Subaru pares down Legacy, Outback offerings for 2008
For 2008, Subaru has decided to simplify your car shopping experience whether you wanted them to or not. Gone are the Legacy Wagon and Outback Sedan. All Legacy models going forward are sedan-only, and all Outbacks are wagon-only. Frankly, we think this kinda stinks, as the Legacy Wagons were good-looking, sporty machines that allowed buyers to get a car with a good level of utility without having to also take the pseudo-SUV, moderately jacked-up look of the Outback. That's all over. It all obviously makes sense to Subaru, otherwise it wouldn't have made the change, and while we're fans of the Legacy wagons, we must say that the majority of newer Legacy-family cars we see in that body style are indeed Outbacks. Likewise, based on what we see on the roads, the standard Legacy Sedan easily outnumbers the newly-defunct Outback Sedan. Of course, in Japan and other markets, you can still a Legacy Wagon, and the JDM Outback's got a better-looking face, too. This seems to be an America-only bummer.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avinash machado 7:33AM (7/16/2007)
Could this be Toyota's doing?
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Jeff Gilleran 7:59AM (7/16/2007)
It is very possible that Toyota in some way has been making some near future plans with Subaru.
Maybe Toyota has a new wagon coming thats made by Subaru?
Problem for me with that is the Legacy wagon has been around since 1990 and there are plenty of people that like the Legacy.
As the editor kindly put it, "the Legacy Wagons were good-looking, sporty machines that allowed buyers to get a car with a good level of utility without having to also take the pseudo-SUV, moderately jacked-up look of the Outback".
This is quite true not everyone likes the look of the Outback.
I personally like the Outback but the extra frill is slightly overpriced in my honest opinion.
I know for a fact standard Legacies outnumber Outbacks and many go with the standard Legacy strictly to reduce costs of buying into a midsize, lower priced Subaru.
The only thing I can think of is Subaru might soon be introducing a small car into its lineup that is several thousand less than the current Impreza for the younger guys and the more frugal types?
Maybe Subaru thinks a new smaller compact might outsell the standard Legacy Wagon?
I hate it when I dont know what corporate is up to.
I can only surmise that it must make sense to someone to kill off a longtime breadmaker for Subaru.
It very well could be the partnership with Toyota at work here.
Could it be because Toyota doesnt have too many Awd Wagons with the sophistication of Subarus Awd and its a market they dont want to retool for?
I know hatchbacks and wagons are coming back in Vogue again.
I suppose we will have to just wait and see what Subaru's game will be like in the next couple years.
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Richard 10:04PM (7/16/2007)
I don't think that Toyota's 8% stake in FHI would warrant thay type of strategic control, but I only know the published financial data and not the nature of the arrangement.
dcwf 8:00AM (7/16/2007)
"It all obviously makes sense to Subaru, otherwise it wouldn't have made the change."
Alex, you give them way too much credit.
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Alan44 9:01AM (7/16/2007)
Two years ago, before my wife picked a Jetta for her new car, we went and looked at Subaru's and the fact that they had two totally different station wagons of the same size on the dealers floor was confusing. I have never owned a Subaru, so I also didn't understand why they were confusing the buying public by competing with themselves.
The reason we looked elsewhere for a new car was the poor gas economy of the two different station wagons.
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calebe 9:14AM (7/16/2007)
Im sure they are looking at the number of sales for each unit. I does sound very Toyota ish. You will take what we give you and like it. You don't like it? Someone else will, go away now. bye bye, shooo
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Richard 9:10AM (7/16/2007)
This is really ashame - IMHO. The Subaru's are like half-price BMW's. They handle really really well, they are screwer together really really well and - short of weather of truly Biblical proportions - a Subaru will get you where you want to go.
I really liked the Legacy wagon - especially as an alternative to the A4 wagon as the Subaru handled better, was faster and had far greater content for the sticker.
Evidently, though, the market couldn't distinguish between a Legacy wagon with 2" higher springs and body cladding and one dressed more for hauling stuff fast.
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calebe 9:19AM (7/16/2007)
Alan44 answered your question. he was Confused. ok that speaks loads for the average American car shopper.
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Za 9:23AM (7/16/2007)
This is utter crap...my parents have an 05' LGT sedan but planned on getting rid of the minivan for an LGT wagon in the future since my brother and I are out of the house now. They are...were excellent cars, and the fact is Subaru is a niche manufacturer overall anyway!
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supercujo 9:31AM (7/16/2007)
I got my Liberty (Australian Legacy) 2.5i earlier this year. The other option was an Outback with lower spec, the Liberty came with dual-sunroof, 6 airbags and full climate control, the Outback didn't.
I love the lower ride height and much better handling of the standard wagon, the Outback has a softer and more floaty feel.
Another time when the Australian market wins over the US.
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christian 9:52AM (7/16/2007)
Australian market always wins over the US market, one reason i would love to retire there
we have all been discrediting SoA decisions for a while now
actually this makes half my reason for going back to australia again because of subaru/the cars
haha
what i want to know is how the new impreza handles vs. the current-05 legacy
ive given up on subarus future style, its slow deteriorating.. as for toyota.. well im sure i would be happy with an awd corolla, haha, subaru styling peaked in 05, whos decision was that?
i would follow them
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frondeur 9:57AM (7/16/2007)
I can't see Subaru doing this frankly. This means, with the demise of the Impreza wagon that the only wagon left will be the Outback, which is priced significantly above the current Legacy Wagon.
I hope Subaru continues it's current trend, of treating the US and Canadian markets differently...
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mk 10:40AM (7/16/2007)
This is kind of old news around LegacyGT.com's forums.
The Legacy wagon has been beaten like a red-headed stepchild for several years, and the legacy in general is nearly ignored.
Now that the Baja is gone, the Legacy (not counting the Outback platform mate) is the smallest-selling subaru model. Outbacks outsell ALL legacys at least 4-1 for the duration of the 05-08 model year, and legacy wagons sold far fewer than Legacy sedans. Outback sedans were also extremely small sales.
The US lost Legacy GT wagons with Manual transmissions for 06, The Automatic GT wagons did not receive the Navigation option that the sedans and Outbacks and Spec B received. And now the Wagon is gone entirely. Wagons and the manual transmission option are still available in Canada, and built in the same factory, in Lafayette Indiana.
It is kind of rediculous, but it happens to be true.
I have a 2005 Legacy GT sedan. they are fantastic cars, with a Turbocharged boxer, AWD, and a 5-speed manual transmission. It is sad to see how Subaru of America tends to ignore and marginalize what could be their mainline car.
The new 3.0 liter flat 6 Legacy should have been introduced back in 2005. The Spec B Legacy should be available at a more modest price than it is, and with full color availability, which for the Legacy is pitifully slim. My legacy is red, which isn't even made anymore.
Such a great value of a car, a great sport sedan in it's price class, and so completely under-supported by Subaru of America. The wagon was the same story, and now it is gone altogether, in the Legacy form-factor, and the Outback is a somewhat different animal, with it's raised suspension.
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Dave T. 10:43AM (7/16/2007)
I went to Subaru's media site and looked up April sales (so before the 07s were phased out totally) and out of the 4076 total Legacy wagon sales, 3902 were Outbacks.
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EnviroBob 10:56AM (7/16/2007)
An efficient manufacturer won't offer product that doesn't generate revenue. If the sales numbers on the SoA media site are correct, then they would be foolish to spend the money to bring these things to market, no matter how much those 174 people LOVED them.
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EnviroBob 10:58AM (7/16/2007)
An efficient manufactuer won't offer products that don't generate sufficient revenue. If the sales figures from the SoA media site are, in fact, correct, it makes no sense to market these things, no matter how much those 174 people LOVED them.
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RidinLow 11:44AM (7/16/2007)
Makes sense, however depressing that is.
EnviroBob 10:59AM (7/16/2007)
Don't know what happened in posting those thoughts...
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bob cobb 11:41AM (7/16/2007)
Wow, this is lame. The legacy GT wagon was one of the nicest looking wagons out there. I would have bought one if I had the money
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carmaniac 12:33PM (7/16/2007)
We still get the Legacy Wagon in Canada! :)
Although we never had the Outback sedan.
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