- 122,072
- 7,950 high price
- Midlothian, VA
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- autoshopper.com
2005 subaru legacy review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. All-new design brings refinement and power. introductionthe subaru legacy has been thoroughly redesigned for 2005. It's bigger than previous-generation models and comes with new styling and new interiors. The 2005 legacy wagons and sedans are roomier, more comfortable and more contemporary than before. They look sleeker and more contemporary. They handle better and feel more refined, benefits of a more rigid chassis and wider track. They're sportier, too, with a powerful new legacy gt model added to the lineup. equipped with all-wheel drive and a 250-horsepower turbocharged engine, the legacy gt attacks mountain roads like a sports car. It boasts a seemingly perfect balance of ride and handling. Subaru continues to offer all-wheel-drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its product line. long a cult favorite in inclement climes, subaru is gradually stretching beyond its traditional base in geography, performance and pricing. The company wants shoppers to think of subaru as a premium entry in its class. To this end, it's polishing its quality and technical credentials. The 2005 legacy 2. 5i and 2. 5 gt go a long way toward achieving these goals. They are more sophisticated and more refined than before. While continuing to offer the utility, safety, performance, and reliability loyal subaru customers expect, the new models are more stylish, offer more performance, and exude more emotion than previous models. lineupthe 2005 subaru legacy comes in sedan and wagon body styles. The automatic come with a semi-manual feature called sportshift. the 2. 5 gt models get a 250-horsepower version of the same engine turbocharged and intercooled. The gt models come with a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic 1200). The automatic comes with sportshift, while the manual has been reinforced to handle the extra horsepower. the base legacy 2. 5i sedan 20,995) and 2. 5i wagon 21,995) come nicely equipped: air conditioning; tilt steering wheel; cruise control; six-speaker am/fm/cd stereo; trip computer; power windows, locks and mirrors; and carpeted floor mats. Upholstery is a tweed-look fabric. The wagon has a 60/40 split, fold-down rear seatback; cargo light; carpeted cargo area; and retractable cargo cover. Exterior-wise, the wheels are 16-inch alloys with r-rated all-season tires, and the foldable mirrors and side ground effects are painted to match the body. The wagon gets a rear spoiler and roof rails. moving up to the 2. 5i limited sedan 24,445) 2. 5i limited wagon 25,645) adds upgraded front disc brakes, a power driver's seat; a cold-weather package; an in-dash, six-disc cd changer; power moonroof; dual-zone automatic air conditioning; leather trim on the seats and wrapped around the steering wheel, hand brake grip and shifter knob; and halogen foglamps. The front seats have active head restraints. Antilock brakes (abs) with electronic brake-force distribution (ebd) are standard across the line. port-installed accessories include a rear spoiler for the sedan 380); moonroof air deflector 73); rear cargo tray 75); and various configurations of rear cargo nets 42 to $68) for the wagon; an air filtration system 85); subwoofer/amplifier 273); all-weather floor mats 55); short-throw shifter for the manual transmission 339); momo shift knob (manual: $97; automatic: $112); and a metal pedal pad set (manual: $165; automatic: $141). walkarounddespite a host of changes to its appearance, the 2005 legacy is clearly a subaru. The new legacy looks sleeker and more contemporary than previous models. the lower corners of the grille have been tucked inward, yielding an elongated, more elegant hexagonal shape. Bold, projector-type headlights dominate sculpted, bmw-like openings, which also house the turn indicators and running lights. Small, intense foglamps bracket a wide air intake molded into the lower fascia below the front bumper. Rounder sides give the body a fuller-looking shape. More deeply etched character lines in the hood add perceived motion and emphasize the 2005's slightly wider track. The hood scoop feeding air to the turbocharger is understated, but obviously functional. the 2005 legacy's incrementally longer wheelbase and 2 inches of added overall length allow more of a wedge shape, led by a lower, more sloping hood. The horizontally opposed, or boxer, engine is mounted low, allowing for a low hood and low center of gravity. A-pillars rise smoothly out of the front fenders over a nicely arched glasshouse, trailing down into bmw-like c-pillars. Bustle-like hindquarters finish with a gradual taper inward, easing the passage of air into the car's wake. Body-colored door handles hinge upward and are more tightly styled into the door panels. the back end is seriously concave, with a better-integrated bumper fascia. Taillights are larger, more than mildly reminiscent of the honda civic, and now bracket the trunk lid, which houses a less angular license plate opening. Chrome dual exhaust tips on the gt models poke out beneath arched cutouts at each corner, hyping the legacy's sporty aspirations. interiorthe interior of the 2005 legacy has been completely redesigned. It's quieter, less busy, with more expanse of unbroken, softly textured dash. The center stack, housing the stereo and climate control panels, is finished in a rich, matte metallic look, with the stereo controls properly positioned above the climate control knobs. At the top of the center stack is a covered storage bin between two, well-proportioned air registers. The large, round, easy-to-read speedometer and tachometer are braced by fuel and water temperature gauges. door panels are accented by the same matte metallic trim surrounding longitudinal insets housing door pulls and window buttons below bright metal-finished door handles. the gt's front seats are easily up to the capability of the car, with decent bottom and side bolsters to contain occupants during rambunctious motoring. The seats in the 2. 5i are more in tune with commutes and long-distance drives. Head and hip room is accommodating, but adjusting the front seats for six-footers leaves rear seat legroom cramped. The rear seats in legacy models are adequate, with relatively flat seat bottoms and a low seating position without a lot of leg room. The center head restraint on the rear seat is fixed in the sedan and adjustable in the wagon. pedals are well placed, if not especially conducive to heel-and-toe downshifts. The shift lever falls readily to hand. Shifts in the manual, while not exactly rubbery, could be a bit more precise, and downshifting with confidence takes some practice. The sportshift gate is where it should be, toward the driver; push the shifter forward for upshifts, pull back for downshifts. the sloping hood makes for improved forward visibility. Good-sized rear quarter windows minimize the blindage from the c-pillars. Thin sails leave room for an expansive backlight (rear windscreen) that fills the rearview mirror. the bottom portions of the door panels hold fixed map pockets, limiting flexibility of use. Front and rear seats get two cup holders. There's a net for magazines attached to the front seatback. The center console isn't especially commodious, but it has an auxiliary power outlet for cell phones, leaving the lighter outlet in the base of the c-stack for a radar detector. The sedan's trunk is fully finished, with its gooseneck hinges enclosed to prevent inadvertently smashed groceries. The station wagon cargo area boasts two covered storage bins. driving impressiondriving the new legacy is enjoyable. It's more agile than last year's model. No, it's not a sports car, but it is the most responsive, best handling legacy yet, sufficiently so to keep up with and sometimes embarrass many an aspirational sports sedan on winding roads. Driving the turbocharged legacy gt on a mountain road brought out the racer in us, accelerating hard out of the c. AM/FM✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Tachometer✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Changer✔ Alloy Wheels
7,950 Midlothian, VAMidlothian, VA at autoshopper.com