Subaru's iconic Legacy has been a staple on New Zealand roads in both sedan and wagon form for over three decades, but it looks like the shift to SUVs has killed the Kiwi favourite.
Poor Legacy sales compared to other models has led to the demise of the Legacy, with Subaru announcing that it's set to disappear from local showrooms next year.
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“No one can take away the credibility Legacy built for itself. Stable and sure-footed on the worst back country roads that New Zealand could throw at it and safe and reassuring on the wettest, slipperiest city intersection - Legacy has created its own legacy,” said Subaru New Zealand Managing Director Wallis Dumper.
“Subaru’s ‘Confidence in Motion’ catch phrase arose primarily from everyday Legacy drivers’ feedback to Japan’s engineers when they visited New Zealand in the early 2000s to learn why the brand was so readily accepted in Aotearoa.”
Subaru noted that just 64 Legacies were sold throughout 2019, compared to 1322 Outbacks. These falling sales figures over the ditch also means that Australia will be dropping the Legacy at the same time.
“Whilst the Toyota Corolla was top of the new car sales overall, Legacy was New Zealand’s number one selling used vehicle thanks to the massive imports ratio,” Dumper added.
“For Subaru in New Zealand this was important as we knew people loved the brand and the car. Legacy developed a bulletproof reputation, so it was a natural progression to guide customers from a used Legacy to a new Subaru, as time went on.”
The Legacy is the latest sedan to fall victim to the SUV shift, as Honda pulled the once-extremely-popular Accord from its local line-up just last year.