2024 Subaru Legacy Review
The 2024 Legacy is Subaru’s mid-sized all-wheel drive sedan. We look at the powertrain, interior, and more to determine if the Legacy is right for you.
2024 Subaru Legacy – subaru.com | Shop 2024 Subaru Legacy on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2024 Subaru Legacy?
The Subaru Legacy is the brand’s mid-size sedan and as such comes with all-wheel drive, a continuously variable transmission, and two engine options. It has a spacious interior, good quality materials, and a large trunk too. For 2024, it continues on unchanged compared to the 2023 model. The Legacy competes against cars like the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Hyundai Elantra.
Carsforsale.com Score
7.25/10
Powertrain
Score
7/10
Interior
Score
7.75/10
Technology
Score
6.75/10
Value
Score
7.5/10
The Breakdown
Standard AWD
Punchy turbo engine
Excellent safety features
Underwhelming transmission
Less warranty coverage than competitors
Hard to navigate infotainment system
A decent overall value
2024 Legacy Specs
- 182 horsepower from base engine
- 176 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 15.1 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Available 12-speaker sound system
- Standard adaptive cruise control
- Very basic warranty
2024 Subaru Legacy Powertrain 7/10
The Legacy is available with two different engines that both leverage a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. The first is a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 182 horsepower and just 176 lb-ft of torque. That’s a single pony more power than you’ll get in a Mazda MX-5 Miata which weighs more than 1,000 pounds less.
The base engine in the Legacy is underpowered in modern traffic. The transmission doesn’t help things either as it’s a bit slow to react when power is needed and drones when pushed hard.
Thankfully, Subaru also provides a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four on its top two Legacy trims. They’re fantastic in comparison to the base trims because they come with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. This more potent engine is one that Subaru fans will love because it really wakes up the car and turns it into something that feels at home on most public roadways.
At the same time, the CVT still isn’t as fun as a manual transmission or a proper automatic gearbox would be. It’s slow and lacks the engagement we love in the BRZ and loved in the long-gone WRX STI. The chassis also isn’t as sharp as we’d prefer for a car with this kind of engine and sizing. The Sport model is by far the best but we see room for improvement.
At the other end of the value spectrum, the Legacy doesn’t smoke the competition on fuel economy either. The base engine gets up to 27 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway which isn’t bad at all but also isn’t class-leading. The turbo engine drops fuel economy to 23 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway.
2024 Subaru Legacy Interior 7.75/10
Subaru did a great job on the cabin of the Legacy. The design is simple but that lends to straightforward interaction with the controls. The standard cloth upholstery looks nice but the available leather is a sincerely worthwhile upgrade as it quickly elevates the cabin. Some surfaces do give away the Legacy’s position in the market but for the most part, things feel above average here.
It’s also more spacious than in the previous generation and proved to be a great place to spend time. The seats are more than adjustable enough to get comfortable and the padding itself is supportive. Visibility is good too with clear sightlines in all directions. It’s also a quiet space despite the CVT. The rear seats are also comfortable thanks to real bolstering and, on some models, come with heating too.
Cargo space in the Legacy is mostly great. The interior features a number of clever storage cubbies along with a double-decker center console bin. The trunk only holds 15.1 cubic feet worth of gear but the space itself is shaped in a way that allows large items to fit easily. We also like the fold-flat seats. Sadly, the center seat belt isn’t removable so it’s going to be in the way no matter what happens.
2024 Subaru Legacy Technology Features 6.75/10
The word frustrating sums up the Legacy’s infotainment system but perhaps not for obvious reasons. The base Legacy gets a stacked dual 7-inch infotainment setup with one for media and the other for climate. Trims above that get an 11.6-inch vertically-oriented screen instead. Both setups have similar issues including slow responses, too many features buried in strange places, and the voice control is very hit-or-miss.
On the bright side, the graphics look great and Subaru includes up to four different USB charging ports in the cabin. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also standard but even they have a tendency to crash. A 12-speaker sound system is our favorite highlight as it’s unquestionably clear and crisp.
In terms of safety, Subaru includes its driver-aid package called EyeSight on every Legacy. It includes adaptive, forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and lane-keep assist. That’s a strong start but some of the features, like collision mitigation, proved to be overly sensitive. Subaru gets a 6.5 out of ten on tech because while its infotainment system is subpar we’re always happy to see a company include important driver aids, even if they don’t work perfectly.
2024 Subaru Legacy Trims & Pricing
Base – $25,985
The entry-level Legacy hits the market with adaptive LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, manually-adjustable front seats, cloth upholstery, dual 7-inch infotainment displays, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, two USB ports, satellite radio, and four speakers.
Premium – $28,285
Step up to the Premium trim and you’ll get heated mirrors, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, rear climate vents, and an 11.6-inch infotainment screen with six speakers and two rear USB ports.
Limited – $33,035
The Limited adds 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, keyless entry, a power-adjustable passenger seat, heated rear seats, leather upholstery, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, blind-spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, and rear automatic braking.
Sport – $35,585
The Sport includes the turbo engine, 18-inch gray wheels, a sunroof, a sport-tuned suspension, cloth upholstery, red accent stitching, a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, a driver monitoring system, and unique exterior styling touches.
Touring XT – $39,285
The top trim also gets the turbo engine along with upgraded leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, integrated navigation, a front-view camera, an enhanced wide-angle camera system, and power-folding mirrors.
2024 Subaru Legacy Overall Value 7.5/10
The Legacy gets a 7.5 because it combines a relatively low price with standard all-wheel drive and above-average safety features. If it didn’t have AWD and EyeSight across the entire range we’d probably have given it a four for reasons we’re about to explain.
Subaru offers a limited warranty of three years or 36,000 miles and a powertrain warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles. Subaru does not offer complementary maintenance unlike many of its competitors.
CarsForSale.com Overall Score 7.25/10
2024 Subaru Legacy – subaru.com | Shop 2024 Subaru Legacy on Carsforsale.com
In a vacuum, the Subaru Legacy is a fine car. It’s comfortable enough, it’s fairly fuel efficient, and it has a decent smattering of technology that keeps it fairly up to date. Put it alongside rivals like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda 3, and Hyundai Elantra though and things don’t look so good. Each of those options offers something, and sometimes multiple things that the Legacy doesn’t and they do it for the same or less money most times.
For example, we’d love to see Subaru offer a manual transmission or really, any transmission with actual gears. If it’s not going to then it would be great to have a hybrid engine that actually threatened rivals on that front. It would also be great if they’d try to at least compete on the warranty front with Kia or Hyundai. If we absolutely had to spend our cash on a Legacy it would be the Premium as it’s likely the best value after considering new car incentives.
2024 Subaru Legacy FAQ
Is a Subaru Legacy good in snow?
Yes, so long as the tires are in good repair. Tire condition has much more to do with traction in snow than any specific make or model does.
How much is a Subaru Legacy?
The Legacy starts at $25,985 and can cost north of $40,000 with options.
Are Subaru Legacy’s Reliable?
Overall, the Legacy is considered to be a reliable car. In the three years since Subaru introduced this generation of Legacy, it’s had only five recalls. At the same time, it had 97 problems reported to the NHTSA including a windshield issue where they crack for apparently no reason.
