Cars service manual

2006 Subaru Legacy Reviews Specs

I test drove this car with 4 people in it and we drove it up on windy hill and it did not struggle at all, a very well balance vehicle. suspension wise its kinda of soft but you still get plenty of tractions when you hit those corners. plenty of cargo room for those who likes to take it to the mountain or beach. the only things that subaru could have done better was the stereo system. it was not as nice as lexus and audis.



You get a lot of value for the sticker price. Great mpg, loaded with features, stylish appearance, and an affordable luxury car. AWD is a plus and the handling is great. The overall quality of the car is excellent.

News

Though recently redesigned, the Legacy/Outback line will eventually get the signature Subaru face introduced with the B9 Tribeca SUV and now the Impreza passenger cars. Apart from that and the usual features shuffling, these cars should mark time for the next couple of years.

New for 2006

The 2006 Subaru Legacy remains primarily unchanged, however those trims equipped with the naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engines get more power. Power is up to 175 horsepower, while at the same time fuel economy is improved and the Legacy is rated as a Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV). A special edition Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B is new for 2006, available exclusively in Titanium Silver Metallic with a Brick Red leather trimmed interior. The spec.B is recognizable by its aerodynamic side ground-effects moldings with chrome trim as well as unique 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels and 215/45 low profile performance tires. The 250-horsepower intercooled turbo Boxer engine is teamed exclusively with a 5-speed manual transmission. Only 500 spec.B Legacys will be sold in 2006.

Interior Design and Special Features

Inside the cabin of the Subaru Legacy, one cant help but like the clean dash design and the convincing faux aluminum trim, not to mention the red-and-white gauges and three-spoke Momo steering wheel in the GT Limited model. Build and materials quality is excellent. While the backseat is comfortable for two passengers, shoulder room and legroom are still pretty tight for this class. Legacy sedans have an 11.4-cubic-foot trunk with a ski pass-through. The wagon has folding seats and 66 cubic feet of cargo capacity.



Safety

All Subaru Legacy models have four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Stability control is, unfortunately, not available. Front side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are standard on all models. The front-seat head restraints feature dynamic whiplash protection. Offset frontal crash tests by the IIHS returned a rating of "Good," its highest. Side-impact testing resulted in a rating of "Marginal," the second from the lowest. The NHTSA has yet to test the new Legacy.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2.5i models are powered by a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. Its been updated for 2006 with new valvetrain technology and now produces 175 hp and 169 lb-ft of torque. The Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited features a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine rated for 250 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Either engine can be equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. The 2.5i is eligible for a four-speed automatic while the GT gets a five-speed auto; both come with an automanual mode. Note that the 2.5i Limited and 2.5 GT Limited wagon come with automatics only. All-wheel drive is standard across the board.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The Subaru Legacy is available as a sedan or wagon in one of the following trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Special Edition, 2.5i Limited Edition, 2.5 GT Limited and 2.5 GT Limited Spec B. The 2.5i comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a six-speaker CD stereo, cruise control, a trip computer and keyless entry. The 2.5i Special Edition adds dual moonroofs (the sedan gets a single large moonroof) and a power driver seat. The 2.5i Limited Edition includes heated leather seats, automatic climate control and a CD changer. Upgrade to the 2.5 GT Limited and you get a turbocharged engine, a functional hood scoop, sport seats, a Momo steering wheel and electroluminescent gauges. The 2.5 GT Limited Spec B sedan features a sport suspension with Bilstein shocks, 18-inch alloys, a navigation system, ground effects and alloy pedal covers.

Driving Impressions

The Subaru Legacy is an enjoyable car to drive. Agile and responsive, the Legacy easily holds its own on winding roads. Throw in some rain and its unbeatable, at least by anything in its class.
Handling is significantly over pre-2005 Legacy models. Weight was reduced 200 pounds, mostly at the front and rear, through extensive use of aluminum in the hood, and high strength, hydroformed steel in the bumper beams and suspension components. Less weight is better and concentrating the weight at the center is better yet. Dropping the more compact engine about an inch in the chassis and redesigning the rear suspension lowered the center of gravity. All of this, together with the wider track, make for an agile, lively car on a winding road.

The 2.5i models benefit from an eight-horse increase in power for 2006. This makes them quicker than before. The manual transmission makes the best use of the engines 175 horsepower. Its not the most precise gearbox in this class, and downshifting with confidence takes some practice. The GT Limited gets a four-speed automatic with a semi-manual feature called Sportshift. The Sportshift gate is toward the driver; push the shifter forward for upshifts, pull back for downshifts.

With 250 horsepower, the GT Limited models are fun to accelerate out of corners. Turbo lag is minimal, and once it spools up, the engine develops strong torque as it climbs rapidly and smoothly to redline, taking the car to an indicated 140 mph. Driving one on a mountain road brought out the rally driver in us, with the smooth cornering and low-end torque challenging us to accelerate hard out of the corners and on to the straightaways, then brake hard before the turn-in point as we set up for the next apex. The five-speed manual has been reinforced to handle the extra horsepower. The five-speed automatic comes with Sportshift.

The suspension soaks up road bumps and joints, though the 17-inch wheels produce some resonance (vibration). Washboard pavement in corners unsettles the car enough to notice, but not enough to cause any anxiety. The Legacy is stable at interstate speeds, though we noticed it was susceptible to cross winds and turbulence generated by 18-wheelers.

Brakes in the various models are up to their powerplants potential and easy to modulate, with the GT Limited benefiting from its high-performance components. Winding down a mountain road in Southern California, we found the brakes, suspension and engine in the GT wagon easy to coordinate, allowing for smooth driving that didnt upset our passengers.

Little wind noise intrudes at highway speeds, except for a bit from the roof rack crossbars and from around the seal around the moonroof when the undershade is retracted.

The all-wheel-drive system in the Legacy models differs in technical details by drivetrain. All of these systems give the Legacy a sure-footed feel and greatly improve grip and handling stability in slippery conditions.

The manual transmission employs a viscous coupling to split the power between the front and rear tires. If the tires at one end begin to slip, the system sends more power to the other end. That split is 50/50 in optimal conditions, but power transfer can reach 100 percent to either end under extreme conditions.

The four-speed automatic is matched with an electronically managed, continuously variable transfer clutch that distributes the power where its best used, but no more than 50/50.
The five-speed automatic is paired with the most technologically advanced of Subarus all wheel-drive systems called Variable Torque Distribution or VTD. An electronically controlled, continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch manages the power distribution through a planetary center differential. Under normal conditions, the VTD splits the power 45/55 front/rear to give the GT more of a rear wheel-drive feel, but adjustments, to a maximum of 50/50, are made as road conditions dictate.

Favorite Features

This cars single most impressive feature is its turbocharged boxer engine. Rated at 250 horsepower and 250 lb/ft stock, it is among the fastest sport sedans in production, and it is very easy to tune for even greater power!

Overall Review

A roomy, luxurious vehicle that will be there for you when you really need to MOVE!!! The wagon version offers extra room while retaining the power and the fun factor. Just b/c you have a family of 4 and a couple of dogs doesnt mean that you dont want to have fun. Theres no need for a second car when you get a Legacy. If you want more power there are programs that can be downloaded into the Cars Computer that will unleash more power again, while retaining its calm, civilized character. You cant lose with this car.