The flagship Subaru model, the Legacy, of which we only get the GT in South Africa, was showing its age. But last week Subaru debuted the new Legacy, citing an upgrade in all aspects over the outgoing model, including the engine line-up and standard kit offerings.
Designed upon the looks of the Legacy Concept from 2013 (not the best looking Subaru concept if you ask us), the new Legacy features a new design language said to “combine sporty form and efficient function”. A new, sleeker coupe-like profile adds to the visual appeal, and makes the Legacy look a bit more premium than the outgoing model.
The interior of the Legacy has been upgraded to a more premium level than the current offering. A focus on soft-touch materials, a new horizontal design, and thicker, softer padding on arm rests and doors should give the Legacy a more plush feeling. Despite similar dimensions to the current model, the new Legacy has improved space for all passengers, front and rear, as well as offering an impressive 425-litre boot space. Drivers will see a sportier side of the Legacy with a newly designed instrument cluster, featuring 2 binocular-like gauges with a central LCD information display. The standard LCD screen is 3.5-inches, while models equipped with EyeSight (Subaru’s safety and collision avoidance system) will benefit from a 5-inch screen.
The Legacy is available in two trim lines, Limited and Premium, each offering extensive kit and features. Amongst the interior offerings, a new infotainment system has been included. In the standard Legacy 2.5i model, a standard 6.2 infotainment system with touch-screen inputs is on offer, with built in Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming as well as auxiliary and USB connections. The Premium trim line adds a 7-inch touch screen and an upgraded 6-speaker system, while the Limited trim lines benefit from a 576-Watt unit with 12 harman/kardon speakers, including a subwoofer. Available on both the Limited and Premium models is a Navigation Infotainment System, with integrated voice commands, which also operate the climate control.
Engine-wise, we say goodbye to the current 2.5-litre turbo unit in the Legacy GT as Subaru are offering 2 naturally aspirated boxer engines in the guise of a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder (131kW and 236Nm) and a 3.6-litre 6-cylinder unit (191kW and 335Nm). Both engines are mated to a Lineartronic CVT transmission driving all 4 wheels via Subaru’s symmetrical AWD system, and all models utilise torque vectoring as seen on the 2014 Subaru WRX and STI models.
According to Ashley Lazarus, Marketing Manager for Subaru Southern Africa, “the new Legacy is still under consideration for South Africa, with Subaru Southern Africa reviewing local market introduction feasibility for launch no sooner than early 2015.”
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