Subaru has a legendary reputation with the baseball hat wearing brigade. For years it cleaned up in world rallying thanks to its four-wheel drive system and turbo charged boxer engines.
There isn’t a boy racer alive who doesn’t drool over the legendary Subaru Impreza WRX. Subaru, with the larger and more mature Legacy ‘Spec B’, is aiming for the bigger kids who adored the original 1994 Impreza Turbo. That would be me then!
The Spec B is a joy on the road with a firm ride that is backed up by real pedigree. The gearbox and suspension improvements now make Subaru’s neutral handling even more entertaining and flattering to most drivers.
The reason “Scoobies” are so popular is that anyone of any standard can drive them quickly with minimum effort. The Legacy continues on with permanent four-wheel drive that allows you to literally feel more than most cars the level of grip the road surface is offering up.
The only downside is the massive 18 inch Spec B alloys don’t do speed humps well and find potholes with radar guided accuracy but they do look great.
There is also a fair amount of tyre roar at motorway speeds but again you’ll forgive the car this little niggle knowing that whenever you wish you can effortlessly overtake.
Japanese cars don’t do subtle exteriors in the way European marques can but I certainly feel less conspicuous than the performance potential could demand in the Spec B. Like the standard Legacy the car has a more European look with a few tasteful tweaks.
So what do you get for €52,595? Quite a bit actually like ‘AWD’ (All wheel drive), a six cylinder 3-litre boxer engine that does without a turbo, 245 bhp, 0-100 Km/h in 6.9 seconds, the Impreza STi’s revised six-speed gearbox, the usual electric bits and bobs plus front seat adjustment and heating, Bilstein shock absorbers (very sporty), subtle body styling and a comfy leather interior that can seat five.
Subaru will always be a niche player as the cost of sticking with permanent four wheel drive is expensive but that said the Japanese company has to be admired an no one can argue with the sublime handling the boxer engine allows.
A ‘Boxer’ engine is one that unlike most engines has its cylinders on their sides (horizontally opposed). This means that the centre of gravity is kept far lower than most ‘in line upright’ or ‘V’ engines. The car feels and is more planted to the road especially when cornering.
But there is also the big benefit of reduced vibration, as the opposing cylinders cancel a lot of mechanical vibration out. So a boxer engine makes a lot of sense and Subaru’s thirty years of experience has paid dividends both on and off the road.
The downside and there has to be one is the car’s thirst. The Spec B makes you pay at the pumps (I couldn’t get more than the low twenties to the gallon) but if you can afford the fuel you will have a good bit of craic.
The entry level Legacy is a fine car but if you can muster the extra twenty grand the Spec B will leave you with a bigger grin on your face. The car is subtle and very capable.
- Michael Sheridan
