While most Japanese automakers have aimed at the same mainstream audience in recent years, Subaru has occupied a quirky niche of the market, with all-wheel-drive models, unusual boxer engines and an attractive lineup of wagons. Subarus were also a bit strange. Next week's New York Auto Show will see the world debut of the next midsize car from Subaru, the 2010 Legacy. The automaker has provided an early glimpse of the car to the press, and the early consensus suggests the car is moving into the mainstream territory occupied by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Edmund Inside Line reports, "Like an increasing number of Americans, the 2010 Legacy is bigger than it's ever been. The company reckoned that the outgoing model's modest interior room was cramping its sales potential. So - boom - the wheelbase of the new model is 3.2 inches longer than the old one." Other "quite un-Subaru-like aspects of the 2010 model" include framed side windows and a vibration control that, Edmunds says, "will deprive longtime Subaru owners of the pee-shiver that has historically gone reverberating through the Legacy at stoplights. In fact, Subaru believes that the new Legacy's NVH control will be on par with the Toyota Camry. The outgoing model, they believe, was roughly on par with the Nissan Altima."
Perhaps most surprising for Subie fans, Edmunds notes, the 2010 Legacy "will not be available as a station wagon any more."
Outside, the look of the Legacy has changed quite a bit. In fact, Kicking Tires reports, "Subaru is borrowing styling from Infiniti and Lexus." KT says "we're not sold on the looks," but thinks the more rounded styling of the new Legacy is "sure to stir debate."
Of course, Subaru wasn't going to abandon all of its unique traits. There are no V6s or inline-four-cylinder engines offered. Autoblog reports, "A naturally-aspirated four, a revised turbocharged flat-four and the flat-six." All three engines are more powerful than those offered on the 2009 mode, "But the big news is the revised turbo boxer in between, producing 22 more horses than the outgoing model (now 265 hp) and 17 lb-ft more torque (for a total of 258) from lower revs." And, "Of course, all the engines will offer all-wheel drive (otherwise it'd hardly be a Subaru)." A new Continuously Variable Transmission will be offered in place of the old automatic.
Inside, Motor Trend says, "the Legacy's design is considerably more sure-footed, with a confident and expensive look, and just a trace (thank you) of the Impreza's considerable flamboyance." The new dimensions are the biggest change. "The car is simply cavernous inside," MT writes. "Gads, the rear toe room beneath the front seats could consume NBA footwear. Has the blimping of the average American really gotten this voluminous?"
Pricing has not been announced, but Motor Trend reports, "Subaru is hinting that it'll be very competitive with its current levels. Which is a lack of upsizing we can all appreciate."
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