Minor Update for Subaru Legacy and Outback
The Legacy and its outodoorsy sibling, the Outback, have been an important part of Subaru’s growth strategy. Significantly updated just two years ago, they have made solid forward progress for the brand in the midsize segment. To keep the momentum moving Subaru has just announced another update, which will be shown in Paris at the annual motor show at the end of September.
Modifications to the exterior are fairly minor, and concentrate mostly on trim details. The exterior of the car features redesigned headlamps that are more aggressive in appearance and come with optional self-leveling HID beams, as well as a new grille, taillights and bumpers. Subaru has given the Legacy a different grille than that of the Outback model, to further differentiate between the two cars. The Legacy features a thin chrome bar that spans the centre of the grille in a vee-shape, while the Outback features a thicker chrome bar that spans across the top of the grille aperture, and thinner spars underneath. The side-view mirrors are also new, re-worked to reduce wind noise, and feature a different style of integrated turn-signal indicator. Inside, mild updates to the dashboard give the Legacy and Outback a fresher look, while the steering column is now adjustable for rake by 40 mm (1.6 inches). There is a technical update too; the Legacy benefits from having a reinforced strut tower, a larger firewall corner panel, and a strengthened A-pillar, resulting in greater structural integrity, making it safer overall.
But the big update for the Legacy and Outback is the permanent addition of SI-Drive to certain models in the range. In North America, the SI-Drive system will be featured on Legacy 2.5 GT Limited and Outback 2.5 XT Turbo models, while in Europe it will only be featured on cars equipped with the 3.0-litre horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. SI-Drive (short for Subaru Intelligent) has just been introduced on the limited edition Spec.B model. The premise behind the idea is to offer three different driving modes to suit different driving styles, all controlled by a rotary knob on the centre console. On cars equipped with the automatic gearbox - previously unavailable - SI-Drive is capable of altering shift patterns, holding gears longer when sportier modes are engaged. The SI-Drive system also features an additional information display screen located in the tachometer, which shows the current torque curve.
In “Sport” mode, the car is said to have quick throttle response allowing for brisk, linear acceleration - the kind of driving done in the city and on the highway. It’s similar to the standard mode on the 2006 model-year Spec.B. In “Sport #” (Sport Sharp), SI-Drive changes the engine’s throttle map to be more responsive by delivering more power earlier on, perfect for tackling twisty sections of road with great enthusiasm. The system also encompasses a mode called “Intelligent”, which is different than the two previous modes. When selected, both power and torque are reduced, and the throttle response is blunted slightly, for smoother starts and stops. Subaru claims that this more relaxed mode is capable of boosting fuel economy by 10-percent.