2017 Subaru Legacy: What’s Changed

CARS.COM

• Most significant changes: New Sport model, and EyeSight Driver Assist option package now includes reverse automatic braking and automatic high beams. A power moonroof and push-button start are standard on the Limited model.
• Price change: Base prices without destination charge are higher by $250 on the 2.5i, $150 on the 2.5i Premium, $1,995 on the 2.5i Limited and $1,695 on the 3.6R Limited. Destination for all models is $25 higher at $820.
• On sale: Now
• Which should you buy, 2016 or 2017? 2017 because of additional safety features in EyeSight.

Related: What’s the Best Midsize Sedan for 2016?

Subaru’s Legacy sedan lineup expands with a 2.5i Sport model, and the available EyeSight Driver Assist Technology package adds reverse automatic braking and automatic high beam headlights.

The Legacy Sport comes with a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and standard 18-inch wheels, dark gray grille, fog lights, and gray and black cloth upholstery with blue stitching as well as piano black and faux carbon-fiber interior accents. The base price on the Sport is $26,815, including the $820 destination charge, slotting it between the 2.5i Premium and the Limited models.

Base prices are higher by $1,995 on the 2.5i Limited and $1,695 on the 3.6R Limited because a power moonroof and keyless access with push-button start are now standard.

EyeSight, which includes pre-collision braking and lane departure control, is optional on the Sport, as well as the 2.5i Premium and 2.5i Limited and 3.6R Limited models. Prices vary by model, depending on what features are included with the EyeSight package.

The Legacy is built from the same design as the quasi-SUV Outback wagon but has long played second fiddle, even more so now as buyers continue to shift from sedans to crossovers.

All versions of the Legacy have standard all-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission, and all except the 3.6R Limited have the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The 3.6R gets a 3.6-liter, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine.

All-wheel drive has gained popularity among luxury sedan buyers in recent years, but you don’t have to pay luxury-car prices to get a capable all-wheel-drive system, roomy interior and accident-prevention technology. The Legacy sedan offers all of that, though it lacks the refinement and accoutrements that most luxury models have.

The interior furnishings are rather basic and noise levels are high on four-cylinder models, as the engine and CVT combine to produce plenty of unpleasant sounds. The Legacy also doesn’t provide much visual or performance excitement. But for those who desire all-wheel drive but prefer a sedan to the growing herd of SUVs, the Legacy provides a reasonable alternative.