What style of car is a Subaru Legacy?
The Subaru Legacy is a midsize, four-door sedan with standard all-wheel drive, built for practical daily driving and family use.
Midsize sedan with all-wheel drive
In the automotive landscape, the Legacy sits in the midsize sedan category, balancing passenger comfort with trunk space. Its standout feature is the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system that is standard on most trims, a core selling point that aligns with Subaru's emphasis on all-weather capability.
Key characteristics that define its body style and practical use:
- Body type: midsize four-door sedan
- Drivetrain: standard all-wheel drive on most trims
- Seating capacity: up to five passengers
- Cargo space: ample trunk room for a midsize sedan
- Intended use: daily commuting, family errands, and longer trips
These attributes collectively position the Legacy as a practical, all-weather family sedan within Subaru's lineup.
Design and interior practicality
The Legacy emphasizes a comfortable, quiet ride with a roomy interior that's easy to access from four doors. The sedan form keeps aerodynamics modest, while Subaru's interior layout focuses on visibility, ergonomic seating, and cargo flexibility.
Interior and cargo space
The cabin typically seats five across two rows, with generous legroom in both the front and rear. The trunk offers competitive cargo capacity for the class, making it suitable for groceries, strollers, and suitcases on a road trip.
- Five-seat configuration across two rows
- Split-folding rear seats to expand cargo space
- Standard features often include user-friendly infotainment and driver-assist tech
With its sedan footprint, the Legacy aims to blend interior comfort with practical storage, a hallmark of mainstream family sedans.
Market positioning and who it's for
Subaru markets the Legacy to buyers seeking all-wheel-drive capability in a traditional sedan, prioritizing safety, reliability, and year-round usability. It competes with other midsize sedans like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, offering AWD in many trims where rivals are FWD.
- Target audience: families, commuters, and outdoor enthusiasts who value AWD
- Competitors: mid-size sedans such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord
These traits explain why the Legacy maintains a steady niche among practical, all-weather sedans.
Summary
The Subaru Legacy is a midsize, four-door sedan defined by its standard all-wheel-drive system, spacious interior, and emphasis on practicality and safety. It sits in the mainstream sedan category with a focus on comfort, reliability, and year-round capability, appealing to buyers who want a family-friendly car with dependable traction.
What is the Subaru Legacy model?
The Subaru Legacy model is a midsize sedan, with the 2025 model year having distinct trim levels: Base, Premium, Limited, Sport, and Touring XT. Each trim offers different features, with the Touring XT being the most luxurious and performance-oriented, and the Base trim providing essential features at a more affordable price point. Key characteristics across the lineup include standard all-wheel drive, a roomy interior, and Subaru's safety-focused EyeSight driver assist technology.
This video reviews the final model year of the Subaru Legacy: 56sHawkeye RidesYouTube · Jan 6, 2025
2025 Subaru Legacy trim levels
- Base: Includes a 2.5L SUBARU BOXER engine, standard all-wheel drive, and essential features for a base model.
- Premium: Builds on the Base trim by adding features like a larger 11.6-inch STARLINK touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a 10-way power driver's seat.
- Limited: Includes most Premium features, plus added comfort and safety elements like heated rear seats and the DriverFocus® Distraction Mitigation System.
- Sport: Features a more powerful turbocharged 2.4L engine, a sportier design with exclusive red accents, and an exclusive black and gray two-tone cloth interior.
- Touring XT: The top-tier trim, this model includes the turbocharged engine and adds luxury touches like Nappa leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, and a premium Harman Kardon audio system.
You can watch this video to learn about the 2025 Subaru Legacy Touring XT: 57sMatt Maran MotoringYouTube · Aug 25, 2025
Key features and performance
- Engine and MPG: The Base, Premium, and Limited trims are equipped with a 2.5L engine, achieving up to an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway. The Sport and Touring XT trims feature a more powerful 2.4L turbocharged engine, with an EPA-estimated 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway.
- Standard AWD: All Legacy models come standard with Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.
- Safety: The lineup includes Subaru's EyeSight driver assist technology, with features like blind-spot detection, reverse automatic braking, and the DriverFocus distraction mitigation system available on higher trims.
What body style is a Subaru?
Subaru offers a variety of body styles, including sedans, hatchbacks, and multiple types of SUVs and crossovers like the compact Crosstrek and 3-row Ascent. Other options include the station wagon-like Outback, sports cars like the BRZ, and the performance-oriented WRX sedan.
Sedans
- Legacy: A midsize sedan with a comfortable and spacious design.
- WRX: A compact performance sedan with a sportier design.
Hatchbacks
- Impreza: A compact hatchback available with both standard and sportier models.
SUVs and Crossovers
- Ascent: Subaru's largest SUV, with three rows of seating for more passengers.
- Crosstrek: A subcompact crossover SUV with agile handling and high ground clearance.
- Forester: A traditional compact SUV that is taller than the Crosstrek and offers significant cargo space.
- Outback: A unique model that blends the characteristics of a crossover and a station wagon, offering spaciousness, comfort, and capability.
- Solterra: Subaru's all-electric compact crossover SUV.
Sports Cars
- BRZ: A rear-wheel-drive sports car designed for a driver-focused experience.
What is a Subaru Legacy classified as?
| Subaru Legacy | |
|---|---|
| Class | Mid-size car / Compact executive car |
| Body style | 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive (1989–1999) Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (1989–2025) |
Is the Subaru Legacy a midsize or compact car?
midsize sedan
The 2025 Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan available in five trim levels: Base, Premium, Limited, Sport and Touring XT.
