2020 Subaru Legacy review
Subaru Legacy highlights
Customer 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
Pricing for current inventory
(no current inventory)
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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
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:
- Includes all features available on the Base
- Memory Seats
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Front Seat Heaters
- Power Seats
- View our Subaru Legacy Premium inventory
Limited:
- Includes all features available on the Premium
- Leather Seats
- Rear Seat Heaters
- Smart Key
- Harman Kardon Sound
- View our Subaru Legacy Limited inventory
Limited XT:
- Includes all features available on the Limited
- 260-hp, 277-lb-ft of torque 2.4L
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Sunroofs
- Turbo Charged Engine
- Navigation System
- View our Subaru Legacy Limited XT inventory
Touring XT:
- Includes all features available on the Limited XT
- A/C Seats
- CD Audio
- View our Subaru Legacy Touring XT inventory
2.5I Premium:
- Includes all features available on the Touring XT
- No significant upgrades found on the 2.5I Premium
- View our Subaru Legacy 2.5I Premium inventory
2.5I Sport:
- Includes all features available on the 2.5I Premium
- Rear Spoiler
- View our Subaru Legacy 2.5I Sport inventory
Sport:
- Includes all features available on the 2.5I Sport
- 108.3 inch wheelbase
- View our Subaru Legacy Sport inventory
2.5I Limited:
- Includes all features available on the Sport
- No significant upgrades found on the 2.5I Limited
- View our Subaru Legacy 2.5I Limited inventory
Subaru Legacy photos
5 reasons to buy the 2020 Subaru Legacy
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
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 LegacySubaru Legacy features and specs
Base 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
- Bluetooth Technology
- 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
- Alloy Wheels
- CD Audio
- Rear Spoiler
- Remote Start
- Rockford Fosgate Sound
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
P225/55VR17
Rear tires
P225/55VR17
Seating capacity
5
Transmission
Automatic
2020 Subaru Legacy FAQ
The 2020 Subaru Legacy is available in multiple trims, each with its own estimated fuel economy, here are the EPA estimates for each trim:
- Base: 27 MPG City and 35 MPG Highway
- Limited: 27 MPG City and 35 MPG Highway
- Sport: 27 MPG City and 35 MPG Highway
- Limited XT: 24 MPG City and 32 MPG Highway
- Premium: 27 MPG City and 35 MPG Highway
- Touring XT: 24 MPG City and 32 MPG Highway
The Subaru Legacy received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars from RepairPal, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks the Subaru Legacy as 11 out of 28 among Midsize Car
The 2020 Subaru Legacy has received an average 4.8 out of 5 stars from our customers. If you're in the market for a 2020 Subaru Legacy, check out reviews from customers just like you. 2020 Subaru Legacy Reviews.
Here is what's new for the 2020 Subaru Legacy:
- Base
- Limited
- Limited XT
- Premium
- Sport
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We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to indicate that a particular vehicle is currently available or recommended for you.
Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
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