2022 Subaru Legacy

The 2022 Subaru Legacy takes a pass on performance but aces its safety and value tests. The 2022 Subaru Legacy sedan may give up the foot traffic to the popular Outback wagon across the showroom floor, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s an excellent value, one stacked with features such as standard all-wheel drive, and it’s as composed as an overture on the road.

Other than a few minor features changed or added nothing. The Legacy still slips through the air with sober lines and a polished cabin and with standard all-wheel drive and an available 11.6-inch touchscreen as its trump cards over rivals. Almost a large car by EPA standards, the 2022 Legacy has a great place for you to sit, whether it’s in front or in back.

The 2022 Subaru Legacy blends into the background among radically styled rivals like the Kia K5 and Toyota Camry. Its grille splits in half with a decorous band of chrome; its LED headlights take on a modest size and shape and tuck into the car’s corners like hospital sheets. The cabin and roofline have straightforward shapes, while the taillights adopt perfectly clean and regular outlines.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

A 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine is standard and makes 182 horsepower. Limited XT and Touring XT models come with a 260-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter engine. All Legacy models have all-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

We’ve tested both engines now, and what a difference a turbo makes. The Touring XT managed to hit 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds while the non-turbo Sport required a lackluster 8.0 seconds. Regardless of which engine is under the hood, the new 2022 Subaru Legacy boasts slightly improved handling dynamics over the last generation and a similarly compliant ride.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The non-turbo cars achieve higher fuel-economy estimates from the EPA—27 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined—but the turbocharged models aren’t far behind at 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. In our real-world 200-mile highway fuel-economy tests, both powertrains delivered 34 mpg, 1 mpg short of the Accord 2.0T’s result. That said, the Subaru and Honda pale in comparison with the 2.5-liter-equipped Camry SE, which delivered an impressive 45 mpg. For more information about the Legacy’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Though the measurements may not show it, the Legacy’s cabin feels much bigger than the last generation’s, particularly in the back. While its design is still on the dowdy side, the 2022 Subaru Legacy’s interior is functional, with well-chosen materials throughout.

Cloth upholstery is standard, but the high-end Limited and Touring models have leather. The front seats are well sculpted and comfortable, and the upper trims feature a manual thigh extension for the driver’s seat, a boon to long-legged buyers. The trunk is generously sized and held eight carry-on suitcases in our testing, one more than the Accord and two more than the Camry.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Base models use a version of Subaru’s Starlink infotainment system that features dual 7.0-inch displays. The one-rung-up Premium model has the company’s latest 11.6-inch vertically oriented infotainment display that looks as if it had been borrowed from a Volvo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration come standard.

And while in-dash navigation is only standard on the Limited XT and Touring XT models, it’s optional on all but the base Legacy. A four-speaker stereo is standard, Premium and Sport models come with a six-speaker setup, and anything above that gets a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Legacy is a great choice when it comes to safety. All Legacy models come with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features. For more information about the Legacy’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

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Full Specifications