In the early '80s, American Motors Corp. offered a line of vehicles that was perfect for residents of New England and other snowy locales who didn't really want to drive a truck, but still needed to get around in the winter. The AMC Eagle was an interesting vehicle. Advertising highlighted its heavy-duty suspension, its low center of gravity, and a four-wheel drive system that delivered power "to the wheels that need it most."
Sound familiar? That's because Subaru is now advertising for a vehicle with a heavy-duty suspension, a low center of gravity, and an all-wheel drive system that goes into every car they build. They're offering this vehicle as either a wagon or sedan, and calling it "the world's first sport-utility sedan." While that statement is not technically correct (the AMC Eagle was offered in both wagon and sedan forms), the term "sport-utility" wasn't popularized until more recently, when manufacturers realized that the Ford Explorer wasn't just a passing fad. But who ever said that advertising needed to be historically accurate?
Semantically, we could nitpick further by mentioning that the Legacy sedan is neither sporty nor utilitarian. But the facts speak for themselves.
Subaru builds all-wheel drive vehicles that grip slick surfaces better than Eric Lindros. We've said it time and again: if you want a car that will get you there no matter what the road conditions, buy a Subaru. Not only are they affordable and great in the snow, they can actually be fun to drive in dry conditions, too.
At the 1998 North American International Auto Show, Subaru unveiled yet another addition to their North American lineup. They paid actor Paul Hogan to introduce the Subaru Sport Utility Sedan (SUS) to the press, and that sure got everyone excited. Excited about seeing Hogan, that is. You see, the SUS is a rather homely sedan. With a two-tone paint job that mimics a fisherman's hip waders, the car definitely suffers from what we'd call Sedan Ugliness Syndrome (a similar affliction eventually killed AMC).
Since physical beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and therefore subject to dispute, we'll refrain from making it the theme of this report. Instead, let us describe, without bias, our test car's appearance:
Black Granite upper paint color (purplish, but black in subdued light)
Gray lower paint color (same as interior color)
Two paint colors separated at the seam by a line of gray tape
Hood scoop (non-functional)
Plastic front bumper air intake (dark gray)
Fog lights covered by plastic mesh
Gold "Subaru: 30 Years in America" sticker on left front quarter panel (peeling)
"Limited" gold badges on each side
"Legacy," "SUS" and "AWD" gold badges on rear
Gold-accented wheels
You get the picture.
This thing has more gold accents than a rerun of "Dance Fever". But 30th anniversaries are traditionally celebrated with pearl, not gold. Therefore, most of the color choices for the 1999 Legacy SUS are called "pearl." Our test car was "Black Granite Pearl," which is a sort of black and purple metallic. White, unfortunately, is only available as a solid color. If all of these "30th Anniversary" cars came in truly limited edition of pearlescent white paint, we'd be impressed.
Inside, leather seats are standard equipment for the Limited model, and the doors are padded with a thin pleated gray leatherette trim. Tiny amounts of plastic wood also make their way into the cabin, to the detriment of aesthetics. The stereo controls look more aftermarket then OEM. One comment in the logbook read, "The interior is aging rapidly. What's with the 80s-look stereo faceplate?"
The speedometer marks every 20 miles per hour, promising exceptional performance. Unfortunately, performance is not part of the SUS package. Powered by the old standby 2.5-liter four-banger found in most of Subaru's cars, the SUS is not as sporty as its rear spoiler, sporty exhaust pipe and prominent hood design would have you believe.
The engine's output is an uninspiring 165 horsepower and 162 foot-pounds of torque. Uninspiring because the car weighs in at 3,200 lbs. - no lightweight when compared to the Impreza 2.5RS, which makes use of the same engine. Noise from under the hood is louder than we'd like in a midsize sedan, and we can't help but yearn for the power of a V6. At $26,000, power shouldn't be a concern.
The Limited model upgrades the stereo system to include a CD player, adds leather seats and trim, drops in an engine block heater, and adds a sunroof. All that for a mere $2,200. But we were wondering why they decided not to include a remote keyless entry system in the package. The doors do feature power locks, but they don't work when the driver manually locks the front door. So we called up Subaru, and they say that a remote keyless entry system is now standard on both SUS trim levels, instead of being a $225 (nickel-and-dime) option. We just weren't lucky enough to get our test car after the equipment change.
The SUS has 7.3 inches of ground clearance, which is high for a sedan. But make no mistake: you won't be riding high above traffic in this car. We barely noticed a difference between the SUS ride height and the ride height of your basic Legacy sedan. The suspension allows for extended wheel travel, so the overall effect is that bumps are absorbed by the car and not the passengers. But we wouldn't suggest traversing anything more challenging than the speedbumps in front of your local supermarket; low approach and departure angles are not conducive for off-road travel.
Subaru plans to build around 3,500 Sport Utility Sedans this year, and dealer incentives have already been offered to spur slow initial sales. At such a low volume, why even bother with the advertising burden of a "new" model? The company may now be celebrating 30 years in America, but can they expect another 30 years based on marketing gimmicks once used by AMC? What's next on Subaru's horizon - a Sport-Utility Coupe?
The SUS is not a step in the right direction - the direction we'd like to see Subaru headed. Instead of talking about their rally racing success, why not bring cars like the Impreza WRX - cars that inspire true enthusiasm - to the states? Performance is the key to our pocketbooks, and the 2.5-liter boxer just isn't enough to move a hefty all-wheel drive sedan. Subaru, please leave the "utility" to your capable wagons, and put some "sport" into your sedans.
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