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2020 Subaru Legacy review

Research, photos, specs, and expertise
6 photos

Subaru Legacy highlights

Customer rating

RepairPal reliability rating

Pros

  • All-wheel drive is included
  • Smooth ride and comfortable seats
  • New powerful turbo engine

Cons

  • Technical glitches sour the infotainment system
  • Base engine is barely adequate
  • Engine stop-start system is intrusive

Mileage (EPA estimate)

24 city, 32 highway, 27 combined

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The 2020 Subaru Legacy gets a redesign, more power, and more tech

This year ushers in an all-new 2020 Subaru Legacy that offers more power and technology than before yet also stays true to its core principles. As a midsize family sedan, the Legacy distinguishes itself with standard all-wheel drive, a trait that defines many Subarus and gives them the added assurance over less-than-ideal road conditions. This seventh-generation model also benefits from a new turbocharged engine as well as a striking 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Overall, the new Legacy meets expectations for the class, with high levels of comfort and a long list of driver-assist features. Unfortunately, we've experienced some issues with the infotainment system that have soured the experience, so we suggest paying close attention to tech features when evaluating the Legacy for yourself.

If you live in regions prone to inclement weather, the Legacy is an excellent choice for its all-wheel drive, but the technical issues have us suggesting the other top sedans in the class for other areas. These alternatives include the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima.

All Subaru Legacy years

What is new for the 2020 Subaru Legacy?

  • The Legacy is available in a variety of new trims, including the Base, Limited, Limited XT, Premium, Sport, and Touring XT.
  • The 2.5I, 2.5I Limited, 2.5I Premium, 2.5I Sport, and 3.6R Limited trims have been discontinued for 2020.
  • Legacy trims have been upgraded with A/C Seat(s), Heated Steering Wheel, Sunroof(s), Turbo Charged Engine, and Navigation System as standard equipment this year.
  • Parking Sensors and Rockford Fosgate Sound features are now available as options on select trims.

2020 Subaru Legacy trims

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

Base:

  • 182-hp, 176-lb-ft of torque 2.5L
  • Cruise Control
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Cloth Seats
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Mirrors
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • View our Subaru Legacy inventory

Premium:

Limited:

Limited XT:

Touring XT:

2.5I Premium:

2.5I Sport:

Sport:

2.5I Limited:

Subaru Legacy photos

What We Like

All-wheel-drive traction: The benefits of all-wheel drive are well documented. With power sent to all four wheels, vehicles are able to accelerate and corner with improved traction and confidence whether the road is wet or dry. Subarus such as the Legacy are known for including all-wheel drive, which is why they're so popular in areas prone to inclement weather.

Smooth ride and comfortable seats: The Legacy's suspension is tuned on the softer side to provide a more comfortable ride quality that smooths over the bumps in the road. Thankfully, it's not overly soft; it remains composed when cornering and doesn't feel floaty on the highway. The seats further enhance comfort, with generous padding that should keep you fatigue-free on long road trips.

Turbo power: The new turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque and is noticeably more powerful than the base engine. We think it's worth the cost to upgrade to the XT trims just to get this engine because it offers a good balance of power and fuel efficiency. It's powerful enough to accelerate the Legacy to 60 mph in just 6 seconds, which is a quick time for its class.

What Needs Improvement

Computer glitches: The Legacy's infotainment system has been a source of annoyance for some users, as frequent malfunctions and crashes have been reported. Somewhat unusually, even Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ are not immune. Although the Legacy comes equipped with a wide range of driver-assist features, the forward collision warning has occasionally triggered false alarms, and the adaptive cruise control can be quite harsh with its throttle and brake applications.

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

4.8 out of 5

4 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

Limited 4WD/AWD 4D Sedan

Standard Features

  • 4WD/AWD
  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • Alloy Wheels
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Android Auto
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • Front Seat Heaters
  • Harman Kardon Sound
  • Heated Mirrors
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Leather Seats
  • Memory Seat(s)
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Seat(s)
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear Seat Heaters
  • Rear View Camera
  • Satellite Radio Ready
  • Side Airbags
  • Smart Key
  • Traction Control

Optional Features

  • CD Audio
  • Heated Steering Wheel
  • Navigation System
  • Parking Sensors
  • Rear Spoiler
  • Remote Start
  • Sunroof(s)

Drive Wheels

All Wheel Drive (4WD/AWD)

Engine size

2.5L

Horsepower

182

Torque (ft-lbs)

176

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

18.5

Wheelbase

108.3"

Overall length

190.6"

Width

72.4"

Height

59.1"

Leg room

F 42.8"/R 39.5"

Head room

F 39.4"/R 37.2"

Front tires

P225/50VR18

Rear tires

P225/50VR18

Seating capacity

5

Transmission

Automatic

2020 Subaru Legacy FAQ

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