Subaru has a new strategy: going mainstream. Company officials are convinced that if its vehicles are competitive on price, size, and fuel economy (i.e. if there’s no penalty for the extra weight and friction of Subaru’s standard all-wheel drive), customers will cross-shop Subarus against big guns Honda and Toyota. The recently redesigned Forester is a perfect example. It’s slightly larger and significantly taller than the previous model with a much more spacious back seat, and the latest Forester now has a distinct SUV-like look and competes directly with big sellers in its category such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 The payoff? Sales of the new model have nearly doubled despite a nationwide collapse of car buying.
The next model that gets a mainstream overhaul is the fifth-generation 2010 Legacy sedan, which debuts at the New York auto show and goes on sale in August. Looks wise, the Legacy isn’t all that different; the new front end is slightly more aggressive with Infiniti G37–like headlights that extend further up the hood. More pronounced fender flares are meant to hint at the Legacy’s all-wheel drive, while the rear end is much flatter than before.
But the biggest changes are inside, including a redesigned interior that looks like an edgier version of the layout in the Tribeca. The look is upscale, although many of the materials are hard plastics, which is par for the segment. Overall length is increased by 1.4 inches and curb weight is up just 50 pounds, while the wheelbase has been extended by 3.2 inches creating a vastly larger interior. Front-seat space is up by four cubic feet to 56, and the back seat, at 46 cubic feet, is 21 percent larger with a gain of 3.9 inches of legroom. We sampled the Legacy’s back seat—a weak point on the previous car—and impressively, six-foot, five-inch males will now fit comfortably, even sitting behind themselves, putting the Legacy squarely in Honda Accord territory. A revised multilink rear suspension—now similar to the rest of Subaru’s lineup—helps to free up four cubic feet of additional trunk space, and Subaru says it will now hold four full-size golf bags. For more details click here.
But the biggest changes are inside, including a redesigned interior that looks like an edgier version of the layout in the Tribeca. The look is upscale, although many of the materials are hard plastics, which is par for the segment. Overall length is increased by 1.4 inches and curb weight is up just 50 pounds, while the wheelbase has been extended by 3.2 inches creating a vastly larger interior. Front-seat space is up by four cubic feet to 56, and the back seat, at 46 cubic feet, is 21 percent larger with a gain of 3.9 inches of legroom. We sampled the Legacy’s back seat—a weak point on the previous car—and impressively, six-foot, five-inch males will now fit comfortably, even sitting behind themselves, putting the Legacy squarely in Honda Accord territory. A revised multilink rear suspension—now similar to the rest of Subaru’s lineup—helps to free up four cubic feet of additional trunk space, and Subaru says it will now hold four full-size golf bags. For more details click here.