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2010 Subaru Legacy scores 31mpg highway in EPA tests

 
5 2,628 views Jun 18, 2009
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2010 subaru legacy liberty 015

2010 subaru legacy liberty 007

2010 subaru legacy liberty 007

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Subaru has been curiously unaffected - or nearly so - by the tremors shaking the foundations of so many other carmakers' sales figures. And despite the 2010 Legacy's not-so-adorable face, it's developing its own following already. Today, that following will have a fairly tough pill to swallow with the release of the EPA's fuel economy figures.

It's not all bad news, as the Legacy 2.5i with CVT transmission manages 23mpg in the city, 31mpg on the highway and 26mpg combined, putting it solidly in the upper half of its class, especially considering the sedan's size, power, and AWD capability. In fact, Subaru says it's the most efficient 2010 mid-size AWD sedan in the U.S.

"We are thrilled that the all-new 2010 Legacy not only offers more space and a more rewarding drive than the competition, but it also delivers better fuel economy at a very competitive price," said Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and CMO of Subaru America.

But the sportier and more powerful 2.5GT and 3.6R versions offer significantly worse efficiency, ticking over 18mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway for 21mpg combined. That's only marginally better than some SUVs, and not very competitive in the Legacy's segment.

With real-world figures likely to fall somewhat below that mark for many drivers, it's an even darker picture. The only remaining model, the 2.5i with the six-speed manual transmission, does little to brighten the picture. Rated at 19mpg city, 27mpg highway and 22mpg combined, the manual is blown out of the water by the CVT.

All of that said, however, the 2010 Subaru Legacy is actually more fuel efficient than the preceding generation, so current owners have something to sweeten an upgrade.
2010 Subaru Legacy (Liberty)

HI-RES GALLERY: 2010 subaru legacy liberty 015




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Comments (5)

  1. ma_NC2010 avatar NC2010 Posted: 6/18/2009 3:01pm PDT

    "And despite the 2010 Legacy's not-so-adorable face, it's developing its own following already"

    Makes you wonder who buys these things. Is it some sort of perverse "my car is uglier than your car" sort of thing? Sure can't be to get the sound of the engine.
     
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  2. ma_Nelson avatar Nelson Posted: 6/18/2009 3:13pm PDT

    "And despite the 2010 Legacy's not-so-adorable face, it's developing its own following already"

    Makes you wonder who buys these things. Is it some sort of perverse "my car is uglier than your car" sort of thing? Sure can't be to get the sound of the engine.

    While I'm completely on your side of the fence (although the WRX/STI are so ugly they're almost cute) I have actually heard people say 1) they think the Legacy looks good and 2) they love the sound of a Subaru boxer.

    I can't say I'm particularly fond of either, though the new WRX does sound pretty mean with the exhaust dumped.
     
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  3. ma_Mike avatar Mike Posted: 6/18/2009 3:29pm PDT

    The new Legacy is the ugliest car Subaru has ever made. That includes the 360, at least the 360 is "cute". What's even worse is that the outgoing model was one of the best looking mid-size sedans ever produced by any company, that's what irks me.
     
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  4. ma_gazzed avatar gazzed Posted: 6/18/2009 4:46pm PDT

    To each his/hers own opinion... it's not a terrible car but when you compare this to the previous model this one will date easily.

    Subaru has definitely gone backwards.
     
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  5. ma_azlan avatar azlan Posted: 6/18/2009 6:07pm PDT

    im pretty sure the design team for subaru has been swapped with those of ssang yong..... well thats my theory...
     
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