2012 Subaru Legacy Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Subaru Legacy review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Legacy, and includes Subaru Legacy safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

A four-door sedan equipped with standard all-wheel drive, the Subaru Legacy is a roomy family car with great safety scores and a strong reliability record. It competes with other midsize sedans including the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Volkswagen Passat.

Subaru continues to refine the Legacy sedan for 2012. Base 2.5i models can be equipped with a new Alloy Wheel Package that includes 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and the contents of the All-Weather Package (heated front seats, heated side mirrors, wiper de-icer). The Legacy Premium variants have a new standard sound system with Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming, an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port, and and iPod connection. The Legacy Limited lineup gains a nine-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio system including those features plus a 4.3-inch display, satellite radio, and HD Radio. Models with satellite radio come with four free months of service for 2012, an extra 30 days compared to last year.

Seven 2012 Subaru Legacy models are for sale, equipped with a choice between three levels of trim, three engines matched to three different transmissions, and three different standard all-wheel-drive systems. The model designations are 2.5i, 2.5GT, and 3.6R, and the trim levels are Base, Premium, and Limited. If this sounds daunting, we’ll simplify things for you.

It helps to understand the model designations first. The Legacy 2.5i is equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the Legacy 2.5GT has a turbocharged version of that four-cylinder engine, and the Legacy 3.6R comes with a 3.6-liter six-cylinder powerplant.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on the Legacy 2.5i and 2.5GT, which means the all-wheel-drive system split power evenly between the front and rear wheels. The 3.6R is equipped with a conventional five-speed automatic with paddle shifters, and its AWD system sends more power to the rear wheels and automatically adjusts the power split based on driving style and road conditions. If you opt for Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) on the Legacy 2.5i models, which is equipped with paddle shifters, the AWD system continually adjusts power delivery based on driving style and road conditions.

Now that we’ve sorted that out, let’s talk about standard and optional equipment. All Legacy models are equipped with air conditioning, power windows with auto-down driver’s window operation, power mirrors, power door locks, and remote keyless entry. A tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and cruise controls is also standard, and the stereo comes with a CD player and an auxiliary audio input jack. Subaru also provides a trip computer, automatic headlights, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, and floor mats on every Legacy it builds. Additionally, the 3.6R has 17-inch alloy wheels, dual chrome exhaust outlets, and automatic-up operation for the driver’s window.

Options are available on the 2.5i model. Buyers can replace the standard six-speed manual transmission with a CVT, and the car can be upgraded with a new Alloy Wheel Package that includes 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and an All-Weather Package equipped with heated front seats, heated side mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer system.

The 2.5i Premium and 3.6R Premium models are enhanced with a 10-way power driver’s seat and a new sound system with integrated Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming capability as well as an iPod/USB connection. A leather-wrapped steering wheel with controls for the Bluetooth technology is included, too, along with ambient interior lighting and a covered in-dash storage bin. Additionally, the 2.5i Premium gains 16-inch alloy wheels, body-color outside mirror housings, automatic-up driver’s window operation, and a chrome exhaust outlet.

Premium models can be upgraded with a Harmon/Kardon sound system and a power sunroof. The 2.5i Premium is also available with the available CVT and the optional All-Weather Package (heated front seats, heated side mirrors, and a heated wiper de-icer).

All three Legacy models – 2.5i, 2.5GT, and 3.6R – are available in Limited trim. In addition to Harmon/Kardon sound and a standard All-Weather Package, the Limited adds perforated leather seats, a four-way power front passenger’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, fake wood interior trim, and fog lights. Additionally, the 2.5i Limited receives 17-inch alloy wheels and Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission. Options for the 2.5i Limited and 3.6R Limited models include a navigation system with a reversing camera display, and a power sunroof.

The 2.5GT Limited is Subaru’s sport sedan. As such, it is equipped exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, and comes with a set of 18-inch wheels, performance tires, a functional hood scoop to feed cool air to the turbocharged engine, and larger four-wheel vented-disc brakes. Inside, the 2.5GT is outfitted with aluminum pedals, simulated carbon fiber interior trim, and black leather with silver contrast seat stitching. A power sunroof is also standard on this model, and the only option is a navigation system with a reversing camera. Clearly, the Legacy 2.5GT is what WRX owners buy when they get married and have kids.

The Legacy 2.5i is equipped with a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). Fuel economy ratings are 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway with the manual, while Legacies with the CVT get 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. In some states, the Legacy 2.5i qualifies as a Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV).

All-wheel-drive is standard on the Legacy 2.5i. A continuous all-wheel-drive system is included with the manual transmission, splitting engine output evenly between the front and rear wheels until wheel slippage causes more power to be sent to the front or rear wheels as necessary. With the CVT, the AWD system employs Active Torque Split technology that continuously distributes engine power based on road conditions or how the Legacy is being driven.

A 265-horsepower, turbocharged and intercooled, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine comes standard on the Legacy 2.5GT, which is equipped with the same AWD system as the Legacy 2.5i. Unfortunately, the 2.5GT comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox, so if you can’t operate a clutch pedal, you can’t drive this car. Also, the turbocharged engine requires premium fuel, which it quaffs at the rate of 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

The Legacy 3.6R model is also appealing, especially if you like the idea of greater power and performance but can’t drive a stick. Equipped with a 256-horsepower, 3.6-liter, six-cylinder engine and a standard five-speed automatic transmission, the 3.6R’s unique Variable Torque Distribution AWD system sends more power to the rear wheels than it does to the front. The result is a rear-biased, more entertaining driving character. The 3.6R’s torque curve is also relatively flat, generating a minimum of 225 lb-ft of twist between 2,000 and 6,000 rpm, which means the Legacy 3.6R feels strong and responsive whenever you mash your right foot on the throttle. Fuel economy measures 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, operating on regular unleaded.

Subaru might be known for its standard all-wheel-drive systems and foul-weather handling capabilities, but the company is also dedicated to keeping its customers safe. That’s why Subaru engineers every one of its vehicles with what is called a Ring-Shaped Frame Reinforcement frame structure, which is designed to channel crash energy away from the interior to help reduce injury in a collision. Additionally, every 2012 Legacy is equipped with six airbags, traction and stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, and front seats designed to lessen the chance for injury in a rear-impact collision.

Given this level of attention to detail, Subaru must be pleased that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awards the 2012 Legacy with a Top Safety Pick rating. Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Legacy a 4-Star frontal impact rating, a 4-Star side impact rating, and a 5-Star rating for its ability to resist rollover. As this review is written, the NHTSA has applied only the rollover resistance rating to the 2012 Legacy, though given the Legacy’s lack of structural and mechanical change this year, it’s hard to understand why.

Reliability is also a Subaru Legacy strong point. Consumer Reports thinks reliability will be better than average in this regard. J.D. Power and Associates has not offered dependability guidance for the 2012 Legacy as we write this review, but in 2011 J.D. Power expected the Legacy would return slightly better than average reliability over time.

All Legacy engines employ a horizontally-opposed cylinder design, which is commonly referred to as a “boxer” layout because the pistons within the cylinders jab outward like a pro-fighter’s fists. Also known as a “flat-four” or “flat-six” because the cylinders lay flat and low in the car’s body for more compact packaging and a lower center of gravity, this type of engine architecture is used only by Subaru and Porsche.

With a standard six-speed manual transmission and 258 pound-feet of torque spread across the rev range between 2,000 and 5,200 rpm, the Legacy 2.5GT accelerates to 60 mph in less than six seconds. Better yet, thanks to the turbocharged engine, this level of performance remains intact at altitude, making the Legacy 2.5GT a true Rocky Mountain racer.

Cargo volume is adequate and no more. The Legacy’s trunk can only hold 14.7 cubic-feet of cargo.

When it comes to family sedans, the 2012 Subaru Legacy ranks near the top of the list in all practical matters. It is affordable, safe, dependable, comfortable, and in 2.5i trim fuel-efficient. The standard all-wheel-drive system is a rarity in the class, and of particular benefit to people living where it rains or snows on a regular basis. Furthermore, in some states the 2.5i model emits almost nothing in terms of pollutants. As an added bonus, the Subaru Legacy is also entertaining – and sometimes downright fun – to drive. Put this too-often-overlooked sedan on your shopping list.

By Christian Wardlaw