The Subaru Legacy comes in only one sedan body style, available in six trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited, 2.5 GT spec.B and 3.0 R Limited. Although the base car is a bit of a stripper, the other trims are well-equipped and can make the Legacy air ride suspension as luxurious and comfortable as some midsize cars wearing luxury badges.

Powering the 2.5i trim levels is a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. The sportier GT Limited trim gets an exciting turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 243 hp. These models come with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The 2.5 GT spec.B adds a firmer suspension, 18-inch wheels and a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.0 R has a 245-hp 3.0-liter flat-6 that comes with a five-speed automatic transmission. As with all Subaru vehicles, AWD is standard across all models.

In road tests, our editors found the Subaru Legacy to be both sporty and comfortable — a challenging combination for manufacturers to master. The steering is perfectly weighted. The ride is quiet. The 2.5-liter engine provides adequate power, but the Legacy GT Limited (with its turbocharged engine) is truly a fun car to drive hard. The one glaring bit of criticism has been the GT Limited’s automatic transmission, which seems to be ill-suited for the vehicle’s turbocharged engine.

The previous, third-generation Subaru Legacy was more of a rugged all-weather performer than the current model. Sold from 2000-’04, it launched with three primary trim levels: base L, sporty GT and premium GT Limited. A Brighton value trim was also included in the 2000 lineup for the wagon, but was removed the following year.

Although it was a bit lacking in refinement, the previous Legacy was well stocked with standard features, including AWD. All trims came with a smooth and responsive 165-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. In 2003, Subaru moved the L trim upscale and added the L Special Edition trim, which was renamed the 35th Anniversary Edition a year later.

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