2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5 i Special Edition

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

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

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

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

Pros

VALUE! Reliability, impeccable handling, beautiful in and out,all-wheel-drive,quiet,solid build/feel

Cons

Only avg. engine power/performance on base models, a few very minor Subaru interior detail quirks-

I just can't say enough good things about this car. I'll second most of what's been said in other reviews. It's is our little secret how great a value this car is. Why is Subaru not selling more? I live in South Louisiana and these cars are very rare here. After driving it in the rain (no snow here), I can't imagine why ALL vehicles don't have all-wheel drive. It just makes sense. The peace of mind it (and the highest rated crash tests) gives you is priceless. Why anyone would buy a Camry, Accord, Altima, or even Maxima, BMW, TL/TSX, after driving this makes no sense (except for maybe an interior space issue...but get over it :) Really though, a test drive sells this car, especially if it's on a curved road, or in rain or snow. I just traded my 2006 Legacy 2.5i SE with 40,000 trouble-free, rock-solid miles for a new 2008 this week. I couldn't be happier. It's as great as my 2006, just a tad better!
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FINAL COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO PEOPLE SAYING THE SOUND SYSTEM IS LACKING: That can be true, or not. Here's my take on it: I'm no audio engineer, but I take interest in quality sound. The preamp on the CD player is very low, but sensitive. This means that if the level on your CD music is recorded low, the unit's preamp will not amplify it much for the sake preserving every nuance of sound without over-stressing, or supressing the material to make it "Sound good to your ears." The system plays exactly what's recorded on the CD. This is how real premium systems work. It's played CD's that flat out blasted any oem Bose system on sound quality and volume. I've had others that sounded similar to my home alarm clock radio at best.
NOTE: for all of the above to hold true, you HAVE to install the factory subwoofer/amplifier! It's worth every penny! Now go buy your Subaru!...read morehide

Pros

Ride Comfort. Road Noise, Stereo System, AWD, 170hp, Safety

Cons

Color choices based on trim levels, fuel economy is still questionable

My first Subaru was a 1990 Legacy LS, and after shopping around I just could not beat the value that the Legacy encompasses. Living in the Northwest, I am pretty adiment about having all well drive, but I also like the sporty factor of a sedan. I shopped the new Impreza as well, but was unhappy with the cabin room (I'm a 6'2" guy, who likes to drive alone, and with others). I also shopped the Nissan Rouge purely for the CVT and the AWD. I ended up with the 2008 Subaru Legacy Special Edition because it had everything I needed and nothing I didn't. The 2007 model year was just a tad short on style, and I think that the 2008 really picked up on that. The inside is very quiet and nicely appointed I must say. The gas milage is still questionable. It has a trip computer on board to give me real-time estimates, but only having fdriven 80 miles so far, I will wait till my tak is empty and then figure it out based on miles driven vs tank size just to be sure. It seem I am getting around 25 on average with just city driving. The only time I have been on the freeway was from the dealership to my house (and the test drive of course) The part that I really enjoy is the fact that the interior and the driving really feels Euroupean inspired, and the technology is definitly Asian inspired giving me the best of both worlds at a very affordable price for the fit and finish. I do not regret my purchase for a minute, and when I drive by any of the other cars that I was considering I am even MORE happy with my purchase....read morehide

Pros

Fantastic handling, great looks, and top safety, and just a cool car. EXTREMELY underrated

Cons

should have power passenger seat

Just a cool car. Ver y underrated, but great to drive, good performance, and much better fuel economy than the window sticker says. I get 23-25 in town and 27-32 on the highway. I love the styling, even though that's a personal thing, and the tires are great. I am having a hard time believing they don't sell more of these....read morehide

Pros

GREAT Safety Features standard, Sporty Look, AWD, AWD, AWD!!

Cons

Traction Control not standard!! Seats not very comfy

Overall i love this car! The handling alone is worth it! You can turn on a dime without having to worry! Takes curves on the highway like a champ....easliy done going 70mph! Needs more interior room, seats need to be more comfy, better speaker would be nice, atenna for radio is a little weak....but all these are minor. The standard safety features helps me feel more comfortable and makes me feel that i got a steal on this car! AWD AWD! Power is good for a 4 cylinder...but nothing crazy...once the engine opens up you do see an improvement!...read morehide

Pros

good look, fast, design, very good sound system, ride is smooth.

Cons

need more space interior.

i am 6 foot guy. legroom for driver seat is little small for me.. seats are very comfortable... while driving car is so quite.. no road noise... this car might be smaller than other mid size competitors but if you dont care this car is a best buy...

Pros

descent fuel economy , picks up speed well, but LOUD muffler

Cons

Inside body integrity bad.Pieces falling off all ready. It does ride rough and loud.

You have to be a fairly small person to ride in this car even tho it is a sedan. The local subaru dealer are horrible to work with.