2013 Subaru Legacy consumer reviews

We bought this car to complement the SUV we own for the heavy snow we get in CT. Living on a 600 foot mountain, you need all wheel drive in the worst conditions to get home easily since studs and chains are not allowed in CT (you have to get a second set of tires and rims instead if all weather tires don't work). We only have had this car for 6 months and 10,000 miles but these comments are based on that. We test drove the H4 cylinder engine and the H6 cylinder engine. One has power, the other is slow and noisy. One gets great gas mileage and averages around 28 mpg, the H6 averages about 22 mpg. Not bad for an all wheel drive sedan of the midsize class. If you like sporty handling, this is your car. Subaru targets those who want a sporty ride. If you want luxury, look elsewhere - this will not have it. The seats are not bad. Not perfect, but comfortable enough for long trips if necessary (we drive from CT to NJ every week in it). The Eyesight system is fantastic. In the first two months, it avoided a certain accident when I was driving down a road at 16 mph (accelerating) when a truck from a cross street pulled right in front of me, giving me no chance to react. The car reacted for me, hitting the breaks and beeping like the dickens warning me of an obstacle. I did managed to get my foot on the break, but the car was definately faster than I was and prevented a close quarter accident. The adapative cruise control works just as well. If the car in front of you stops, your cruise control stops as well. The problem is with the Eyesight system you are forced to get the top of the line Subaru/Harmon Kardon GPS/Stereo system. Compared to our four year old Buick, this system is much worse. The GPS is old school, and very blocky with its commands. The bluetooth voice command is much worse than our four year old Buick. For example - want to call someone? In the Subaru, the commands are "Handsfree" (so the system knows you want to use the handsfree command structure), then "Call <name> at <mobile, home, work>. Then if it gets it right, and you say "yes," it calls the number - usually. Sometimes it fails to work and you have to start over. Sometimes the phone will not sync with the system when you start the car and you hvae to manually sync it up, taking a valuable minute or two. For the four year old Buick it is more reliable and works better. When you start, it syncs with your phone 100 percent of the time, no problems. Then, when you call you just say "Call <Name> <work, home, cell> or whatever label you put on it. If it understands you, it just calls and does not ask a question. If it is not sure, it confirms before calling. It is much smarter and better than Subaru's newer system it is scary. The XM radio is better in the Buick than the Subaru, the Subaru works fine and is acceptable. Same goes for XM traffic - better in the Buick than the Subaru. We canceled it in the Subaru we did not like it so much. Besides, the GPS overall is inferior to the older Buick. So the Subaru is very capable car in bad weather, and handles nicely in the good weather. Plus they are known for their bulletproof reliablity (although the main engine seal is a known problem with the H design of engines and tends to fail at about 100,000 miles for a 3000 dollar repair). Only time will tell if they fixed this issue with the latest 2010 engine redesign. Early signs are it is better, but not certain if cured as of yet.

This car excels in one thing: driving in snow. Beyond that it has plenty of mediocre characteristics and is far outclassed by the mid size competition. I have a few specific gripes about it that, if resolved in the next redesign, I might consider leasing it again. The first is that the seats are very uncomfortable for drives longer than 40 minutes. They have no lateral support, the seat bottoms are too short, and are generally flat. I never sit in the same position twice in this car, which is frustrating when you never feel at home in your own car. The second major flaw: ergonomics. Why is the electronic brake hidden on the left side of the steering wheel? And so is the trunk release. You use these every day. Third is the majorly stiff ride. It is brittle for no reason. The handling at highway speeds is frenetic. The car with migrate within the lane with the most minute of steering input - like if you lift your right hand off the wheel to change a radio station. To wrap this up, if you need a car that is great in the snow and don't do a lot of highway driving, this could be a good, reasonable choice. If not, there are far better mid size cars out there that get better mileage, are more comfortable, and whose electronics are not from ten years ago.

I live and work on my farm in northern North Dakota, about ten minutes away from the Canadian border. When I got my Legacy (I got the 2.5i model) I was trading up from a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which I absolutely loved - but with gas prices, I decided to give the Legacy a try since it was said to get 30+ on the highway, but I was worried it wouldn't have the AWD capability of my Jeep, and I couldn't have been more wrong. My Subaru takes whatever you throw at - whether it be a couple feet of mood from a flood, or rocks near the mountains, or the couple feet of snow we get every winter - and conquers it easily. I get about 27-28mpg combined, too, which is great. And considering how rough I treat my cars and drive them through - my SUbaru hasn't let me down, yet. Haven't had to do anything except rotate the tires and change the oil. For what I need my car for, my Subaru is the perfect fit, I don't think I'd ever trade it away - except maybe to get a new Legacy someday. Subaru won itself a customer

I previously owned a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder with a V8 that averaged 16 miles per gallon. I got a new job where I doubled my travel and needed something reliable, preferrably with four wheel drive. Look no further than the 30+ mpg Subaru Legacy.. I own the all-weather package with the heated mirrors, windshield wipers, and seats. This car has been a joy to drive, with fun features like paddle shifters and an "eco gauge" that shows you how your fuel economy is. Overall, very VERY satisfied with my purchase.

Purchased a 2013 approximately three months ago after test driving most of the rest of the field. I chose this one, and I am extremely happy about it. The interior is lovely, and not over-crowded. I'm a bigger guy and the roof is a bit higher, and the overall cockpit is a bit roomier than any of the other models I tried out. It is not as tricked out as a few other contenders in this price range, but the system is uncomplicated and easy to navigate. It is a little taxing to set up, but that is expected. I especially like to placement of the MPG and clock with the small shelf. in front of it. Very convenient. The ride is a touch stiff compared to other test drives, but that stiffness shines in hilly/curvy roads. I took it down to the Ozarks one rainy weekend and cannot describe how much I was impressed with the handling and confidence that it displayed on difficult roads. Not a hint of slippage, just point and go. Really drove amazing in that setting, and I expected a little stiffness. On the highway it cruises right along, but it is stiffer then other vehicles in this class/price range. There is plenty of power (for a 4 cylinder, anyway) and the entire car works together incredibly well. The only reason it is getting 4 stars is that the transmission is vexing until you get used to it. It is different and can seem cumbersome until you get used to the quirks. I'm at about 3,000 miles and have learned to love it. It's a little slow on the upshift after acceleration, but this has proven an asset on the highway when I need to speed up, let off, then go again. It really does work well once you get it down. In the hills, though, I use to paddle shifters, and they are as crisp as they come. The external styling is subdued and probably predictable. But it remains sharp and noticeable, like a good suit where the devil is in the details. The more I drive it, the more it gets notices. The road noise may be a touch higher, but the volume doesn't auto-adjust in the sound system, and I think that makes it seem more noisy then it actually is. There is a marginal difference, if at all. All in all, this is a great car that is fun to drive. It is made to drive in any condition, and will do so with all the style and confidence you can ask for. I don't feel like I sacrificed a thing when purchasing this car and I am incredibly happy with it.

This is my first Subaru. Purchased it last August and now have about 8,000 miles on it. Getting about 26 mpg driving locally....not too much highway driving. The handling is great, very solid feel. It was very good in the snow and ice and I felt very safe and comfortable. I don't feel that the interior noise is that bad (as others have mentioned).... Maybe because I use to drive a Mazda tribute.....very noisy. I like the look of the car, interior and exterior.....it's not flashy but it just looks nice. Controls easy to use and love the heated seats. Have the graphite grey and have gotten many compliments. It's very roomy and the seats are comfortable, with good support. No problems so far and I plan on keeping this car for a very long time. My only 2 small complaints are: wish the trunk was a little larger with easier access; and we have a dog and the hair just sticks to the cloth seats like a magnet!

In my previous job, I traveled extensively and drove just about every mid-sized car on the market. So when the time came to buy a new car, I knew what I didn't want. Camrys, Accords, Altimas, Sonatas, Fusions, and Malibus are all good cars, but they're bland. I wanted something that would work well as a family car, but was still affordable and provided some driving enjoyment. After driving a Legacy, I knew that was the car for me. I ended up with a 2013 Legacy 2.5 Sport in black. The boxer engine and CVT work flawlessly to deliver great power, acceleration, and fuel economy. The 18" wheels and AWD keep the car stuck to the road. I have tried, but have been unable to make the tires squeak, or the body lean, even just a little. While the styling might be conservative in comparison to other cars in the class, it holds up better over time. Look at Legacys from five or ten years ago next to anything else in the class, it will still look good while other models look dated. Inside, seats are comfortable front and back. There is ample storage, buttons and controls are laid out sensibly, easy to reach, and not cluttered. I keep waiting for the day that I walk out to the garage and don't look forward to my morning commute, but it hasn't come yet. I have a two-year-old son who has already claimed this car as his own, he is nice enough to let me drive it for the next 14 years. Subaru's ad tag lines are "Confidence in Motion" and "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru." I have found both to be true.

the worse driving conditions become the more this vehicle impresses. makes Wisconsin winter drivind a pleasure.

I purchased a white (with black cloth), sport trim, legacy which comes with 18" dark-accented rims, moonroof, fogs, and sport peddles. Looked at every mid-size including the CX5, Verano, Cruze and VW Golf TDI. Originally down to a new Accord (sport) or the new Mazda6 (touring) but neither trim offered a moonroof. Have to go to the top trim on the 6 for a moonroof which is a $30K car...for the Accord, no moonroof on the sport trim at all. Both were deal breakers. Legacy feels extremely solid...build quality is excellent. Seats are extremely supportive, gauges and dash are clear and easy to read. 31 mpg on 70% HWY driving which is great for AWD. The ride is on the firmer side but still quite comfortable, no floating/body lean. I can see out of this car much better than other, more coupe-like designs which my kids appreciate. As to the CVT, I think it's a great transmission. It delivers smooth power all the way to cruising speed as there are are no delays/shifts. It is a little different but I got used to it in about a week. Now I'm not sure I could go back. Ecstatic about the car and everyone I talked to that owns a Subaru seems to love them. There are not many of them running around which makes it a little more unique...the brand seems to be for people that don't having a problem doing their own thing. I've had several compliments...the latest said it looked like a $35K sports sedan rather than a sub-$25K mid-size sedan.

I purchased the sport model and it was worth the upgrade. The upgraded suspension + 18" rims make it definitely more fun to drive and ride in. The black interior on the Sport model also makes it feel like less of a midsized, 4dr sedan. The CVT makes a little different noise than one may be used to coming from a non-CVT vehicle but after a few weeks it is no longer noticeable. The AWD is great as I live in Wisconsin. There is AWD, then there is the Subaru AWD! I have 3 children in full-sized car seats (Britax) and they actually all fit back there! I was impressed. The room in the backseat is also quite impressive. For those of you that like to do maintenance on your own, changing the oil could not be easier. The Oil filter is upside down and right in front on top under the hood (with a little tray w/sides on it so the drips go back into the engine when you remove it). For the price, you cannot beat this car, especially if you want AWD. Other AWD models in this class will cost you substantially more and their AWD is definitely not the same.