Subaru has unveiled its seventh-generation Legacy sedan at the Chicago Auto Show. The all-new Legacy is more upscale in looks, has a new turbocharged engine option, and improved interior. A huge tablet-sized infotainment screen and driver safety and road aids are also added to the new Legacy.
The 2020 Legacy is built on Subaru's new Global Platform and will come in six trim levels when it launches later this year. Two of those trims, both labeled "XT," will feature a new 2.4-liter opposed-piston (boxer) engine that's turbocharged to 260 horsepower (194 kW). The standard engine remains the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated boxer engine at 182 horsepower (136 kW). Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is also standard in the 2020 Legacy, as is Active Torque Vectoring.
If the new engine sounds familiar, that's because it debuted in the all-new Ascent three-row crossover. The FA24 is an all-aluminum unit with a timing chain (re-becoming the norm in today's engines) and 16-valve variable timing. In the Legacy, it's mated to a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Subaru says that the new engine and transmission can launch the 2020 Legacy from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 6.1 seconds, with the company estimating fuel efficiency of 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway (9.8 and 7.35 l/100km). Several upgrades in the new engine have meant improved performance and economy, with horsepower loss reduced by 21 percent thanks to lower viscosity lubricating oil and the improvements to the new CVT.
The interior adds about an inch of legroom to the rear seating while keeping headroom and shoulder room commensurate with the current-generation Legacy's space. In the front, shoulder room and hip room have also been improved for better comfort. Four USB ports and two 12-volt plugs are now standard, as are improved NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels throughout the cabin – the latter thanks to thicker glass and better weld points on the new Legacy's framing.
A new 11.6-inch multimedia touchscreen for infotainment is now offered in the 2020 Legacy. Featuring the latest StarLink interface from Subaru, the touchscreen has large virtual buttons, simple gesture controls, and a faster output. In-car Wi-Fi is now being offered, a first for Subaru, and the screen's menus can be fully reconfigured by the user by "drag-drop" selection to customize layout individually. The available navigation is powered by TomTom with three years of free map updates, and the split-screen display allows some items to be shown simultaneously on the large screen as well.
Connected StarLink devices, such as a smartphone, can also work some of the Legacy's settings remotely, including climate settings and remote starting. For the first time, the new Legacy will be Amazon Alexa enabled as well, and connections to the device via Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, or Subaru's proprietary app are also available.
Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle's arrival in showrooms, which is scheduled for the US fall.
Source: Subaru
