What engine do Legacy Base Premium and Limited have?
In Subaru's Legacy lineup, the Base, Premium, and Limited trims are powered by the same engine: a 2.5-liter flat-four “boxer” engine. A larger 3.6-liter flat-six was offered on higher trims such as the 3.6R, but not on these three.
The 2.5-liter engine powering these trims is a Subaru boxer engine. Output varies by generation, but commonly ranges around 170–180 horsepower with similar torque. The 3.6-liter H6 was used on some higher-trim Legacy models, but not on Base, Premium, or Limited in the same years.
Engine options by generation
Before listing engine options by generation, this section explains the typical configurations for Base, Premium, and Limited models across model years.
- 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder (boxer) engine — standard for most Legacy Base, Premium, and Limited configurations, with power typically around 170–180 hp depending on year and transmission.
- 3.6-liter flat-six engine — available on higher trims such as the 3.6R; not used in Base/Premium/Limited.
In short, for Base, Premium, and Limited, the 2.5L boxer engine is the standard powerplant, with the larger 3.6L engine reserved for other, higher-end Legacy variants.
Summary
Across recent generations, Legacy Base, Premium, and Limited share the same core engine: a 2.5-liter flat-four boxer engine. The 3.6-liter H6 is reserved for other trims, making the 2.5L the defining powertrain for those three trims.
