2008 Subaru Legacy User Reviews

Pros

Adjustable suspension, ride, handling, manual transmission, overall look and feel of the car

Cons

Mileage, interior space, cost of navigation system updates

Purchased As New

I love this car, bought new from the dealership in 2009.

This is my third Subaru and so far the most fun to drive. It provides comfort and performance on routine 435-mile business trips, and looks good in the driveway when I am home. After 4400 miles, I have logged an average overall MPG (city and highway) of 23.1 mpg--better than I expected with the turbo engine. Considering that the car came off the dealership lot with 330 miles and an overall test-drive MPG of 15.9, this is movement in the right direction.

The adjustable "intelligent" suspension allows the driver to confidently shred a winding rural blackop, or cruise comfortably on the Interstate with nary a ripple in your mocha cappuccino. The engine offers plenty of power for passing Semis, and the crisp handling allows for emergency maneuvers when it is necessary to avoid road debris or inattentive drivers. Some professional reviews have criticized the breaking system, but I have so far found it to be very responsive and effective--I am not sure that the pro's were thinking on this one.

The controls differ only slightly from my previous 2002 Outback, and are very user-friendly and easy to access without having to take your eyes off the road.

The six-speaker sound system gives all that anyone but an ardent phono-phile could wish for. But admittedly my taste runs to more audio books and news radio than to music.

The one thing I would like to see different with this car is a little more interior space (head and leg room), especially in the back seat. Five adults are very cramped in this car; but four (even larger adults) fit nicely. If it were larger, the car would not be what it is.

I would also like for Subaru to offer at least one navigation system disc upgrade with each vehicle purchase. This car come off the lot with the previous version of the navigation discs rather than the version available standard on the 2009 model. Subaru should not be chintzy in this regard.

I bought this car after shopping in vain for an Audi A4 or BMW 3-series with a manual transmission and have no regrets what-so-ever. This car is a dream to drive and a pleasure to look at.

You can get cheaper cars, more economical cars to operate, and higher performance cars--but for a real sports sedan that offers crisp performance, great looks, and an affordable price, this Soob cannot be beat....read morehide

Pros

Fun to drive, handles well, very reliable, stylish, and unique

Cons

Interior leg room is cramped even for 5'5" and poor quality speakers

I've had this car since the 2008 model was first released on May 5, 2007. It is very reliable. I have not had any issues with it except that the speakers sometimes "give out", and I don't listen to very loud music. I'm talking about Enya or or adult contemporary music at a reasonable sound level. I love the way the Legacy handles which makes it very fun to drive. It has a lot of spunk for a 4 cylinder. The seating and pedals were a bit difficult to get used to. I owned a Honda Civic coupe previously and it seemed to have better leg room. I think this is the perfect car for someone who wants a sports car, but also wants to be conservative and responsible. I test drove the Altima, Accord, Camry, Sonata, Fusion, Madza 6 & 3, Civic, and more and this was this was of course my favorite!...read morehide

There are already quite a few reviews of how the legacy drives, looks, and feels, but I'd like to talk about my recent experience regarding its safety. I was recently driving on a rainy night on the freeway, and after clearing a section with very bad forward visibility I couldn't see that the reflective surface that stretched approximately 4 car-lengths in front of me was not just wet pavement, but 3-4 inches of water that had pooled across a dip in the left 2 lanes of the freeway. By the time I realized it I didn't have enough time to brake before the pool, so I let off both pedals and let the legacy plow through the water at 60 mph sending jets of water up 10 feet on both sides (luckily not on my windshield at all, possibly an intentionally engineered feature), the car exhibited some initial rotation that felt like it was straightened out immediately in the direction of my intended steering, and by the end of the pool I tried to apply some power and the legacy responded like a champ in getting me out of there. The cars behind me had veered wildly when hitting the pool, I later saw by news helicopter that half of those lanes were shut down and 3 cars were sideways/upside down on that very section. I have had experienced hydroplanning once before at low speeds in a different car and it is a very scary feeling, the legacy on the other hand never felt out of control, a very reassuring feeling. I believe that the legacy's comprehensive safety features kept me on the road and may have saved my life that night, this is a car that excels at keeping people alive....read morehide

Pros

good fuel economy, powerful 4 cylinder, good gas mileage for awd

Cons

low profile tires make the ride a little rough but it is bearable

I have had my car since January and I love it. the fuel mileage is good. I have added a hitch and have towed may u-haul trailers and my 15ft fiberglass boat with it with no problems. The awd makes pulling the boat up steep slippery ramps a breeze. I'm hoping the 2.0l diesel legacy is here when I go to buy another one....read morehide

Pros

Exc. Handling, Sporty look, Fully loaded for reasonable price, Fun to drive

Cons

Leg room could have been improved, small cargo space, small glove box space.

I've had the car for one month now. I traded in my 97 Camry for 2.5 i limited edition. I am extremely happy with my choice. However I have a bit of longer legs and I had more legroom in Camry. The cargo space is smaller compare to Camry. But this car of course is not in the same class as Camry.

Everything else about the new car is great. Handling, the looks, the style and excellent ride. The gas milage is exactly as it is claimed....read morehide

Pros

AWD traction, handling, styling, made in USA

Cons

Drive-by-wire throttle response lags, door handles feel flimsy, stereo needs more power

5-speed MT, very happy with purchase, 7 months/5000 miles, zero defects!

AWD is awesome not just for winter, also when having to launch into traffic from wet, muddy. and loose gravel surfaces. Legacy doesnt have a lot of ground clearance, Outback sacrifices cornering & looks for deep snow & offroad capability. AWD system is reliable, but adds a little weight and the necessity to avoid mismatched sets of tires, also quick oil change places where "techs" not familiar with Subaru sometimes drain the trans instead of crankcase. Easy DIY access to oil drain plug and filter.

Rides like its on rails, feels like reaching limits of visibility and my reaction time before reaching car's handling limits, but comfortable. Hope the 17" rims and low-profile tires will survive potholes.

Drive-by-wire throttle seems slow to respond, need to plan in advance to get the revs up before letting out the clutch for a fast launch. Engine has plenty of power to move car and driver with MT. Not sure if enough to launch car with all seats full and automatic trans.

Styling inside and out is tasteful, well proportioned, and should age better than its competition with flashier styling. Interior may be a bit small if you plan to fill all 5 seats.

Base stereo has nice controls, plays MP3/WMA CD-Rs, or from aux jack. If you want loud music, prepare to upgrade though....read morehide

Pros

fuel economy, handling, quality feel and finish

Cons

figure out how to make the pzev in the 3.0

i see people complain about the noise and i still don't get it. it's a solid car and i don't get much road noise - neither city nor highway.

i bought the pzev to feel a little better about myself. fuel economy runs about 26 city/32 highway.

plenty of room: we have a britax car seat in the back (rear-facing right now) and it doesn't cramp the front seat passenger too much. loads of trunk space for all my fireman gear. we've had the car for a month and a half and have already taken trips to outer banks and western new york - at least 32 hours on the road and it was a smooth, comfortable drive the whole time....read morehide

Pros

Tight body build; amazing handling; problems of the past fixed

Cons

None

As a previous Audi owner, I LOVE AWD and NOBODY does it like Subaru does it! Just traded my 2006 Legacy 2.5i SE for a 2009 Legacy 2.5i Ltd. and could not be happier. Now they've got steering wheel buttons for cruise and music, split rear seats, a nice Audi-style net pouch on the back of the front passenger seat, and that wonderful on-the-rails Subaru feeling. This car is such a deal considering its quality and ride/feeling. WAY cheaper and more reliable than the Germans--Audi, VW, BMW 3 series. I live in Los Angeles, where Subaru is a foreign word, but I just spent some time in New England, where Subaru is seemingly the #1 auto choice. I test drove the LGT Ltd., and LOVED it. Performance blew me away! But given the current gas situation, the L Ltd. works better for me. These cars are wonderful and under appreciated. My only complaint is that for a company that seems so identified with the green movement that is SO right now, why isn't there a hybrid in the Subie line up??...read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy for sure! handling, performance

Cons

seats are a little uncomfortable during long trips. not very soft

As far as fuel economy, It's noted that the Legacy gets 20-27mpg. I have had 2 Legacys', an 2004 and currently a 2006. On my 2006, I get 27-30 in the city easy. Whats amazing, is on the highway with the air on, I get anywhere from 35-39mpg! Unbelievable! Definitely a must have these days with fuel costs always on the rise....read morehide

Pros

Rims, exhaust, sunroof, cool looking car for the $$.

Cons

Lower fuel economy than Toyota and Honda, but worth it for AWD.

I've had this car for two months and just love it. I actually look forward to driving it when I go anywhere, even to work. It's not super fast, but it is quick and handles very well. Everybody thinks I paid way more for it than I did. All it needs to be totally loaded is leather, and I actually prefer cloth anyway, so I would definitely recommend this car to anyone. I think my favorite thing is the way it looks. Way cooler than any Camry or Accord, or, God forbid, American midsize. Ugh....read morehide