
  • Rear Defroster
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Cloth Seats
  • Power Mirrors
  • Traction Control
  • Side Airbags
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Rear View Camera
  • View our Subaru Legacy 2.5I inventory

2.5I Premium:

2.5I Sport:

2.5I Limited:

3.6R Limited:

Subaru Legacy photos

What We Like

Standard all-wheel drive: Most midsize family sedans either offer all-wheel drive as an option or not at all. The 2019 Subaru Legacy bucks the trend by including it as standard equipment. That should be a strong incentive for shoppers in regions prone to inclement weather since all-wheel drive delivers higher levels of traction and stability than rear- or front-wheel drive.

Plenty of driver-assist features: All Legacy models come standard with Subaru's EyeSight® suite of advanced driver-assist features. These include frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assistance. The Sport trim adds a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic reverse braking and automatic high beams are available as options.

Great visibility: A lot of modern vehicles have thick roof pillars that compromise outward visibility. The Legacy's structure and components are designed in a way that greatly reduces those obstructions. As an added bonus, the cabin has a more open and airy feeling.

What Needs Improvement

Weak performance: The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine only produces 175 horsepower and is underpowered when compared to rivals. It takes 9.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph, which is slow for the class. Stepping up to the 3.6-liter V6 increases output to 256 hp, but even that is weak when compared to the competition's engine upgrades.

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

4.5 out of 5

8 customer reviews

RepairPal reliability rating

4
Excellent

RepairPal gave the Subaru Legacy an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Subaru Legacy 12th out of 28 among Midsize Cars.

View RepairPal's full rating of the Subaru Legacy

Subaru Legacy features and specs

Curious how Subaru Legacy trims differ? Use our side-by-side vehicle comparison to see the differences and similarities

2.5I 4WD/AWD 4D Sedan

Standard Features

  • 4WD/AWD
  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Android Auto
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • CD Audio
  • Cloth Seats
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Satellite Radio Ready
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control

Optional Features

  • Alloy Wheels
  • Cloth Seats
  • Rear Spoiler
  • Remote Start

Drive Wheels

All Wheel Drive (4WD/AWD)

Engine size

2.5L

Horsepower

175

Torque (ft-lbs)

174

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

18.5

Wheelbase

108.3"

Overall length

188.8"

Width

72.4"

Height

59"

Leg room

F 42.9"/R 38.1"

Head room

F 40"/R 37"

Front tires

P225/55VR17

Rear tires

P225/55VR17

Seating capacity

5

Transmission

Automatic

2019 Subaru Legacy FAQ

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