Subaru Legacy 2.5 review

[Cujet]

I’ll keep this review short.

0-60 in 11.2 seconds. This thing is slow. Don’t believe the magazine tests which claim 8 seconds. That’s a lie!! It’s near the danger slow range. Passing is something this car can’t do well.

Fuel economy was pen n paper calculated at 30 in mostly highway driving. Rather poor city mpg at under 20.

Engine is a boxer 4cyl, 2.5L and has a most wonderful growl. Despite the utter lack of power.

Car was otherwise perfect. Comfy, drove well, solid feeling, good driving dynamics and a true pleasure for the week.

If you are considering one, get the flat six cylinder version. Night and day difference in driving satisfaction.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

How was it on oil? Oil used in an OCI?

 

[SatinSilver]

I noticed that also as far as being slow during a test drive of one last year. I think the AWD system bogs it down. Seemed super boring to me. I agree with all the positives you mention about it.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
How was it on oil? Oil used in an OCI?


He probably didn't notice any consumption since it was a rental. Sometimes I'll check the oil level on a rental.

 

[fdcg27]

Wonder what was wrong with it?
We own a Subie of similar weight with the same powertrain and it's nowhere near that slow.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
How was it on oil? Oil used in an OCI?


He probably didn't notice any consumption since it was a rental. Sometimes I'll check the oil level on a rental.


I always check it. Its a lot cheaper than a new motor.

 

[sw99]

Funny you say this about the power. Our 2018 Outback has more than enough power even at altitude here in CO. I personally wouldn't even consider the 3.6L.

 

[RedOakRanch]

My wifes subi is definitely slower from a stop light than her previous V8 Explorer but it can hold 75mph up a long grade all day where the Explorer would run out of steam. Very different driving experience between them.

 

[Andrew1972]

I think it is unfortunate Subaru offers only slow now. They used to offer powerful non-economy turbo motors achieving 0-60 in around 5.5- 6.5 seconds but just leave it for WRX

.

 

[emg]

That's weird. The biggest problem I have with passing in the Forester is that it's going too fast by the time I look down and check the speedo. I don't think the Legacy is that much heavier, is it? The aerodynamics are certainly much better.

But 0-60 figures with the Subaru CVT are highly deceptive, because it takes a few seconds to ramp up the rpms to the point where the car actually begins to accelerate. Because mpg.

There's a reason they put 'launch control' on the CVT WRX.

Even then, in town driving I'm normally the fastest away from the lights without trying hard.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I have a feeling they will see a decline in sales without the turbo motors in the Forester and Legacy. Hopefully it's just a 1-year hiatus and they will be putting the 2.4 from the Ascent in the Legacy again.

The 2.5/2.5T/3.3/3.6 thing has always confused me with Subaru. Other than some minor suspension differences, Subarus are essentially Legos, one part fits all. Why not offer all the engines in all the vehicles, and let consumers sort it out? I'd be all over a Legacy 3.6R but it only manages 29mpg highway, and the CVT has slowed it to 7.1 in the stoplight drag race. I think the 3.6 in a "Forester Sport" with a 1-2" factory lift, locking diffs, and QD swaybars would be a hoot!

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: SubieRubyRoo
I have a feeling they will see a decline in sales without the turbo motors in the Forester and Legacy.


The change surprised me, but apparently only about 10% of Forester sales were XTs, so it's probably not worth the cost for them at the moment.

We almost bought one instead of the 2.5, but I was concerned about fuel dilution in the cold winters here, and the extra cost of the premium gas.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
How was it on oil? Oil used in an OCI?


He probably didn't notice any consumption since it was a rental. Sometimes I'll check the oil level on a rental.


I always check it. Its a lot cheaper than a new motor.


Since when do you pay for a new engine if your rental car engine fails??? I call the rental place to swap me into another vehicle...

 

[tcp71]

Cvt?

Even the 3.6 cvt is slow.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CyBbwCEQtFM

 

[Gasbuggy]

I really dislike Subarus personally. So much reliability hot air behind their name. Tin cans that go through the snow better than the average car. They lighten them up to counter that heavy dragging AWD system that you need about 3% of the time you drive.

I remember my old, old girlfriend getting a new Impreza in 07 and I walked it on the highway with my old 95 non VTech Accord with 300+k miles on it. I beat the [censored] out of a 2012 WRX for about 1000 miles while I was selling it for my brother. Fun car in traffic but man, everything felt cheap from the time you closed the door on. The newest WRX is actually a good performance value though, I won't knock it. But the STi needs to get in the right decade as far as output is concerned.


CVT is a travesty in any car. I refuse to own one. Subaru made a solid 4 speed auto that they could have evolved but they're chasing MPG because of the fulltime AWD system and now irrelevant CAFE requirements that the previous administration was swinging around.

 

[gofast182]

Dangerously slow...that's how I felt when I drove a Crosstrek for a week.

 

[DaRider34]

Originally Posted By: Gasbuggy



CVT is a travesty in any car. I refuse to own one. Subaru made a solid 4 speed auto that they could have evolved but they're chasing MPG because of the fulltime AWD system and now irrelevant CAFE requirements that the previous administration was swinging around.


Its too bad they didnt invest in their own dct when they where competing against mitsubishi

 

[Al]

As usual the haters are out....all the while Subaru's sales gains % are one of the best if not the best. Subaru's are very complicated vehicles compared to straight 4 cylinder vehicles with FWD. So it will have proportionately more repairs. For those that hate on the subie bc you don't use awd very much Subaru is not like other AWD" vehicles. Most of them are 'awd' when the rears lose traction. So you don't get any benefits of awd during normal driving.

I have 177K miles on my 08 Forester. Yes it has had the HG replaced, but that was bc its a known issue..I was proactive in replacing it. It had 2 alternators replaced, timing belt, a radiator (for peace of mind) and a rear wheel bearing. Thats it. It uses a quart of oil ever 4K miles. I could take it across the U.S. right now and have confidence in it.

So approx $4500 over 11 years and its extremely reliable now.

I have driven the 2.5i and it is certainly not a dog. I opted for the XT bc I could. The 'CVT' has in addition to manual paddle shifters 2 sports modes where it anticipates aggressive acceleration. It is probably the quickest of even premium Turbo SUV's with a 2.0T 250HP bc it is several hundred pounds lighter. In addition the symmetrical AWD is unique except for Audi which manages to do it without the opposed/flat 4cyl.

Again. They are not for everyone and they have their faults. But the majority of folks that buy one will stay with the brand.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Wonder what was wrong with it?
We own a Subie of similar weight with the same powertrain and it's nowhere near that slow.



Nothing was wrong with it. The CVT is exceptionally slow off the line as the lowest ratio possible is not low enough, and 175HP in a 4000 pound, full sized car is a recipe for slow.

Originally Posted By: emg
That's weird. The biggest problem I have with passing in the Forester is that it's going too fast
But 0-60 figures with the Subaru CVT are highly deceptive, because it takes a few seconds to ramp up the rpms to the point where the car actually begins to accelerate.

I'm normally the fastest away from the lights without trying hard.


Too fast? Faster than others? This thing is SLOW, SLOW, SLOW. Again, 175HP, 4000 pounds. 1HP for 22 pounds is not within the norm today. The 0-60 and interminable 50-70 times reflect that.

NOTE: the 2018 Camry I rented was twice as fast and returned 10MPG more.

Really, I loved the car, but it needs the bigger engine.

 

[JTK]

Somehow I never got around to clocking it (lol), but I never found my 2012 Legacy EJ253 w/ CVT to be lacking power, but that was a different generation of this vehicle.

My 2016 Forester FB25, CVT was more than adequate for me as well. Perhaps the tuning is such that it doesn't pin you back in your seat, but I never found it scary for passing or merging.

Like said, my 2014 XV Crosstrek with the FB20 and 5spd was pretty gutless. You had to be on your A-game to get the most out of it.