Autoblog

2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback recalled over potential steering loss

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Recalls, Safety, Subaru

Subaru today announced a recall that affects 5,379 Legacy sedan and Outback wagon models in the United States. All of the affected 2013 model-year vehicles were built between February 15 and June 15 of 2012.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "the inner and outer shafts of the steering column assembly may become disengaged from one another" in these vehicles. If that happens, the driver can lose the ability to steer the vehicle, which could obviously lead to all sorts of harmful things.

Subaru will notify owners of the problem, and affected models will have their steering columns replaced at dealerships, free of charge. Scroll down for the official NHSTA report.

Continue reading 2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback recalled over potential steering loss

2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback recalled over potential steering loss originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i

John Neff — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Subaru, Quick Spins

Two other cars kept coming to mind during my week with the 2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i. The first was the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT that we tested for a full year in our long-term fleet, and the second was the new-for-2012 Toyota Camry, the indisputable best-selling car in the US and assembly line sibling of the Legacy. The two cars are built side-by-side at Subaru's assembly plant in Indiana.

Our long-term Legacy 2.5 GT wasn't universally loved, but I had a fondness for it after my wife and I spent two weeks with it road-tripping through New England, including a particularly exciting crawl up Mt. Washington. It wasn't a true sports sedan, but unlike most midsizers with manual transmissions, neither was it saddled with an anemic base engine. The 265-horsepower turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine was game to play and the six-speed stick at least kept me engaged. The 2.5 GT model, however, has been axed, leaving this 2.5i model and a more expensive, more powerful 3.6-liter six-cylinder model.

As for the Camry, it's the midsize sedan against which all others are judged, not because it's necessarily the best, but because it manages to consistently outsell the competition no matter how good they get. Score one for momentum and marketing, but there are a number of midsizers I personally rank above Toyota's new Camry - most, actually. So as I drove Subaru's refreshed Legacy 2.5i, I kept wondering, is it better than the ghost of our long-termer, and does it, too, deserve the hollow credit of being better than the segment's best seller?

Driving Notes

This Legacy has surprisingly communicative and nicely weighted steering. With so many vehicles switching to electronic power-assisted steering mechanisms for fuel savings, I originally wondered if Subaru had struck upon a magic ordering of 1s and 0s. Nope, it still carries a hydraulic power steering system that just feels more natural in one's hands.
The Legacy exhibits noticeably high ground clearance that reminds me of a lady hiking up her skirt to cross a puddle. Maybe it's to accentuate the all-wheel-drive system and go-anywhere character of Subarus, but the visibly large gap between tire and fender doesn't help an already awkward design that was tweaked for 2013.
Alas, the 2.5GT is no longer available. While that engine is gone, the 2.5i models are still offered with a 6-speed manual or, like the car I drove, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and it's a droner. I normally ignore paddle shifters in non-sporting vehicles, but actually used the appendages in this 2.5i to put the engine speed where I wanted it, efficiency be damned.
The 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder is actually new for 2013, but only produces three more horsepower and four more pound-feet of torque than the prior 2.5-liter engine. It is an adequate engine for buyers who care little for performance, but otherwise is taxed by the Legacy's weight and strain of its AWD running gear.
The Legacy has an enormous capacity for rear seat passengers. Rear leg room is 37.8 inches, and as you can see in the pictures, no one's knees will be touching any seatbacks.
New for 2013 is Subaru's EyeSight system, a pair of cameras that allows for advanced safety tech like adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and lane departure warning. Most vehicles that offer those features use radar hardware mounted in the front fascia somewhere. EyeSight, however, locates its cameras inside the car on either side of the rearview mirror. You don't really notice the cameras until you notice them, and then you can't stop noticing them. Subaru, however, says its system costs less than others, and it's progress to see these features available on a car costing $30k.
Subaru needs to up its infotainment game, or at least license better navigation and entertainment tech from its suppliers or another automaker. The Legacy's system feels at least 2-3 years behind the segment's best in terms of its user interface and features.
Whereas our 2.5 GT long-termer was eager to play, this 2.5i is as docile and sedate as an old dog. It actually struck me as being a better Camry than the Camry. For shoppers who care only about traveling between A and B in a comfortable and safe sedan, the Legacy's AWD assuredness and pre-cognitive safety tech makes it the Indiana import to choose.

2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Subaru tweaks Legacy and Outback for 2013, kills off 2.5GT

Noah Joseph — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:24:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Subaru

The launch of the new XV Crosstrek may be the bigger news for Subaru here at the New York Auto Show, and the BRZ coupe may still be getting the lion's share of the attention, but the Legacy and its high-riding counterpart, the Outback, have also debuted here in Manhattan with a series of updates.

Most noticeable (that term being a relative one) is the pair's revised front fascia, but behind the new look is a fresh boxer four that replaces the old one in the 2.5i model, now producing three more horsepower and four more pound-feet of torque (173 hp/174 lb-ft.) while returning improved fuel economy. An updated CVT is the principal transmission for the 2.5-liter four, with a six-speed manual available, both driving all four wheels in typical Fuji Heavy Industries style. The available 3.6-liter flat six carries over with a five-speed automatic. Subaru says it has also revisited the suspensions on both models for improved ride comfort and performance.

There's also a suite of new electronics packed into the revised Legacy and Outback, including everything from new active safety technology features like lane departure warning and collision mitigation to improved audio system connectivity.

Sadly, Subaru has axed the enthusiast-minded Legacy 2.5GT model for 2013.

Continue reading Subaru tweaks Legacy and Outback for 2013, kills off 2.5GT

Subaru tweaks Legacy and Outback for 2013, kills off 2.5GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Subaru releases 2013 Legacy, Outback details ahead of New York debuts

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Wagon, Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru

Subaru has a lot riding on the 2012 New York Auto Show. In addition to the XV Crosstrek, the Japanese automaker will show off its new 2013 Legacy and Outback models, and these aren't exactly minor updates.

Under the hood of 2.5i models will be a brand-new 2.5-liter DOHC boxer four that puts out 173 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque - improvements of three and four, respectively. Furthermore, the 2013 Legacy's new engine and the latest version of Subaru's CVT automatic gearbox achieve estimated fuel economy ratings of 24 miles per gallon city, 32 highway and 27 combined. That's one mile per gallon better across the board, and a six-speed manual will also be available.

The Outback, which boasts 8.7 inches of ground clearance, will manage an estimated 24/30/26 mpg with the same drivetrain. Both models will be available with an optional 3.6-liter flat-six engine mated to a five-speed automatic that offers up 256 horsepower. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard.

Subaru's new EyeSight driver-assist system, which integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning, will debut on the 2013 Legacy and Outback, and you can read plenty more about this technology here. Bluetooth connectivity is also new, along with iPod controls and a USB port. A seven-inch navigation screen will be optional on top-end models.

Styling is tweaked a bit, with a new front fascia standing out as the most obvious change, and Subaru claims that the ride and handling have been improved thanks to a stiffer structure and revised suspension geometry. We'll be sure to bring you live photos from New York, but in the meantime, check out the few shots released so far and the official press blasts for both models after the break.

Continue reading Subaru releases 2013 Legacy, Outback details ahead of New York debuts

Subaru releases 2013 Legacy, Outback details ahead of New York debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments