2025 Subaru Legacy

Although some rivals offer all-wheel drive, the 2025 Subaru Legacy is the only midsize sedan providing it as standard across its entire lineup. We find that remarkable considering its highly competitive pricing and decent fuel economy. Also boasting one of the roomier interiors in its class, the Legacy can comfortably haul a family of five. Moreover, the government gave the Legacy its top overall safety score, which is magnified by Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology with such systems as lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.

If all the Legacy’s attributes sound irresistible, now is the time to act if you want a new one. Subaru announced it will terminate Legacy production after the 2025 model year.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize sedans, including the Subaru Legacy.

Subaru has marketed the Legacy in North America since 1989. With its scheduled demise at the end of the 2025 model year, Subaru didn’t overburden itself with initiating updates and enhancements for this storied sedan. Most notable changes are within the range-topping Limited trim, which gets a power moonroof, a heated steering wheel, and a couple of other alterations as standard.

Offering the Legacy in five trim levels, Subaru ensures there is price point for most budgets.

Whether it’s rivals like the Kia K5 and the Nissan Altima or the best-sellers in this segment, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord, the Legacy, with its standard all-wheel drive, has the lowest starting price in the midsize sedan segment.

Before buying a Legacy, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. The Subaru Legacy’s resale value is about average for the segment. Keep in mind, a higher resale value means more money to put down on your next vehicle purchase.

The Legacy’s standard 182-horsepower powertrain gets the job done, but it’s not the segment’s most refined offering. We’ve found it can be a bit noisier than most, and power delivery can be a bit uneven. But it’s nevertheless more affordable and more efficient than the 260-horsepower turbocharged engine option, making it the more popular choice among the two. Still, in this case we feel the upgrade is worth considering.

Looking beyond the engine and transmission, the Legacy ranks among the midsize sedan segment’s more comfortable offerings. Furthermore, its sophisticated all-wheel-drive system rightly makes it a popular choice in the northernmost and elevated areas of the country not immune to traction-compromised road conditions. In other words, it is ideal for slippery roads.

Fuel Economy

Keeping in mind that the Subaru Legacy has standard all-wheel drive, its mileage is still relatively competitive with its front-wheel-drive rivals. According to EPA estimates, with the Legacy’s base engine, you can expect 30 mpg in mixed city-and-highway driving. This compares with a combined 29 mpg in the Kia K5; 31 mpg in the Chevy Malibu, and 32 mpg in the non-hybrid Honda Accord. The 2025 Toyota Camry, now with a standard hybrid powertrain, earns up to 51 mpg.

The Subaru Legacy’s turbocharged engine upgrade delivers 26 mpg in combined driving.

The Subaru Legacy boasts a spacious and inviting interior. We fit comfortably in the rear seats and can confirm that this is an accommodating family sedan. For context: The Legacy provides 39.5 inches of rear legroom. Within the midsize sedan class, only the Honda Accord edges it out as the legroom champ with 40.8 inches.

Tying the Camry’s 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, the Legacy delivers less trunk room than most of its rivals, but not by much. Again, the top dog in this category is the Honda Accord with 16.7 cubic feet.

The design and materials don’t convey the level of refinement increasingly common among the competition; however, it’s worth remembering that the Legacy is on the more affordable side of the midsize sedan segment.

The 11.6-inch touchscreen in all but the base trim has a bit of a learning curve. Still, we got used to it after living with it for a while. Moreover, we appreciate features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

If we had to sum up the Legacy’s exterior styling in a single word, it would be “nondescript.” Its looks won’t scare buzzards off a meat wagon, but our eyes don’t find it particularly gorgeous, either. If your memory is failing a bit, you will probably find yourself using the horn security button on the key fob to locate your Legacy in crowded parking lots.

Standard AWD
The Subaru Legacy is the only sedan in its class that comes standard with all-wheel drive on every trim.

EyeSight Driver Assist Technology
Several standard safety features are bundled into the EyeSight Driver Assist system, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Starlink Multimedia system
The Legacy comes standard with a Starlink Multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All but the base trim get an 11.6-inch screen, SiriusXM, and wireless smartphone connectivity features.

Harman Kardon audio system
The upper trims of the Legacy come with a rich 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

Available turbo engine
The optional 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine increases horsepower by 40% (260 hp vs. 182 hp) and improves the driving experience with more effortless acceleration.

Spacious rear seats
The rear seats of the Subaru Legacy have nearly 40 inches of legroom. These comfortable back seats are accommodating for kids and adults alike.

Subaru offers the Legacy with two engines. The standard mill found in most models is a 182-horsepower 4-cylinder. It also develops 176 lb-ft of torque. The other engine well, worth considering, is a 260-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder with 277 lb-ft of peak torque. Both come standard with an automatic transmission (of the “gearless,” continuously variable variety) and all-wheel drive.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

The Legacy is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This coverage is typical for this class.

Safety

The 2025 Subaru Legacy received the top overall 5-Star safety rating the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Although the 2025 Legacy hasn’t changed structurally from the 2023 model when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded it a spot on its coveted Top Safety Pick list, the IIHS changed its testing protocols in 2024. In the two new tests, the Legacy only received acceptable and marginal ratings.