All-New 2010 Legacy/Outback

udhoop · September 2009

I ordered a new 2010 Legacy as a company car back on 9/4. Anyone order a new legacy recently? Just wondering what kind of production times I am looking at right now.

curve · September 2009

I have been keeping an eye on inventory within 50 miles of the Boston area. Everyday it would rise by 2-3 post C4C. It went from around 100 back then to 170 a few days ago. Then jumped to 180 and today jumped again to 200!

The ratio of 2.5 to 3.6R has not changed since my last posting in early September. Most 95%+ are the smaller motor. A quick check on used cars ('08-'09) showed ALL smaller motors which confirms that the resell value of the 3.6R will suffer in relative terms.

Still no posts on nav experience for 2009-2010 Legacy/Outback ?!

udhoop · September 2009

Have you tried the Ford Edge? I have driven one as a rental car and really enjoyed it.

xwesx · September 2009

Just returned to Alaska with my 2010 Forester, and its lights were fantastic even in the pitch black of remote Alaska Highway driving. I agree that a nice set of focused driving lights to complement the excellent lighting from the factory would have been nice, but I had no problems seeing wildlife in front or along the sides of the road without adequate warning. I was *only* going 65 mph though...

mechanic80 · September 2009

Anyone else heard of the boxer 4 cyl diesel coming in a year or two? Outback and Forrrester. 140ish HP with 258 ft/lbs torque. Not blinding 0-60 speds, but respectable (8.6 sec.) Europe has had it already for a couple of years, of course and we should see it soon. City/hwy of 48.9 MPG. I could sure use that as I'll be commuting 95% highway fairly soon when we move up to the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico next year.

ateixeira · September 2009

I think it's pretty likely we'll see either a Forester or Outback diesel, but it may only come in the 2011-12 model year.

Would be a nice mid-cycle update for the Forester (2012).

surrfurtom · September 2009

Can anyone tell me if they have put 4 average size golf bags behind the rear seat (not on the roof)? In other words can it hold 4 passengers plus 4 golf bags? How tight was it in the cargo area? I know it will hold lots of grocery bags.

If you ask some salespersons such a question they look at you like, now what would you want to know that for? It's a fairly roomy car and that might be a selling point to those who haul an occasional foursome around. Many of the cars and some SUVs today have smaller trunks that make them unusable for that function and that probably includes the Legacy.

Thanks for any info.

tee_el_cee · October 2009

Note the photo.

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2010.html#dimensions

xwesx · October 2009

I'm certain a Forester would hold four, so expect an Outback would as well!

surrfurtom · October 2009

Thanks guys, that web site has some good info. It looks like it should hold them with some maneuvering, but it isn't a "for sure'. We have one guy that plays in our foursome who has a Hyundai Santa Fe and the 4th bag takes some real gymnastics to get it in, then keep it in place while the hatch is closed. If anyone has practical experience with 4 in an 2010 OB pls let me know.

zelduh · October 2009

I know some of you on the forum are probably die hard suburu-ites...but I am just finding them now.

I have a question:

Looking at the outback and MAYBE the Forrester but leaning towards the Outback (2010 2.5LTD). I may be getting rid of the car in 1.5-3 years though as I am in the US for that time, but possibly longer....

I am wondering how the resale value is or how they hold up in general in case I have to not keep it or leave for sure....

I am wavering between the outback, Rav4 and the Highlander (which I almost bought last week)...

Any advice...(objective..not cause you love your Outback..which seems like everyone does...:)

THanks!

zelduh · October 2009

Another odd thing I noticed and forgot to wait for the answer today:
While test driving the Outback, the car was in DRIVE MODE. My husband asked if you hit the stick for the Manual on the steering wheel while driving, what happens. The salesman said he didn't think anything..
Well, my husband did it and it went to Manual (Gear 3,4 etc) WITHOUT him being in the MANUAL GEAR MODE.

What is up with that...Wouldn't you think that you had to have it in MANUAL MODE AND NOT DRIVE for that to change>

Second...The mirrors really don;t fold in? I did not notice that..I will have to go back..and test again..

Thanks..

xwesx · October 2009

If you use the paddle shifter while it is in fully automatic mode, it should shift on demand, but it should shift back in to cruising gear on its own.... I think. In other words, you can use it for passing, etc, without having the transmission in manual mode.

seabrook7039 · October 2009

If you're only going to own it for a maximum of three years then don't buy a new car; that's where the bulk of the deappreciation occurs. Instead buy a car that is three to five years old with less than 60,000 miles in very good condition. With any luck it'll still be under 100,000 miles when you go to sell it while not needing any major work.

seabrook7039 · October 2009

I think the resale value for the 3.6R will be to a degree dependent of the future price of gasoline. The 3.6R has a lot going for it so it will have its own following of devotees. The fact it uses regular octane gasoline while acheiving 256 hp will not go unnoticed. Now only if Subaru offered it with a manual transmission it would fill the void of the deleted Outback XT trim line.

zelduh · October 2009

Thanks for the responses..The thing is..I MAY own it for longer....If that is the case I want new..Need something reliable...:)..And I like the car:)

ateixeira · October 2009

Forester was down a tad from a year ago to 4,839, Outback was up a whopping 63% to 4,268.

So Foresters are still selling more, but the gap has narrowed substantially. The new Outback is selling much better than I expected.

Resale - if you lease, the residuals on the Forester are a tad better, though both are very strong in the overall picture. For details, I would ask Car_Man, one of the Edmunds hosts, in the Lease Questions thread.

rsholland · October 2009

Got it in the mail yesterday. They gave it a good review, but said the handling got sloppy at the limit. They praised the gas mileage.

Next month they review the Legacy.

Bob

ateixeira · October 2009

They've said that before about many Subarus - which tend to "fishtail", in their words, until stability control kicks in.

Basically you don't get the expected and industry-standard understeer, which does probably feel safer to an amateur, but takes the fun away from a more skilled driver.

I can live with that.

rsholland · October 2009

Yeah, they mentioned the slow-to-react stability control too. They did give it their "CR Recommendation," though.

Bob

ateixeira · October 2009

Subaru is pretty up-front about this. They've said they allow the AWD system to act first, and the stability control only intervenes when absolutely necessary.

So this "flaw", or design characteristic, is very much intentional.

I'm happy so long as they have an Off button for those snowy days!

blackbean · October 2009

I saw the review as well and feel that CR, while being pretty unbiased, does tend to err towards the "how safe/predictable is this for the average driver who doesn't like surprises" reader. I have an '02 Bean with no stability control and the car is extremely predictable at the edge on dry, wet and snow. Tires are the biggest variable (after driver ability of course). I do hope the stability adds to safety and doesn't just kill the fun! From what I have read, the folks at Subaru have set the limits high enough so as not to completely remove driver judgment from the driving experience. I was not able to test this on my 2010 OB test drive, but will report back after I take delivery (hopefully soon!).
Cheers,
Matt

seabrook7039 · October 2009

"I'm happy so long as they have an Off button for those snowy days!"

There is indeed an "OFF/ON" button to control the VDC system.

eps105 · October 2009

What is up with that...Wouldn't you think that you had to have it in MANUAL MODE AND NOT DRIVE for that to change>

Second...The mirrors really don;t fold in? I did not notice that..I will have to go back..and test again..

You can use the steering paddles in Drive to manually blip the tranny for things like quick passing maneuvers, etc. -- it will return back to Drive about 5 seconds after the last time you pressed the paddle. I've tried this myself several times, and I'm sure it's mentioned in the manual somewhere.

The mirrors absolutely positively do NOT fold. They are painted in a way that makes them look like they have a pivot point, but they don't. This has been a common complaint on many message boards since it was unveiled in April. I expect they will add them back on in the mid-cycle refresh in 2 years as result of the complaints. It seems that most US-built mid-size family cars do not have folding mirrors, wheres imported cars (like the cheaper Forester) do so they can fit them tighter together on the freighters.

eps105 · October 2009

Can anyone tell me if they have put 4 average size golf bags behind the rear seat (not on the roof)? In other words can it hold 4 passengers plus 4 golf bags? How tight was it in the cargo area? I know it will hold lots of grocery bags.

IIRC, when the Legacy was introduced in NY in April, it was officially touted by Subaru as a notable feature that it swallowed 4 golf bags. That's in the sedan! The Outback will easily do it without a problem. There's no shock towers back there -- just a big [almost] square expanse between the wheel wells.

bohemia1 · October 2009

We are very interested in purchasing the 2010 Outback 2.5i premium with the CVT transmission. The transmission is of great concern to us however. We presently have a 2005 Ford Freestyle with a CVT. The Ford CVT failed at 15,000 miles leaving a path of parts along the road. The CVT basically exploded at about 35 mph. Ford replaced it and we are now at 45,000 miles but our extended warranty expires 12/31/2009. Ford no longer sells the Freestyle or it's replacement, the Taurus X.
So what feedback can owners of the Subaru CVT give me? Does it work properly? Any performance issues or failures?

bigdadi118 · October 2009

I think Ford and Subaru don't share the same CVT, and not ALL Ford CVT explode and left a path of parts on the road.
This problem probably is another supporting evidence to explain why the big 3 are in trouble. I already sweared that I will NEVER buy Chrysler again as I got a lemon from them.

ateixeira · October 2009

I believe Subaru shares suppliers with Nissan, and note that while Ford discontinued their CVT, Nissan not only continues to sell it, but keeps expanding availability to more and more models. They're betting on it, big time.

It's too early to judge but I think it's fair to predict Subaru's experience will mimick Nissan's, especially since the Outback is lighter than the Murano.

saedave · October 2009

I am under the impression that Ford used a German type CVT like Audi and that the Subaru belt could be the same one. Subaru's sharing of parts with Nissan that used to be common may now have been converted to Toyota suppliers.

There is plenty of noise from the Subaru CVT that I noticed when test driving one; noise is not a good sign.

ateixeira · October 2009

I doubt they would have changed suppliers so quickly. Subaru and Nissan both employ VDC (same name even), in fact I wonder if the AWD system in the Legacy GT is the same as the one in the G37x.

I'm not sure who supplied Ford, but they abandoned the CVT pretty quickly.

anythngbutgm · October 2009

Is this the "Ghosting" that I've read about? My wife's OB is very stable and has never exhibited this effect.

ateixeira · October 2009

Could be.

I just found it interesting that you see (TM) all over the place when each talks about it, yet they use the same name.

bohemia1 · October 2009

I believe the Ford Freestyle CVT was supplied by or designed by Volvo. I do not know that to be a fact but recall posts from 2006 and more recent stating that.

Thanks all for your responses, we plan to look more seriously at the 6 cyl. OB and keep researching the Subaru CVT.

That Ford CVT experience is hard to shake. Although I must say that Ford and the dealer took care of everything getting the car repaired. It was under warranty of course at only 15k miles. I also asked for an extended warranty which Ford agreed to provide on the transmission only. As I posted, that warranty expires 12/31/09!

morin2 · October 2009

I think any Subaru dealer would be happy to let you put those golf bags in the trunk or the back of the outback at the dealership. Bring them along and try it out.

ecotrklvr · October 2009

It is worth noting that Nissan has sold hundreds of thousand of CVT-equipped vehicles in the USA over the last 8 years. And in their biggest seller, the Altima, it remains a strong selling point - offering good power response for a four cylinder, and great economy.

ecotrklvr · October 2009

It is worth noting that Nissan has sold hundreds of thousand of CVT-equipped vehicles in the USA over the last 8 years. And in their biggest seller, the Altima, it remains a strong selling point - offering good power response for a four cylinder, and great economy.

jtny1 · October 2009

:surprise: fantastic post

jtny1 · October 2009

Ok after reading and reading and reading and reading posts and reviews, test driving 3 times, I finally buckled down and am picking my new suby up tomorrow. Legacy cvt premium.
I am shocked at some of the posts I have to add.
I loved the new interior space. I am 5'11 and always found all the subarus to be short in front seat room, exspecially in the pasenger seat. I never wanted to take long trips, I felt cramped, so I stopped buying them, only due to the comfort.
I always rember back in the early 90's my little imprenza outback saved me in a terrible stom in upstate ny. I was 3 hours from home and had no clue what the heck I was doing except i needed to find my hotel. Busses were ditched, cars stuck, semi;s over turned and cars at hauts all over the place. In panic I just kept driving trying to find my hotel. While other 4x4s were having some tough times (probally due to caareless driving) i just kept trucking my my suby.
Anyway it sure helped. So I am excited to get my new one after 10 years of not having one. Feel bad not buying amenrican but here my thoughts.
I love the cvt tranny I thought it was pretty quiet, peppy, smooth, even compared to an altima which I had for a rental(it had a cvt tranny too)
I test drove the new Equinox 4 banger and I thought the 4 cyl engine was very loud at start off and truthfully it felt to small for the size truck.
The room was fantastic for a subaru, outstanding. I thought as nice as a camary and I thought roomier than the malibu and higher seating.
That and the added leg room, and nice ride, and mpg for an awd totally sold me.
Reliabitiy I hope will be good but I am putting my trust in subaru. I don't usually keep them more than 3 but I am thinking and hoping subaru woudlnt put a bad tranny in and risk reputation.
Over all I thought it was the best thing out there compared to the competition and it has awd and a good one.
now I do think the new interior colors with exterior colors are poor selection. I wanted black but no dark interior, only tan, I refuse but I settled in on the dark grey so all is good.
I do think the should have satelite radio standard like gm, ford, and many others, and blue tooth should be easier to get and not so much.
that would be keeping with the times.
Over all I thought the size is fantastic compared to old. The new outback was nice also but did look a little long but it has better room which I think most will find more comfortable.
It was just more than I wanted to spend and well the legascy milleage impressed me so much I just stuck with that.
I could nto even think of getting the forester after sitting in these. the leg room alone and the cvt tranny feel and mpg, how could I do the forester (not that it isnt a great small suv)
I think subaru is going to see sales climb agian because of the noe milleage rating and more room in the cars. Now you can have a mid size sedan with awd good mpg and decent room for an affordable price.

I say nice job subaru (unless it breaks down on me

I like new things, its exciting and I am totally excited to be one of the first to hopefully prove this car good!!
Im also excited to get probally 27-28 combined after reading reviews.
How awesome.
I am coming out of a 2009 vibe awd which has been totally great, perfect running, was decent in snow, but it only got around 21 winter 24 summer and had a tiny gas tank (13)
Once agian a great car, but the legacy seems like sooooo much more car and I am going to get better mpg, amazing
thanks
ill update after a few thousand miles ps I did get it at invoice (you no the fake one they show everyone now) but i did good on the trade)
It took a lot of work though 7 dealers aound state, lots of internet work, etc etc
but i saved 3,400 buck from one dealer to another with trade value. 3,400 bucks and a 20 extra mile drive and wow, it is amazing the diffrence in dealers, etc.
so it pays to shop

ateixeira · October 2009

Chevy keeps bragging about the Equinox getting 32mpg EPA highway (FWD 4 banger model), but the media isn't even coming close. Edmunds got less than 21mpg, C&D got 18 or 19mpg, and Consumer Reports got 21mpg.

CR got 24 mpg in the Outback.

jay_24 · October 2009

I guess GM didn't pay enough to get a good review....

MSNBC reported this for the AWD model: "We saw economy in that range, with 22-24 mpg around town and 26 mpg on the highway, fully loaded with a family of five and a weekends luggage. " MSNBC

Still not the 32mpg the EPA got, but I've yet to see anybody review a car and get close to the EPA numbers. I think "drive it like you stole it..." is how these cars are treated during a review.

ateixeira · October 2009

For C&D definitely, for Edmunds probably, but for CR?

I beat 26mpg with my 266hp minivan. At least theirs was AWD.

Edit: a bit of a fluff piece. No mention of how it handles, shifts, accelerates. It was a positive review but it's almost as if they wrote it before they drove it.

serge_france · October 2009

Hi, I'm Serge, from France. Sorry, my English is a bit clumsy. I own an Outback (3.0R) and I would like to buy the new 2;5i with CVT transmission. Subaru will not officially sell it in France (only 3.6 gas and 2;0 Diesel). Fortunately, they accept to take some orders. The snag is that it's impossible to test drive the 2.5i (only the 3.6R and the Diesel). My little Honda Jazz has a CVT : it works perfectly well and is very pleasant. Could the 2.5i CVT owners send me their impressions about the 2.5 engine and this new CVT transmission? Are they decent? Many thanks.

lprasad · October 2009

Hi Serge, I recently bought a 2.5i premium Outback with CVT. Having never owned a Subaru or a CVT before, I was a bit apprehensive. But I bought it based on Subaru's reputation for sturdy cars, safety, and, of course their famous AWD. I was also very impressed with the quality of the test drives I took. I also drove a 2009 Outback (at the insistence of the dealer) first. While the 2009 drove great, I felt the 2010 was more refined, quieter, and noticeably more comfortable. The CVT is very smooth and peppy, I think. I'm surprised at how quickly and easily it went from dead stop to 40 mph at traffic signals, leaving many other vehicles behind. I don't quite understand some comments that complain about it being sluggish. I've never had problems so far in response or passing other vehicles on the freeway. In fact, without the familiar cue of the jerks from conventional automatics, it is easy to speed without noticing. I live in a mountainous region and I don't see any hesitation with the Outback in negotiating slopes or curves. The handling is excellent, both while cornering and on rough terrain, with the undulations remarkably muted by the suspension. My favorite part is the mileage. I am currently getting 26.1 miles per gallon in slow, stop-and-go city conditions although the car is still in its break-in period! That is amazing considering its size and the AWD. he only thing so far is that at low speeds (<50 mph) the CVT has a characteristic windy howl that does not bother me but noticeable. It goes away at about over 60 mph. Otherwise, it is a very quiet car. I also like the eco gauge very much. Many commented that they'd rather have a temperature gauge and that they thought the eco-gauge was useless. I have found that it has taught me to drive far more efficiently than I used to before. It is a great way to learn how to get most out of the car and ease off on wasteful acceleration without compromising on speed! I'm having a blast with it. Although this is subjective and not exhaustive, I hope it helps a tad bit. Good luck.
Lax

tee_el_cee · October 2009

Can anyone describe how the "Media Hub" works with iPods?

Is it just a fancy aux jack (are you still mashing buttons on the iPod)?
Or can you control the iPod from the steering wheel or head unit?
What aspects, specifically?

Is anything from the iPod displayed on the head unit?

Thanks,
tlc

tee_el_cee · October 2009

I should have googled first.

Info, video, faq, user and installation manuals are available here:
http://www.subaru.com/engineering/electronics-audio/media-hub.html

tlc

204meca · October 2009

Good observations, thanks for sharing them. It is amazing how varied the posts are about the performance of the OB w CVT. Many love it others pan it. There is so much diversity of impressions of power & acceleration. Looking at the Edmunds reviews by new OB owners several indicate they had XTs (one Forester & 1 OB) previously & yet are pleased with the performance of the NA 2.5 CVT. I am rather surprised to see quotes like this: 'Living in the Rockies at 9100' I was looking for a replacement for my '06 Outback XT. I wanted enough power to accelerate uphill at altitude and the supposed improved fuel economy and use of regular fuel were certainly an appeal. So I drove the 2.5i w/ CVT and found it to be almost as powerful as the turbo and when using the paddle shifters, quite fun to drive. I've now owned it for a month and am mostly satisfied w/ a few exceptions."

I guess that shows us how subjective our seat of the pants perceptions are. While the actual track numbers are not that impressive (as reported by Edmunds & CR) apparently most people are satisfied if not positively enthused with the get up & go of their OB CVT combo.

I am itching to place my order for one -- I just need to see a report from someone who has towed 1,500 lbs or more & is satisfied with the way the CVT tows,

Please is there not someone out there Subaru-land able to tell us about their towing experience with the OB CVT???

cdndriver · October 2009

I've had two legacy wagons, both the touring edition. My current 07 comes up off lease in December. I was not happy to see that they've dropped the Legacy wagon at all! When I complained to a customer service rep who called about my lease coming up she kept telling me to just drive the new redesigned legacy, that I'd love the changes! Yeah, I said, and where do I put my dog? silence..."is it a very big dog?" was her answer. Then she said I should try the new Outback, I'd love that, too. I said that when offered the Outback and the Legacy wagon, I'd chosen the legacy for a reason. But now, subaru has taken away my car of choice. I don't want the sedan, no matter how nice it is, and I took the wagon because I didn't like the extra plastic and the extra cost of the Outback. Now it's Outback or a different carmaker.
I also don't get their marketing on the PZEV. If someone wants to be environmentally conscious, Subaru only lets you do it on the base model. Why didn't they just make the whole line PZEV and choose what options you will. THAT would show a commitment to the environment, but instead, because the PZEV costs them a bit more, they put it on the car that has no options.
I'm not happy with Subaru right now...I've got two months to figure out what to do and what to get next.
cdndriver

xwesx · October 2009

I'm confused about your comment on the PZEV; is that a phenomenon in the Canadian market? PZEV is available across the line, US-spec anyway....

jtny1 · October 2009

well if you need awd then your choices are very limited
i understand being upset about the wagon being discontinued but if you need a wagon then get a forester or an outback
here int he states we can get the cvt engine on any legacy or outback unless you get the 6cly or turbo i think
go drive a new chevy equinox with thier 4 banger its nice roomy and when your done i bet youll come back to subaru
i did

gjksn · October 2009

I couldn't agree more and was recently lamenting this fact here. I've also had two Legacy wagons and bought them because they were station wagons and not SUVs or crossovers. I don't have the end of a lease coming up, but I'm always thinking about my next car. A Legacy wagon wouldn't require a second thought, but the Forester and Outback will be a harder sell for me. Good luck with your decision.

All-New 2010 Legacy/Outback

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles