Subaru attacked the mass market in the early '90s, building cars that were supposed to compete head-to-head with the dominant import models from Japan. They had the Impreza to charge after the likes of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, and the Legacy to pit against the top-selling Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. In order to compete in this rough-scrabble market, Subaru cut the prices on their cars by offering traditional two-wheel-drive models in addition to their lineup of all-wheel-drive cars. In effect, Subaru tried to become a mainstream car company. Boy, was that a mistake. The net result alienated traditional Subie buyers who felt abandoned by the company's attempt to reach a broader market. Unfortunately, Subaru's efforts to grasp middle America's attention also failed, leaving the company in financial trouble with few prospects.
Halfway through the last decade of this century, Subaru went back to its roots and began producing exclusively all-wheel-drive cars again. They also realigned themselves with the quirky outdoorsmen (and women) who prefer cars to SUVs when it's time to take a trip through the woods. Wonder of wonders, traditional Subaru buyers forgave the marque and started flocking back to the company.
In 1995, Subaru responded to the booming SUV craze and decided to gussy up one of their Legacy wagons with two-tone paint and outlined-white-letter tires. This "Outback" package, as it was known that year, became so popular that Subaru made it a designated trim in 1996. In the process, they upped the counter-SUV ante by raising the Outback's suspension and giving it a distinct front face with aggressive fog lamps. People went wild. Established Subie loyalists and a new breed of SUV-crazed buyers stepped up to buy Legacy Outbacks at a rate that Subaru never thought possible.
In the meantime, the country as a whole started going nuts over anything that promised to get them through a snowy winter. All-wheel-drive cars made by luxury manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo started appearing on the streets alongside the battalions of Ford Explorers, Jeep Grand Cherokees and Chevy Blazers. Subaru was able to capitalize on this as well, selling enough all-wheel-drive wagons (Outback and otherwise) to capture and retain the wagon sales crown from 1996 to present.
Looking back, Subaru seems to have lucked out by deciding to switch to an all-wheel-drive lineup just as the country began to recognize the inherent goodness of supplying power to all four wheels all the time. Subaru also showed amazing foresight with the Outback wagon. What started off as a two-tone paint job on an otherwise-ordinary wagon quickly turned into a marketing maelstrom as other manufacturers tried to come up with SUVs that were as easy to live with as cars. Subaru had it right from the beginning; build a car that can do most of what an SUV can, while supplying buyers with the rugged image that is typically associated with trucks. As the years rolled by, Subaru sold more and more Legacy models in an increasing array of trim levels. By 1999, L, GT, GT Limited, Outback and Outback Limited Legacies were available in sedan or wagon form. The Brighton model was available only as a wagon. This meant that Subarus could be had from bargain-basement commuter specials to leather-clad, moon-roof topped, CD changer-equipped, sport sedans and wagons capable of encroaching on the territory of the Audi 1.8T.
Despite this, the Legacies were feeling a bit stale. The top-selling Subaru had a muddled interior, thanks to cheap upholstery and plastics, ridiculous ergonomics (check out the location of the power window switches and the size of the stereo buttons), and uncomfortable seats. The design was aging as well, and began looking blocky and unbalanced when parked next to newer offerings from competing manufacturers.
Subaru is attempting to address these concerns in 2000 with the introduction of a new Legacy, the third design since the model's inception in 1989. While not a clean-sheet redesign, enough has changed to call it new. Along with the new car comes a slightly revised marketing strategy, which we'll get to later.
The 2000 Legacy retains the same medium-small midsize-car dimensions we've come to expect of this model. Indeed, the wheelbase has grown only .08 inches. This marginally lengthened wheelbase has allowed Subaru engineers to add nearly 3 inches to the body, giving an overall length of 184.4 inches for the sedan, 187.4 inches for the wagon. The increase in length is well hidden, however, by the new car's more muscular sheetmetal, making the new Legacy look leaner and more powerful than the second-generation model. Up front, the Legacy receives larger headlights, lending the sedan and wagon a more distinctive face than before. The overall effect of the restyle gives the Legacy a European flavor, particularly GT-trimmed sedan models.
While redesigning the Legacy's exterior, Subaru took the opportunity to quiet the car's interior by reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. Subaru added sound-dampening sheets to the front and sides of the roof to reduce the buffeting sound that afflicts many cars. Additionally, Legacy receives thicker sound insulation under the carpet and A-pillars, as well as double-sealed doors and tailgate (on wagon models). Despite these efforts, we noticed considerable wind whistle from the large outside mirrors. The new Legacy also soldiers forward with frameless windows, an obvious cost-saving measure that diminishes the car's feeling of solidity when slamming the doors and amplifies the howling wind when the car is cruising down the freeway at 75 miles per hour.
In 2000, all Legacies are powered by the revised 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (Boxer) engine found previously in the Impreza 2.5RS. The new motor, dubbed the Subaru Phase II 2.5-liter engine, makes no more horsepower and only four more foot-pounds of peak torque than last year's Phase I engine, resulting in 165 horsepower and 166 ft-lbs. of torque. What's the benefit of the revised powerplant? The difference lay in the Phase II engine's torque availability. Subaru claims that they have been able to double the torque available at different throttle positions and engine speeds, giving the motor a more responsive feel. Driving the Legacy 2.5GT sedan and Outback Wagon over a variety of road surfaces and elevations seems to bear this out. We noticed particular improvement in cars equipped with a five-speed manual transmission.
Subaru also claims to have improved the shift quality of the automatic transmission by increasing the aggressiveness of gear changes to maximize the '00 Legacy's flatter torque curve. We were not able to discern an improvement, however, and found the transmission woefully inadequate for selecting the proper gear when climbing or descending moderate grades. If your daily commute takes you over hills and dales, we suggest the manual transmission or a box of Depends; the automatic's slow downshifts nearly made us wet our pants on a few uphill passes.
The Legacy receives a new multi-link rear suspension that is mounted on a rubber-isolated subframe that reduces NVH while providing a superior ride. Subaru has also made the rear suspension more compact, which allows it to fit fully under the cargo floor of wagon models. This eliminates the need for the obtrusive strut towers that diminished the cargo area of the previous wagon. Consequently, Legacy wagon models gain 5.2 inches of width between the rear wheelhouses in the cargo area.
Subaru has addressed one of our main performance complaints in the 2000 Legacy and Outback by equipping all of their trim levels with standard antilock brakes. Previously, ABS was optional on most trim levels. All but the base Legacy models get four-wheel discs with four-channel ABS. Brighton Wagons are equipped with front disc/rear drum brakes with single-piston ABS.
Despite all of the changes to the exterior and mechanical components, we think that Subaru owners will notice the most improvement in the new car's interior. Finally, Subie designers have added a usable, albeit oddly placed cupholder, for front-seat passengers. At last, they've relocated the power door lock and window switches to a normal spot on the door panel. And, drum roll please, Subaru has ditched the tiny stereo buttons that made changing radio stations in the previous model an exercise in micro-surgery. These aren't the only improvements, though. The dashboard, center stack and instrument panel has an organic flow that moves nicely across the Legacy's interior, and the quality of the interior materials feels and looks markedly better.
Not everything is perfect with the Legacy's interior, however. The front seats are not comfortable during long road trips due to a short seat cushion that doesn't offer good thigh support and a seatback that has poor lumbar support. Stereo performance is also sub-par, displaying flatness and an inability to handle deep bass sounds.
Subaru has fiddled with the Legacy naming structure in an attempt to move the Legacy and Outback further apart. Thus, the 2000-model year sees the creation of a distinct Outback model line. Included in the Outback lineup is the ubiquitous wagon and the as-yet-unreleased Outback Sedan, first seen as the Sport Utility Sedan last year. As always, the Outback models are supposed to appeal to rugged types who might otherwise be shopping for a Nissan Xterra.
We support this change; we think it will allow Subaru to highlight the Legacy sedan and wagon better; something they seem inclined to do in an attempt to take the model up-market.
Yes, Subaru is gearing up to aim the Legacy at the bottom of the entry-luxury market, a class populated by cars as diverse as the Infiniti G20 and the BMW 323i. Subaru seems to think that the 2.5GT can make inroads in this arena by offering decent power tied to the confidence-inspiring stability of all-wheel drive. Meanwhile Brighton and L models can continue to support the masses of Rocky Mountain-area college students, canoe enthusiasts and mountain bikers who have grown to love the Legacy's affordability and value. Can they pull off this schizophrenic marketing scheme? We're not sure. The last time Subaru tried to move out of their core market they were smacked like a baby redheaded step-seal. Only time will tell if this is truly Subaru's chance to break into the big time. Whatever the result, you have to credit Subaru with aiming so high with their bread-and-butter cars.
Halfway through the last decade of this century, Subaru went back to its roots and began producing exclusively all-wheel-drive cars again. They also realigned themselves with the quirky outdoorsmen (and women) who prefer cars to SUVs when it's time to take a trip through the woods. Wonder of wonders, traditional Subaru buyers forgave the marque and started flocking back to the company.
In 1995, Subaru responded to the booming SUV craze and decided to gussy up one of their Legacy wagons with two-tone paint and outlined-white-letter tires. This "Outback" package, as it was known that year, became so popular that Subaru made it a designated trim in 1996. In the process, they upped the counter-SUV ante by raising the Outback's suspension and giving it a distinct front face with aggressive fog lamps. People went wild. Established Subie loyalists and a new breed of SUV-crazed buyers stepped up to buy Legacy Outbacks at a rate that Subaru never thought possible.
In the meantime, the country as a whole started going nuts over anything that promised to get them through a snowy winter. All-wheel-drive cars made by luxury manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo started appearing on the streets alongside the battalions of Ford Explorers, Jeep Grand Cherokees and Chevy Blazers. Subaru was able to capitalize on this as well, selling enough all-wheel-drive wagons (Outback and otherwise) to capture and retain the wagon sales crown from 1996 to present.
Looking back, Subaru seems to have lucked out by deciding to switch to an all-wheel-drive lineup just as the country began to recognize the inherent goodness of supplying power to all four wheels all the time. Subaru also showed amazing foresight with the Outback wagon. What started off as a two-tone paint job on an otherwise-ordinary wagon quickly turned into a marketing maelstrom as other manufacturers tried to come up with SUVs that were as easy to live with as cars. Subaru had it right from the beginning; build a car that can do most of what an SUV can, while supplying buyers with the rugged image that is typically associated with trucks. As the years rolled by, Subaru sold more and more Legacy models in an increasing array of trim levels. By 1999, L, GT, GT Limited, Outback and Outback Limited Legacies were available in sedan or wagon form. The Brighton model was available only as a wagon. This meant that Subarus could be had from bargain-basement commuter specials to leather-clad, moon-roof topped, CD changer-equipped, sport sedans and wagons capable of encroaching on the territory of the Audi 1.8T.
Despite this, the Legacies were feeling a bit stale. The top-selling Subaru had a muddled interior, thanks to cheap upholstery and plastics, ridiculous ergonomics (check out the location of the power window switches and the size of the stereo buttons), and uncomfortable seats. The design was aging as well, and began looking blocky and unbalanced when parked next to newer offerings from competing manufacturers.
Subaru is attempting to address these concerns in 2000 with the introduction of a new Legacy, the third design since the model's inception in 1989. While not a clean-sheet redesign, enough has changed to call it new. Along with the new car comes a slightly revised marketing strategy, which we'll get to later.
The 2000 Legacy retains the same medium-small midsize-car dimensions we've come to expect of this model. Indeed, the wheelbase has grown only .08 inches. This marginally lengthened wheelbase has allowed Subaru engineers to add nearly 3 inches to the body, giving an overall length of 184.4 inches for the sedan, 187.4 inches for the wagon. The increase in length is well hidden, however, by the new car's more muscular sheetmetal, making the new Legacy look leaner and more powerful than the second-generation model. Up front, the Legacy receives larger headlights, lending the sedan and wagon a more distinctive face than before. The overall effect of the restyle gives the Legacy a European flavor, particularly GT-trimmed sedan models.
While redesigning the Legacy's exterior, Subaru took the opportunity to quiet the car's interior by reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. Subaru added sound-dampening sheets to the front and sides of the roof to reduce the buffeting sound that afflicts many cars. Additionally, Legacy receives thicker sound insulation under the carpet and A-pillars, as well as double-sealed doors and tailgate (on wagon models). Despite these efforts, we noticed considerable wind whistle from the large outside mirrors. The new Legacy also soldiers forward with frameless windows, an obvious cost-saving measure that diminishes the car's feeling of solidity when slamming the doors and amplifies the howling wind when the car is cruising down the freeway at 75 miles per hour.
In 2000, all Legacies are powered by the revised 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (Boxer) engine found previously in the Impreza 2.5RS. The new motor, dubbed the Subaru Phase II 2.5-liter engine, makes no more horsepower and only four more foot-pounds of peak torque than last year's Phase I engine, resulting in 165 horsepower and 166 ft-lbs. of torque. What's the benefit of the revised powerplant? The difference lay in the Phase II engine's torque availability. Subaru claims that they have been able to double the torque available at different throttle positions and engine speeds, giving the motor a more responsive feel. Driving the Legacy 2.5GT sedan and Outback Wagon over a variety of road surfaces and elevations seems to bear this out. We noticed particular improvement in cars equipped with a five-speed manual transmission.
Subaru also claims to have improved the shift quality of the automatic transmission by increasing the aggressiveness of gear changes to maximize the '00 Legacy's flatter torque curve. We were not able to discern an improvement, however, and found the transmission woefully inadequate for selecting the proper gear when climbing or descending moderate grades. If your daily commute takes you over hills and dales, we suggest the manual transmission or a box of Depends; the automatic's slow downshifts nearly made us wet our pants on a few uphill passes.
The Legacy receives a new multi-link rear suspension that is mounted on a rubber-isolated subframe that reduces NVH while providing a superior ride. Subaru has also made the rear suspension more compact, which allows it to fit fully under the cargo floor of wagon models. This eliminates the need for the obtrusive strut towers that diminished the cargo area of the previous wagon. Consequently, Legacy wagon models gain 5.2 inches of width between the rear wheelhouses in the cargo area.
Subaru has addressed one of our main performance complaints in the 2000 Legacy and Outback by equipping all of their trim levels with standard antilock brakes. Previously, ABS was optional on most trim levels. All but the base Legacy models get four-wheel discs with four-channel ABS. Brighton Wagons are equipped with front disc/rear drum brakes with single-piston ABS.
Despite all of the changes to the exterior and mechanical components, we think that Subaru owners will notice the most improvement in the new car's interior. Finally, Subie designers have added a usable, albeit oddly placed cupholder, for front-seat passengers. At last, they've relocated the power door lock and window switches to a normal spot on the door panel. And, drum roll please, Subaru has ditched the tiny stereo buttons that made changing radio stations in the previous model an exercise in micro-surgery. These aren't the only improvements, though. The dashboard, center stack and instrument panel has an organic flow that moves nicely across the Legacy's interior, and the quality of the interior materials feels and looks markedly better.
Not everything is perfect with the Legacy's interior, however. The front seats are not comfortable during long road trips due to a short seat cushion that doesn't offer good thigh support and a seatback that has poor lumbar support. Stereo performance is also sub-par, displaying flatness and an inability to handle deep bass sounds.
Subaru has fiddled with the Legacy naming structure in an attempt to move the Legacy and Outback further apart. Thus, the 2000-model year sees the creation of a distinct Outback model line. Included in the Outback lineup is the ubiquitous wagon and the as-yet-unreleased Outback Sedan, first seen as the Sport Utility Sedan last year. As always, the Outback models are supposed to appeal to rugged types who might otherwise be shopping for a Nissan Xterra.
We support this change; we think it will allow Subaru to highlight the Legacy sedan and wagon better; something they seem inclined to do in an attempt to take the model up-market.
Yes, Subaru is gearing up to aim the Legacy at the bottom of the entry-luxury market, a class populated by cars as diverse as the Infiniti G20 and the BMW 323i. Subaru seems to think that the 2.5GT can make inroads in this arena by offering decent power tied to the confidence-inspiring stability of all-wheel drive. Meanwhile Brighton and L models can continue to support the masses of Rocky Mountain-area college students, canoe enthusiasts and mountain bikers who have grown to love the Legacy's affordability and value. Can they pull off this schizophrenic marketing scheme? We're not sure. The last time Subaru tried to move out of their core market they were smacked like a baby redheaded step-seal. Only time will tell if this is truly Subaru's chance to break into the big time. Whatever the result, you have to credit Subaru with aiming so high with their bread-and-butter cars.
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