2020 Subaru Legacy Plays It Safe With Styling, Gains 260HP Turbo Boxer


Subaru has unveiled the all-new 2020 Legacy at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, and will combat the likes of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mazda6 with a car that’s technically superior to its predecessor.

Among its highlights, we count the new XT models with a 260 HP 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine, an upgraded 182 HP 2.5-liter boxer, an 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment display, higher quality interior and new active safety tech.


Even though the 2020 Legacy doesn’t look all that different to its predecessor, it is actually a brand new car. For starters, it has wider fenders and a higher trunk surface for a more dynamic stance. There are also new side mirrors, in case anyone noticed. Overall, though, this new model is recognizable as a Legacy, which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on perspective and sense of style.

It is, however, more practical than before, with 15.1 cu.ft (427 liters) of cargo capacity and 1.4 inches (3.55 cm) of additional cargo floor length.


Perhaps more important than its minor styling updates are the new Touring and updated Sport models. The Touring comes standard with the new 2.4-liter turbo, boasts genuine Nappa leather (a Subaru first), high-gloss black molding for the pillars, chrome for the door handles and satin tone plated side mirrors. Meanwhile, the Sport has the 2.5-liter unit as standard and features an exclusive rear bumper, front grille with high-gloss black bar, high-gloss black side mirrors, a trunk lid spoiler and dark metallic 18-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, there are aluminum pedals and red stitching on the instrument panel, door trim, seats, shift lever boot and on the leather-wrapped steering wheel.


Not only is the interior of the 2020 Legacy more upscale than in any other iteration of the mid-size sedan, but it also features loads of safety and connectivity systems that are accessible through a large tablet-style 11.6-inch full HD touchscreen display, which comes standard on Premium, Sport and Limited spec models.

Buyers will also enjoy Subaru Starlink in-vehicle tech, which comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, new Starlink SmartDeviceLink apps, Bluetooth, audio streaming, AM/FM stereo, Rear Vision Camera, Sirius XM radio and Travel Link, HD Radio and over-the-air updates as standard. There’s also available in-car Wi-Fi connectivity, which you’ll need in order to utilize features such as the Starlink Concierge package, allowing you to make restaurant and hotel reservations, purchase tickets, schedule appointments and so on.


In terms of specs, the Limited and Touring grades come with 10-way power front seats with lumbar support, and seat heaters with three levels of temperature adjustment. Touring models add ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel (optional on Limited), while a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system makes good use of the 3 dB quieter cabin, which has grown to boast more shoulder room, front/rear hip room and rear legroom.

The all-new 2020 Subaru Legacy doesn’t just feature a wide range of active safety systems, it’s also much improved compared to its predecessor when it comes to passive safety. Its new platform is 70% stiffer in both torsional and front-suspension rigidity, and 100% stiffer in both front lateral flex and rear subframe rigidity. The car also has a lower center of gravity, and the body is said to absorb over 40% more energy in front and side crashes than before.


Moreover, systems such as EyeSight Driver Assist with Lane Centering Function are now standard. There’s also a DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation system (optional on Limited and standard on both XT trims), a Front View Monitor, LED Steering Responsive headlights, Reverse Automatic Braking and Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Subaru expects the new Legacy to receive a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when it’s tested later this year.


The new turbocharged engine has a displacement of 2.4-liters and produces 260 HP and 277 lb-ft (375 Nm) of torque. It’s paired to a Lineartronic CVT transmission and can take you from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in an estimated 6.1 seconds. As for fuel economy, Subaru expects around 24/32 mpg (9.8 / 7.3 l/100 km) in the city and highway respectively.

You can still get a non-turbo Legacy, of course, if you opt for the revised 2.5-liter boxer engine that debuted on the 2019 Forester. It puts down 182 HP and 176 lb-ft (238 Nm) of torque for a 0-60 acceleration time of 8.4 seconds and a 27/35 mpg (8.7 / 6.7 l/100 km) city/highway rating.


The 2020 Subaru Legacy will arrive at retailers this fall, with pricing to be announced at a later date.

carscoops

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Edition Ford GT 'Competition Series' Is All About The Track

Image
Ford's new GT Competition Series was built with weight-saving in mind, but also with an improved center of gravity for better road-holding. Among its features, you'll notice the lightweight carbon fiber racing stripes, A-Pillars and side mirrors, as well as the unique race-inspired Perspex acrylic engine hatch with integrated venting. Thanks to the manual latch and the carbon fiber prop rod, weight near the roof has been reduced, though Ford engineers went even further in their quest to make the car lighter, by making the bulkhead Gorilla Glass behind the driver about half as thick (and as light) as on other models. "The Ford GT has racing in its blood," said Ford exec Raj Nair, while adding that the Competition Series "was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match." There are also plenty of remaining performance features from the production car, such as ...
Read more

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Is A Crossover For Droptop Lovers

Image
Droptop crossovers have always been rather odd and the T-Roc Cabriolet is no different. It will be the only convertible Volkswagen on sale for the foreseeable future and will celebrate its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Rather than simply removing the roof of the standard T-Roc, Volkswagen has drastically altered the vehicle’s structure and body. In fact, its wheelbase is 37 mm longer than the standard T-Roc while its overall length is up by 34 mm. In addition, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet features structural strengthening in the underbody, side panels, cross members, doors, and windscreen frame to make up for the lack of a roof. The folding fabric roof developed by Volkswagen retracts in just nine seconds at speeds of up to 19 mph (30.5 km/h) and is similar in operation to the roof of the outgoing Golf Cabriolet. The presence of the soft top reduces trunk space by 161 liters down from the 284 liters of the run-of-the-mill T-Roc. We don’t think bu...
Read more

Alpine A110 Hits Geneva With Pure, Legende And GT4 Versions

Image
Renault’s reborn Alpine brand has been getting rave reviews for its new A110 and now, as promised, it’s revealed new versions of its coupe at the Geneva Motor Show. Following the success of the sold-out Premiere Edition, the A110 will now be offered in Pure and Legende trims. The A110 Pure is targeted at driving enthusiasts. It features one-piece Sabelt sports seats that weigh barely more than 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) each and, combined with other weight-saving measures, helps keep the curb weight below 1,100 kg ( 2,425 lbs). It’s not entirely stripped out, though, and still comes with features like air-conditioning and satellite navigation. Buyers can also add upgraded Brembo brakes and an adaptive exhaust system and can upgrade to the adjustable comfort seats. Those come standard on the Legende model, which is geared more towards every day driving and grand touring and comes with leather upholstery. Customers can also choose between two Focal sound systems and two wheel...
Read more