2023 Subaru Legacy Touring XT Review

The 2023 Subaru Legacy Touring XT is like a boutique, start-up brand supercar in two distinct ways.

The first: you’re very unlikely to run into another one during the week. You can’t head into the suburbs without spotting an Outback roughly every block, but its sedan sibling? The Legacy is rarer than a mermaid riding a unicorn handing out hen’s teeth.

The other similarity: nobody will know what it is. The Legacy flies under the radar like few other cars out there. And here in Touring XT trim (simply Legacy GT in Canada), it’s basically a more mature WRX, making this quite a sleeper. But how many people will that recipe appeal to? I spent a week with the car trying to figure that out.

Subaru treated the Legacy to a minor facelift for this year. In a long-standing tradition that arguably peaked in 2007, the Japanese brand has made the car more awkward and less handsome. The front headlight treatment is fussy, and some models, including this tester, get red trim inserts in the grille, like a souvenir from a lost fight. Stop picking on the Legacy!

Like or loathe the Rudolph treatment, at least it’s an attempt at something interesting. The Legacy is almost certainly the most car-shaped car on the market. This is the shape a kid produces when asked to draw a car. I do enjoy the C-clamp running light motif at both ends, and the wind-swept alloy wheel design is reasonably eye-catching while avoiding the black-paint trend. But overall? I’d forget what the car looked like if it wasn’t actively in my field of vision.

Inside, Subaru has tweaked the infotainment system for improved usability, while retaining the same 11.6-inch size of the touchscreen.

The upper-shelf drivetrain is essentially the same as before, and shared with the WRX and Ascent too. While lesser Legacies make do with a perfunctory 2.5-liter naturally aspirated Boxer-four, this one brings in the 2.4-liter turbo motor, with a healthy 260 horsepower and stout 277 pound-feet of torque. America’s Sport trim also features the turbo engine, too. Only the continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available to send that power through Subaru’s classic all-wheel drive system.

Basically, the Legacy is a WRX after it’s ditched the baseball hat, got a haircut, and maybe even a sport coat. One of those nice ones from J Crew, and not even at the outlet store. It’s settled down. Presentable. Mature.

We’re talking incremental changes here, however. That characteristic Scooby burble is still here—just a little muffled. The steering rack is a little more measured in its movements, and light on feedback. Outright grip levels are lower too, as the Legacy features 225-section all-seasons (or, at this time of year, winter rubber). Increased sound proofing keeps the cabin quieter, though there’s still more noise from the rear suspension than an Accord or Camry.

The CVT gives the Legacy great off-the-line shove, and Subaru has spent enough time refining it to minimize the moan. I maintain a turbo engine is an ideal pairing for the CVT too, since all the torque is available low in the rev range. The Legacy will happily putter around town, but put the hammer down and it’s a deceptively quick sleeper. The brakes capably haul this four-door down from big speeds with a consistent and responsive pedal.

Ride quality is generally very good. The Legacy stays flat through sweepers and rolls over uneven surfaces without losing composure. It’s an easy car to drive quickly and feel confident behind the wheel. There are selectable drive modes, though Sport feels a little too eager to this writer. Too WRX.

High interior comfort is a Legacy tradition. This latest model doesn’t change that, with comfortable and supportive seats in both rows. In this case, folks in front get both heated and ventilated thrones, and the outboard rears are heated too. An extendable driver thigh support is a nice touch as well. There is plenty of space for adults in back, or for little ones to kick free space instead of a seatback.

The dashboard design is typical Subaru—like the exterior, fussy yet forgettable—though here it’s all covered in soft-touch materials. It’s a quality space, and one that doesn’t leave you guessing about functions. The sheer number of wheel-mounted buttons are intimidating at first, but give it a few days and you’re practically qualified for F1.

The portrait-style screen is easy enough to navigate, with big buttons and straightforward menu organization. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now wireless, and occupy more of the screen when active. I liked that, but I found more connection issues with CarPlay than any other wireless setup. I gave up trying to fix it by the end of the week.

Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist suite can be a little heavy-handed, but I appreciate the brand’s dedication to safety across the board. Every Legacy comes with automated emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and driver monitoring. This model also includes an evasive steering assist to avoid collisions up to 50 mph, and a new wide-angle lens for better pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Buyers wanting the turbo Legacy experience have two choices. The Sport trim is just $34,915 including destination, which is a mighty good deal for a 260-horsepower, all-wheel drive sedan. The Sport eschews fripperies like the leather seating, ventilation, and the machine-finish wheels, but is mechanically identical to the Touring XT, which goes for $38,715.

Our Canadian-spec tester is the top-shelf GT is the Touring XT equivalent north of the border. Well, mostly: it gets the red blush and the non-machined wheels from the Sport, but the upgraded interior. It’s the only turbo option in Canada, and priced at $43,845 CAD.

If you want something that’s both mainstream and sporty, the other options include the Kia K5 GT, Hyundai Sonata N Line, and the Toyota Camry TRD. All three slightly undercut the Subaru but lack AWD. They all have their strengths: the Kia is the most fun, the Sonata is about to get a wicked-cool facelift, and the Camry houses the only remaining V6 in the segment. None of them match the sheer content the Subaru offers.

I struggled to remember how the 2023 Subaru Legacy Touring XT looked not five minutes after dropping it off. But it took much longer to forget how comfortable, easy to use, and affordable it was. It’s a great choice for someone wanting a mid-sized sedan with a bit of verve.

The two biggest arguments against it come from within the same showroom. The latest WRX is closer in size and feel than ever before, and even comes with a CVT—sorry, SPT—for those who’d rather not handle shifting duties. On the other side is the Outback, the platonic ideal of what a “crossover” really is. It drives so similarly to the car it’s related to because, at the end of the day, it is a car. One with added practicality thanks to its wagon shape.

That leaves the Legacy in an awkward middle ground. For those few who appreciate its unique blend of comfort and sportiness however, especially in a segment with no true AWD alternatives, the Legacy could be their own personal supercar.

FAQs

How much does the 2023 Subaru Legacy cost?

The 2023 Subaru Legacy starts from $25,415 ($34,845 CAD), including destination. The most affordable way into the turbocharged model is $34,915 ($43,845 CAD).

What is the difference with the 2023 Subaru Legacy?

Subaru facelifted the front-end of the Legacy, updated the infotainment, and improved the driver assist suite.

Does the 2023 Subaru Legacy come with a manual transmission?

No, all Legacies come equipped with Subaru’s CVT.