2013 Legacy more efficient, adds safety tech

Always a favorite in snow country, Subaru’s Legacy has sold especially well since a 2010 makeover left it larger, more comfortable and more economical. Now, a 2013 refresh brings brings even greater fuel efficiency and adds a layer of optional safety technology unexpected in the price range. A new grille, front bumper and headlights drive the Legacy more deeply into the mainstream, while at the same time giving it a fresh, youthful vigor. Suspension tweaks produce a more comfortable ride and more responsive handling. As with all Subarus but the new, rear-drive BRZ sports car, the Legacy is equipped with standard all-wheel-drive. Base price, including destination, is $21,065. That price fetches an all-new base engine, a double-overhead-cam 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer that makes 173 hp and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, compared to the 170 hp and 170 lb.-ft. of last year’s base engine. More significantly, it improves fuel efficiency and improves low-end torque, for greater responsiveness. The base transmission is a six-speed manual, while the optional, CVT (continuously variable transmission) is quieter and more responsive this year. With the manual, the 2.5i returns EPA ratings of 21 city/28 highway/24 combined; with the CVT, those numbers jump to an AWD best-in-class 24/32/27. The Legacy 3.6R (from $26,165) motors on with last year’s 256-hp six-cylinder Boxer engine. It’s paired with a five-speed automatic and is rated at 18/25/20. Perhaps the biggest news is Subaru’s new EyeSight driver-assist system. Unlike radar-based system, EyeSight uses a pair of windshield-mounted cameras to detect obstacles ahead. Integrating the adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking systems, it can minimize — and in some instances prevent — collisions. It includes a lane-departure warning system. Because the cameras are mounted to the upper windshield frame and not the bumper, they are less vulnerable to damage and less likely to be made inoperative by weather and grime. EyeSight is part of a $3,940 option package available on up-level trims that also includes a moonroof and navigation system.
 Subaru’s sense of interior design continues to grow more sophisticated and, aside from a busyness in and around the control-panel and the presence of a few lower-spec materials, the Legacy’s cabin is modern and well assembled. On some trims, glossy new woodgrain trim adds a bit of warmth and sparkle. The seats are very good and there’s enough leg- and headroom for both front- and rear-seat occupants. Four adults can ride comfortably and the rear doors open wide for especially good ingress and egress. The newly revised ride-and-handling package creates a ride that’s firm enough to tame unwanted body motion but sufficiently compliant to satisfy picky drivers. In the complaint category, Subaru should ditch the base, four-speaker audio system; it doesn’t belong in a car this good. Better to spend the money for the optional nine-speaker Harmon/Kardon system. Given its comfortable and handsome cabin, best-in-class fuel efficiency, available safety systems and attractive base price, the 2013 Legacy makes a convincing case for itself, whether in snow country or out of it. Add standard AWD and it’s practically unimpeachable. Don Adair is a Spokane-based freelance writer. He may be contacted at don@dadair.com. 2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited Vehicle base price: $21,065 Trim level base price: $26,195 As tested: $30,977 Optional equipment: Navigation; voice-activated controls; auxiliary audio USB/iPod port; rear-vision camera; harman/kardon audio system; auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink; XM satellite radio and SiriusXM NavTraffic with four-month subscription; Bluetooth handsfree phone and streaming audio connectivity; EyeSight driver-assist system with pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning system and lane sway warning, and pre-collision throttle management system; floor mats. EPA ratings: 24 city/32 highway Regular unleaded fuel specified