Bolder doesn’t necessarily mean better looking
Three years after its reveal, the Subaru Legacy sedan has been given a facelift for the 2023 model year. The mid-life update includes refreshed styling, new safety and in-vehicle equipment, as well as a turbocharged engine for the Sport trim, which was previously offered with a naturally-aspirated mill.
As you can see, Subaru designers have gone back to the drawing back to give the Legacy a bolder front fascia. Now the sedan gets a bigger grille with a horizontal slat that merges with the newly designed LED headlamps, and new fog lamp housings. But is it better looking? We’ll leave it up to you to decide.
Design-wise, the interior remains largely unchanged but Subaru has added the latest version of its Starlink Multimedia Plus system which can be accessed through a 11.6-inch display. The Japanese automaker says the system offers improved on-screen controls for audio, HVAC and vehicle features. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as well.
The EyeSight Driver Assist Technology has also been upgraded and now includes a Wide-Angle Mono Camera that expands the field of view even further to recognise pedestrians and bicycles sooner when the vehicle enters an intersection at low speed.
Additionally, models equipped with Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert get Automatic Emergency Steering that helps avoid a collision with an obstacle at speeds less than 80 km/h.
Like the range-topping Touring XT, the Legacy Sport is now powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged boxer engine that makes a healthy 260 hp and 375 Nm of torque. This engine is offered alongside the naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre boxer engine with 182 hp and 239 Nm. Both engines are paired with Subaru’s Lineatronic CVT.
In addition to the turbocharged engine, the Sport trim also gains a red strip across the front grille, magnetite grey metallic side mirrors and rear spoiler, grey 18-inch alloy wheels and black/grey cloth upholstery with red stitching. The revisions go beyond aesthetics because it also gets sport-tuned suspension, LED fog lights, power moonroof, navigation, Reverse Automatic Braking and DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System.
