Subaru Takes the Wraps Off its 2015 Legacy

By Tom Mack

It doesn’t take a genius to see Subaru is on something of a roll at the moment. As the fastest growing Japanese brand in Canada its 2013 sales were up a whopping 18.7 percent over the preceding year. And the gains didn’t come just from Ontario or Quebec. Every region achieved its best-ever annual sales.

Then the company unveiled an all-new 2015 Subaru WRX in mid-January – making its Canadian debut at the Montreal auto show, a day after its U.S. entrance at Detroit’s similar showpiece.

Today marked the appearance of yet another all-new 2015 model. The appearance of a replacement for the current Legacy at the Chicago auto show gives Subaru yet another reason for optimism and an improved competitor to take on segment heavyweights like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

Visually, the mid-size Legacy echoes the design themes introduced by the Legacy Concept at the 2013 Los Angeles auto show, sporting a fresher face up front and a clean, crisp body shape that imparts a more upscale look. A smooth, coupe-style roofline flows nicely down to a shapely rear end that maintains the luxury image.

This classier Legacy sits on the same wheelbase as the present generation, although the overall length of the body grows by 41 mm (1.6 inches) to 4795 mm (188.8 inches), resulting in an increase in rear legroom and cargo capacity versus the outgoing model. Inside, interior refinement and driver comfort has been improved while noise levels have been reduced.

Under the hood, you’ll find the familiar engines of the current Legacy carried over – though the 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit gains a couple of extra horsepower, weighs less, is quieter and more efficient. Both it and the 3.6 engine are a little less fuel thirsty though, a welcome development given the high gas prices these days. You will notice a difference in the transmission department, though. Manual shifters have taken a hike. For 2015, all Legacy models will come standard with a Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission), with the 6-cylinder model using a high-torque version. Changes made to reduce friction in the CVT contribute to the improvements in fuel economy mentioned earlier. All models also get standard incline Start Assist and the electronic Hill Holder system.

A newly refined version of Subaru’s well-proven Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is another improvement in the 2015 model, which should appear in dealer showrooms by the latter half of 2014.