Subaru has just unveiled the all-new 7th-generation Legacy at the Chicago Auto Show, just in time for the Japanese midsize sedan’s 30th birthday. It continues the current outgoing 6th-generation Legacy’s shift into moving the model to a more upmarket direction.
We won’t blame you if you thought the 2020 Legacy was just another facelift, but this is indeed an all-new model from the ground up. Styling is evolutionary; it follows the same basic lines but with a sleeker, more expressive appearance. Subaru adopted its new design philosophy “Dynamic x Solid” on its latest Legacy; this is supposed to make the vehicle appear in motion even when stopped. If this sounds familiar, one of its Japanese rivals also uses this concept.
Up front the brand’s corporate hexagonal grille and headlights with the familiar C-shaped DRLs are now slimmer, giving it a more elegant look. A black contrasting panel links the foglamp surrounds to the lower intake; this emphasizes the vehicle’s low wide stance. The Legacy still retains its prominent wheel arches, but now it gets curvier creases which accentuate its muscular front fenders and rear hips. The windows have been slightly reshaped to follow the new, more streamlined roofline. At the back, it features slim horizontal taillights and a blacked-out lower panel, this wide look complementing the front end styling.
Inside, there’s a two-tone dashboard which features softer lines and bright accents that give it a premium touch. The highlight inside is the huge 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen which is standard on Premium, Sport and Limited variants; this takes the spot of the traditional center stack. Comfort has also been improved thanks to better interior packaging. To keep noise out of the cabin, thicker glass is used all around; its windshield and front windows get sound-insulating inner film.
The all-new Legacy rides on the Japanese carmaker’s new Subaru Global Platform. This architecture is more rigid, has better crash absorption, and improved noise, vibration, and harshness. New lightweight suspension components reduce unsprung weight, and along with revised dampers give the car sharper handling and better ride comfort.
The US market gets two engine options at launch: A standard naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter FB25 gasoline mill that produces 182hp and 239Nm, and a more powerful turbocharged 2.4-liter FA24 gasoline boxer motor that pumps out 260hp and 376Nm. Both powerplants are paired to an updated Lineartronic continuously variable transmission. As expected the Japanese carmaker’s trademark Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is standard on all variants.
Like before, safety continues to be an important ingredient. The new Legacy features a host of passive and active safety features that include EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.
The all-new 2020 Subaru Legacy will hit US dealerships in the last quarter of 2019. Hopefully we won’t need to wait too long for it to reach our shores.
