The all-new next generation Subaru Legacy has been revealed at the Chicago Motor Show. And ... well, it looks a lot like the current one.
Yes, despite the familiar looks, the Legacy before you is an all-new vehicle. The key differences lie in some of the dimensions. The new car has wider arches and a taller rear end, as well as a revised face; the former helping grow interior shoulder room, hip room, and rear leg-room.
Overseas markets get the choice of two power-trains; a 193kW/375Nm turbocharged 2.4-litre engine and a naturally aspirated 135kW/238Nm 2.5-litre. Both of which are four-cylinder 'boxer' engines, and both come hooked up to a Lineartronic CVT transmission.
The biggest talking point of the new Legacy however is how technically advanced it is; starting with the huge 11.6-inch screen in the dashboard.
Huge screens are one of the big talking points of contemporary car design these days. Does the screen get embedded into the dash layout? Do you just plonk it on top like an iPad hot-glued to a desk? Do you put every feature into it? Or do you keep things minimalistic?
It was Tesla who stepped things up with their Model S and its angled 17-inch display. It works exceptionally quickly, is crystal clear, and features a raft of weird Easter eggs. Ever since, other manufacturers have tried to emulate the look and feel.
The thing is that Tesla's ethos with screens isn't perfect, and this is showcased best in the Model 3. Almost every feature in the Model 3's cabin is buried inside its main screen, which means that accessing things like air conditioning settings almost certainly require drivers to avert their eyes from the road.
This is perhaps less of an issue in a Model 3 with 'Autopilot' engaged, but nonetheless it's a big hazard in any car with a similar screen and without the self-driving capabilities. I mention all of this because this new Legacy might have the best-integrated tablet of them all ... maybe even better than Tesla.
Satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, rear cameras, and in-car WiFi connectivity are among the big tablet's big features. But, the biggest story to us is that —unlike the aforementioned Model 3 and a host of other current screen-sins culprits — the Legacy's tablet also incorporates knobs and permanent space for air conditioning adjustment. Huzzah!
The air-conditioning and heated/cooled seat buttons at the base of the dash appear to be part of the screen, but are actually a separate panel. So while they're unlikely to be totally intuitive during use on the run, they will at least require no confusing menu crossing to access.
To the left and right of the screen are knobs for adjusting radio tuning and audio volume, plus additional buttons for increasing or decreasing air-con temperature. It's perfect (in theory); all the features that require attention on the run supported by buttons to ease accessibility, and everything else inside a large screen.
The big screen is standard in overseas Limited, Sport, and and Premium models, but expect to see it replaced with a more conventional set-up in lower-spec trims.
The rest of the cabin looks upmarket, with Nappa leather complemented by tasteful applications of contrasting black and silver paneling. An optional 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, a heated steering wheel, and optional ventilated seats help add to the luxury aesthetic.
And of course it wouldn't be a new Subaru without mention of safety. The new Legacy is said to be 70 per cent stiffer than the last in torsional rigidity and front suspension rigidity, with a body Subaru claims can absorb 40 per cent more energy in the case of a crash.
This structural nerdism is backed up by EyeSight Driver Assist, DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation, Reverse Automatic Braking, and a host of other safety features.
