2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT limited

[mikeyb]

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2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT limited

Wake up to this sleeper: Improved Legacy takes Subaru quietly upmarket

AUTOWEEK
Published Date: 7/4/05
LIKES:
Short-throw five-speed
Looks expensive but isnt
Nicely appointed interior
DISLIKES:
Grip-challenged all-seasons
Drivers seat could be better
No satellite radio or nav
OTHERS CONSIDERED:
Audi A4
Acura TSX
Mazda 6

With an emphasis on performance, smart looks, attention to detail and good ol functionality, the Subaru Legacy GT has a German feel to it. So its not surprising that in scanning the significant number of owner responses to our AutoFile survey, a marque that jumps out repeatedly as having been in the running is Audi.

In their car-buying decisions, enthusiastic Legacy owners also looked at BMWs, Volkswagens, Saabs and Volvos. Yes, they considered other brands, too, but the comparisons to European makes is striking, if only that snobbier enthusiasts believe a car must be Euro-derived to even have character.

Whatever the case, the handsome Legacy deserves to hold its head high. Consider: a $30,000 family sedan loaded with amenities that is nothing short of thrilling in the speed department. At 5.23 seconds to 60 mph, our turbocharged Legacy Limited bests a host of sports cars we tested, including, surprisingly, the Audi S4s 5.36 seconds Aug. 30, 2004.

Braking and handling per­formance, however, is less striking. This Legacy needs 133 feet to stop from 60 mph and only manages a top speed of 43.7 mph through our tight slalom course. The S4 handily beats the Legacy in both categories, at 122 feet and 46.4 mph, respectively.

As is usually the case, numbers are numbers, and as a rather annoying radio personality might say, heres the rest of the story.

The Legacy exhibits almost no dive on braking, though traversing the skidpad produces a fair amount of body roll. Steering feel is direct, while the responsive brakes tend to be somewhat touchy. The shifter operates easily and feels well-gated.

This Legacy represents a significant upgrade from the previous model. Where the previous turbo engine had a rougher character felt through the steering wheel, shifter and even the dead pedal, this new motor runs smoothly, with almost no turbo lag. The short-throw five-speed manual is perfect for getting a good launch.

One editor says the Legacy drives like a WRX with class, sharp handling and a sleek style that makes it look like a much more expensive car. Staffers and owners alike say the car has a grown-up, mainstream look, and everyone agrees its a sleeperthats a good thing.

The interior is particularly well-appointed and a huge improvement over the previous Legacy. We especially like the bright graphics of the instrument gauges and the rear-seat pass-through to the trunk, though utility would be better served if the rear seats folded flat. Visibility is good all around, and the giant sunroof comes standard at this trim level. A couple of knocks on the drivers seat if youre on the tall side: It could use more rear travel, and the seat bottom cushion feels a little short.

Owners we heard from praised the Legacy for being quiet and for its good build quality, though we heard a couple of complaints about the cars thin sheetmetal and substandard paint job. One owner says the color is good, but the paint is soft and swirly and chips easily. This we believe, as the orange peel on the long-term WRX we had was pretty bad.

Moreover, for all its premium ambitions, the Legacy could use a more refined climate control system. We had one owner say he is surprised this one made it to production. The blower has to be at full tilt to get the windshield cleared, and having hot air smacking you in the face doesnt make for a happy driver. Subaru also needs to offer satellite radio if it wants to play at this level.

Overall, this Legacy is a big improvement over previous models, and it has helped to boost Subaru into a whole new league. Its combination of performance, poise, premium looks and utility is the stuff of much more expensive cars, and makes the Legacy a strong player in the sporty sedan segment.

OWNERS SAY..

All-wheel drive for snow and forced induction at altitude combine for a winning ticket. The Legacy GT is a natural progression from my WRX. Excellent handling, larger 17-inch wheels and bigger front brakes from the Limited package add a sport factor. Though the car does not feel like it has 250 hp, stoplight wars and on-ramps provide proof of whats under the hood. The worst part of the car is the stock tires. My snow tires feel better-planted than the stock tires.
Todd Husak, Littleton, Colo.

The Legacy is a fine vehicle with impressive build quality. Its incredible performance, all-wheel drive and quality/reliability rating sway-ed me to it. The powertrain has more juice than other vehicles in its class, but its slingshot acceleration comes at the price of a gas-thirsty engine. Dislikes: The climate and stereo unit combination makes the addition of an iPod or XM radio difficult, and the windows roll down slowly and lack a drivers side auto-up feature. All in all, owning this car has been great and I highly recommend it to potential buyers.
Christoph Erdel, Indianapolis

Performance, value and high-quality materials sold me. The overall solidity and build quality vs. my preconceived notion of Subaru surprised me. Acceleration is terrificlinear and progressive for a turbo. Handling is predictable and, as cornering speeds rise, the rear can be rotated to tighten the line. The interior is quiet, almost too quiet, as more boxer burble would add excitement. Subaru needs to kick up the sportiness quotient. The soft springs make the car float in corners rather than bite, and the tires are terrible.
Austin Kolbert, Salem, N.H.

The pick-up is incredible and cornering is even more fun, making this a great car to drive on twisty roads. The interior is great with a driver-angled center console, adjustable seats, and enough legroom to accommodate my six-foot-two-inch needs. But the clutch burns easily, the soft paint chips easily and shows swirls, and there is no rear folding seats.
Anthony Elgan, Salt Lake City

VEHICLE SPECS AND INFO

MANUFACTURER INFO
Subaru of America
Subaru Plaza
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill NJ 08034
Customer assistance: (800) 782-2783
Internet address: subaru.com
Country of origin: United States
Number of dealers: 582

STICKER
Base (includes $575 delivery): $29,170
As tested: $30,354
Owners paid; average: $24,400 to $30,440; $27,687

OPTIONS AS TESTED
Performance group one, with Momo shift knob, short-throw shifter, metal pedal set ($621); spoiler ($380); auto-dimming mirror/compass ($183)

OTHER MAJOR OPTIONS
Five-speed automatic transmission ($1,200); rocker panel trim ($378); STI side-sill plates ($289); subwoofer/amplifier ($229); center armrest extension ($144)

CHASSIS
Unibody four-door sedan

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase (in): 105.1
Track (in): 58.9 front, 58.5 rear
Length/width/height (in): 186.2/68.1/56.1
Curb weight/GVWR (lbs):3365/4435

CAPACITIES
Fuel (gal): 16.9
Cargo (cu-ft): 11.4
Towing (lbs): 2700

ENGINE
Front longitudinal 2.5-liter/150-cid dohc turbocharged H4
Horsepower: 250 @ 6000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 250 @ 3600 rpm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Fuel requirement: 91 octane

DRIVETRAIN
All-wheel drive
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Final drive ratio: 4.11:1

SUSPENSION
Front: MacPherson struts with coil springs, gas-charged shock absorbers, antiroll bar
Rear: Multilink with coil springs, gas-charged shock absorbers, antiroll bar

BRAKES/WHEELS/TIRES
Discs front and rear, ABS with EBD, alumi­num 215/45ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza RE92

STANDING-START ACCELERATION
0-60 mph: 5.23 sec
0-100 km/h (62.1 mph): 5.86 sec
0-quarter-mile: 13.95 sec @97.5 mph

ROLLING ACCELERATION
20-40 mph (second gear): 2.7 sec
40-60 mph (third gear): 3.4 sec
60-80 mph (third gear): 3.8 sec

BRAKING
60 mph-0: 133 ft

HANDLING
490-foot slalom: 43.7 mph
Lateral acceleration (200-foot skidpad): 0.81 g

INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)
Idle: 42
Full throttle: 76
Steady 60 mph: 62

FUEL MILEAGE
EPA combined: 21.30 mpg
AW overall: 20.89 mpg

TRUE COST TO OWN<SUP>[size=+0]SM
</SUP>Total: $42,293
Average cost per mile: $0.56[/size]

DEPRECIATION
After one year: $8,090
Five-year total: $16,661


I do love my 05 Legacy GT. I also cross shopping with BMW, VW, and Mazda.

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102657

 

[TeamPlayers]

I like it. Its alittle on the pricey side for me but it is definitly a sleeper.

 

[Roywhitep5]

i'd pimp that

 

[anarchistchiken]

Teh sex. I LOVE those cars. If I had a house and a steady job, I would probably own one.

 

[mikeyb]

Redesigned Legacy helping to improve Subaru image and draw in buyers



DIANA T. KURYLKO | Automotive News
Posted Date: 7/19/05
A year after its launch, the redesigned Subaru Legacy is helping the brand spiff up its image.

The current Legacy and Outback shed the quirky Subaru appearance that some have called ugly. Subaru also added zippier performance versions.

Executives say the moves are creating a broader buyer base and increasing registrations by 51 percent in the Sun Belt. In the past, Subaru's key selling point - all-wheel drive - has appealed mainly to people in snowy climates.

"We are experiencing a significant increase in Legacy sedan and wagon sales in the Sun Belt as a result of the styling of the vehicle and the performance," says Bill Cyphers, vice president of sales.

And Cyphers says Subaru is winning conquest sales: "Dealers are seeing traffic from competition they have not seen in the past."

GT draws buyers

The 250-hp Legacy GT sedan has been a major draw. Desiree Farey, general manager of Irvine (Calif.) Subaru, says sales of the model are up 160 percent compared with last year. The store is the No. 3 Subaru franchise in the United States.

"We are drawing a lot of performance owners, WRX owners who want more luxury - like leather and a sunroof - and previous BMW, Porsche and even Mercedes-Benz customers," Farey says.

Nationwide, Subaru sold 45,108 units of the Legacy and Outback through June, up 10.3 percent compared with the year-ago period. By year end, Subaru wants to sell 93,500 units. In 2004 it sold 89,453 of the vehicles.

Subaru says the redesigned Legacy/Outback is giving the brand inroads in the Sun Belt. Registrations for the first four months rose 51 percent, according to R.L. Polk & Co.

"Nationally, other manufacturers sell 48 percent of their cars in the Sun Belt, and we sell 20 percent of our cars there," Cyphers says. "Historically, our cars are all-wheel drive and have appealed to the Northern market."

Equally important is profitability. Sales of the six-cylinder and high-trim models have increased significantly, Cyphers says.

Subaru raised prices on the current-generation Legacy and Outback by an average of 4 percent.

The Legacy starts at $22,020. Prices rise to $34,220 for the Outback 3.0 R VDC Limited wagon. Both prices including shipping.

Above $30,000

According to the Power Information Network, six-cylinder versions of the Legacy and Outback sold for an average of $30,929 during a six-week period in May and June. That's $7,118 more than a comparably equipped Toyota Camry and $6,111 more than a Honda Accord, according to Power.

Cyphers says that in 2003 the average Legacy transaction price was $18,350. That rose to $21,450 at the end of 2004 and to $25,329 in 2005.

Buyer demographics also have changed. According to a study in the first quarter of 2005 by Iceology, a Los Angeles market research firm, the average age of the Subaru customer has dropped to 47, from 51 a year earlier. The gender mix is 57 percent male, compared with 52 percent a year earlier. Subaru thinks these changes are the result of the turbo models, particularly the Legacy 2.5 GT sedan.

Subaru says continued growth is likely to come from the Legacy sedan, which accounted for 72 percent of the nameplate's sales through July 6, compared with 59 percent in 2003.

Says Cyphers: "Interest is coming from the general acceptance and enthusiasm for the car in car magazines."


http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102799