Mr Sensible goes a bit wild
WORKADAY 4x4s are all very well. Worthy, a bit boring, undeniably useful. Yet once spring bustles in and the sap starts to rise, something with a bit more colour looks very attractive. So how about 241hp and 145mph? That’ll be the Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer spec B, then.
Yep, Subaru’s at it again. This 27,750, full-time 4wd estate undercuts hotshoe rivals from Audi, BMW and Volvo on price and socks it to them on performance. And here it is, finished in slinky black and only looking a little like a high-speed hearse.
The Legacy range had a major shake-up last year. Changes included a lighter, wider body, chassis tweaks and attention to build quality. The driver-focused 3.0R spec B is new for 2005, bringing more power and a six-speed manual box. It’s essentially big brother to the Impreza III WRX, a car that’s hard to step out of without a wide grin of pleasure.
So what’s a spec B all about? An 850-mile round trip seemed a good way to find out. Four adults plus luggage, a mix of roads and no rough stuff – leave that to the Legacy-based Outback. Anyway, those rubber-band tyres and handsome 18in alloys won’t like it.
On the inside
Interior first. Passenger space is fine; four fit comfortably, five’s a squeeze. The front seats are very supportive (necessary, given the cornering forces the car can generate) but back seat users get precious little help when the driver pushes the pace.
Those same rear occupants grumbled about view-restricting front headrests and a shortage of leg-stretching room below the front seats. But they didn’t suffer from twisty-road queasiness; the spec B’s tight suspension sorts that out. The laden ride’s pretty good – firm, with reserve resilience for potholes – though more restless when travelling solo. And there was no muttering about light or ventilation, thanks to a massive sunroof and very competent climate control. Interior stowage isn’t over-generous but luggage for four was swallowed easily by the 1070mm x 1075mm load space. There’s also a substantial (but not lockable) secondary storage area below the floor.
All that aside, this particular Legacy concerns itself primarily with the driver. Witness how the centre console angles towards the hot seat, the neat, good-to-hold Momo wheel (adjustable for height but not reach) and the boy-racer drilled pedals, which someone thought were for scraping mud off your boots. The driving position is fine, the fancy electro-luminescent instruments work a treat and switchgear is largely sensible, right down to duplicate controls in the steering wheel for a whizzo sound system. Satnav’s standard along with front, side and rear airbags plus a top-line immobiliser.
Subaru’s raised its game over cabin design and materials, using a mix of charcoal soft-touch plastics and black leather to produce a relaxed, grown-up environment. But although the panelling’s fit and finish is excellent, there’s no real sense of luxury; away from the dash the interior is like a sober business suit.
Under the bonnet
The spec B’s performance is something of a shock. Savage acceleration in the lower gears only tails off in the highest two ratios, so it’s a real hoot to drive. Even four-up this Legacy is a serious overtaking tool.
Which is slightly odd, as you’d expect relatively lazy performance from a 3.0 motor. But the turbine-smooth flat six has been pepped up with fresh internals, new manifolding and variable valve lift, releasing 241hp and 219lbf ft and letting it sing to 7,000 revs.
A downside to the changes is a torque peak on the far side of 4000rpm, which limits sparkle until the motor gets into its stride. Consequently there’s more stirring of the gearstick than you might like. That would be OK if the box was as good as the engine, but the Impreza-derived six-speeder is too notchy for speed or pleasure – a particular bummer as you’re using it all the time.
The other slight negative is fuel use. Actually 25.5mpg isn”t bad given the performance on offer, but these days still hurts at the pumps.
Noise depends entirely on what’s under the wheels. Don’t blame the powertrain: that’s exceptionally quiet until worked hard, when its low-speed whisper hardens into a quietly furious howl. Skinny-sidewall 215/45R18 Bridgestones are the culprits, roaring and rumbling over concrete and broken bitumen. Yet overall the Legacy delivers very quiet travel.
Round the bends
The spec B Legacy doesn’t have the grin-generating capability of an Impreza; its too serious, long in the wheelbase and general-purpose for that. But it’s still a fine driver’s car – poised, responsive and very settled at speed, with more outright grip than most will use. Permanent 4wd and a limited-slip rear diff make for safe, speedy exits from junctions, while powering the a spec B out of long bends is a real pleasure. Body roll and squat are well contained, the brakes are very high on stopping power yet are able to serve up seamless low-speed halts from a firm pedal. The steering could be a tad swifter, but otherwise the dynamics are top class.
Endnote
A Legacy estate in spec B trim isn’t the sensible choice for vets and other country travellers – a 2.5i auto would save 3700, produce less CO2 and should be substantially more economical. But you’ll miss out on a lot of fun.