Subaru Legacy Model Years and History

The Subaru Legacy carries over with minimal changes for 2025.

The Subaru Legacy carries over with minimal changes for 2024.

The Subaru Legacy gets a refreshed exterior for 2023 but otherwise carries over with minimal changes.

The Subaru Legacy rolls into 2022 with minimal changes.

There are only 3 changes on the Subaru Legacy as it moves into 2021, adaptive headlights are now standard while a rear seat warning feature has been added and a passenger seatbelt warning.

The Subaru Legacy gets a full redesign for the 2020 model year, making this year's model the seventh generation of Subaru Legacy in the United States. The new styling looks a bit smoother and less busy, but shares similar proportions to last year's car. Underneath the skin, the new Legacy rides on a much stiffer chassis than last year. A stiffer body shell makes for a stronger, safer car but it also offers allows for more responsive handling as well as a smoother ride.

Following a subtle facelift last year, the 2019 Subaru Legacy receives just a few updates. Most notable is the inclusion of Subaru's EyeSight Driver safety suite, which is standard across the entire Legacy lineup. The system includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. A 5-inch LCD instrument display is also standard on all models, while an auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass and HomeLink is standard on select trims.

Subaru have given the Legacy a subtle face lift for 2018. The front and rear fascias have been given a refresh with new headlights in the front and relocated tailpipes in the back. The interior of the car has been given a refresh as well with more premium materials, more multimedia capabilities and a smoother, quieter ride.

For 2017, Subaru adds a new Sport trim to the Legacy lineup. It is powered by the same 2.5L flat-four found across the range and slots in beneath the Legacy Limited trim.

After a full redesign last year, the Subaru Legacy is mostly unchanged for 2016. Minor tweaks have been made to the steering to improve feel, while windshield wipers and headlights are now automatic across all trim levels. A few new safety features have been introduced as well this year. A lane-keep assist feature has been added to the EyeSight system, while a new STARLINK safety and security package is offered in one of two flavors. The STARLINK package includes items like SOS emergency assistance, automatic collision notifications and, with STARLINK plus, a vehicle locator.

The Subaru Legacy is redesigned for 2015. Most notably on the outside, the A-pillar base has been moved forward two inches, creating a more raked windshield, with a sleeker, more coupe-like profile overall, which translates to a 10-percent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. Inside, the Legacy now offers increased interior room and trunk capacity and features the largest interior passenger volume in its class. All powerplants carry over but have been tweaked to offer improved power and fuel efficiency, while the optional 5- and 6-speed manual transmissions have been discontinued, leaving only the Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) to put power to the wheels in all models.

The Subaru Legacy enters 2014 with very few changes. An all-weather package which includes heated seats and mirrors, is now standard on 2.5i Premium models. All Premium models now include a Display type audio system with a 4.3-inch screen while the EyeSight driver assist system is now also an option on Premium models.

The Subaru Legacy has been given numerous tweaks for 2013, resulting in a more complete package. The major mechanical difference is a new generation of 4-cylinder engines, resulting in more power and better fuel economy, but suspension settings have also been revised and the available CVT transmission is improved from last years model. The styling of the car is also changed. New front headlights compliment a new grill and front bumper which combine to give the car a sportier look. More options are available to buyers, the most important of which is the EyeSight driver assistance system. EyeSight integrates adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and vehicle lane departure warning into one package. Trim levels have been significantly simplified for 2013. Subaru now offers three basic trim models, Base, Premium and Limited, meaning that the 2.5GT is no longer offered in 2013 and that Subaru has cut the turbocharged engine out of the lineup entirely.

The 2012 Subaru Legacy is mostly the same as the outgoing model year, but it did get a trim reshuffle, and some tweaking to the standard equipment list. The base 2.5i gets steering-wheel mounted audio controls and an available Alloy Wheel Package that includes fog lamps, heated front seats and heated mirrors. Azurite Blue Pearl and Steel Silver Metallic paints have been dropped, but Deep Indigo Pearl and Ice Silver Metallic have been added. The 2.5i Premium gets an upgraded stereo that now offers an audio input jack, a USB port, iPod control capability, Bluetooth and Sirius/XM satellite radio capability. The 2.5i Limited gets standard fog lamps.

Following a complete redesign in 2010, the Subaru Legacy returns for 2011 with few changes. Biggest among them is that in the middle of the range, the 2.5GT Premium has been dropped. With a modest bump in price, that car has gained several standard features, such as a moonroof, fog lights, satellite radio and various interior appearance enhancements.

The Subaru Legacy has been completely redesigned for 2010, now offering eight trims and three new powertrains. All Legacies are built on an all-new platform with a longer wheelbase and increased width. The exterior design is considered to be bolder, featuring a more upright grille, more-pronounced Subaru badging and hawk-eye headlamps. Character lines arc from the grille and form power bulges on the hood, tapering off into the A-pillar. With a longer wheelbase (108.3 inches) and just a 1.4 inch increase in overall length (to186.4 inches), interior space has increased, allowing for up to four more inches of leg room per passenger and total passenger room of 103 cu. ft., one of the best in its class. New double wishbone rear suspension helps deliver a smoother yet responsive ride. Inside, a new standard electronic parking brake with Hill Holder eliminates the parking brake in center console, creating a clean cockpit-like dash, accented by a new 3-spoke sporty steering wheel.

The 2009 Legacy gets a few upgrades, such as standard electronic stability control and a 9-speaker stereo on all models but the base-level 2.5i. Two new trim levels are available: the 2.5i Special Edition, which replaces the Premium model; and the 3.0 R, a more affordable alternative to the 3.0 R Limited but with the same 245-hp 6-cylinder engine.

All Subaru Legacy models are now sedans for 2008; in order to get the wagon body style it's now sold under the Outback name. A new six-cylinder model of the Legacy, the 3.0 R Limited, is available for the first time for 2008. All Legacy models feature new front and rear styling, with a larger grille, new front and rear bumper fascias, and new headlights and taillights. Inside, the instrument panel has been redesigned, and new fabrics are used throughout. A tilt/telescopic steering column is now standard on all models, as is remote keyless entry, and the premium models in the range now offer a redesigned steering wheel with integrated controls for audio, cruise control, the information display, and SI-Drive. On six-cylinder and turbo models, the five-speed automatic transmission has been recalibrated for better response and performance, and across the line the rear suspension has been retuned for better ride comfort. Also, electronic stability control is now more widely available in the model line, and all models are pre-wired for either XM or Sirius satellite radio.

The performance-oriented Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B, which was offered as a limited-edition model for 2006, becomes a regular model for 2007. The spec.B, along with GT Limited models, gets a new Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system that allows three levels of engine performance. Other performance equipment is now standard as well. There are also a number of smaller equipment changes to the lineup. All Legacy sedans now get the 60/40 split-fold rear seat with trunk pass-through, automatic-transmission Legacys now come pre-wired for remote engine start, and all models with cloth seat fabric get a revised material. Limited and spec.B models get a new audio system with an auxiliary input and XM satellite radio compatibility; GT Limited models get a new wheel design; and GT models get a new gauge cluster with ECO gauge and upshift light for cars with manual transmission.

The performance-oriented Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B, which was offered as a limited-edition model for 2006, becomes a regular model for 2007. The spec.B, along with GT Limited models, gets a new Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system that allows three levels of engine performance. Other performance equipment is now standard as well. There are also a number of smaller equipment changes to the lineup. All Legacy sedans now get the 60/40 split-fold rear seat with trunk pass-through, automatic-transmission Legacys now come pre-wired for remote engine start, and all models with cloth seat fabric get a revised material. Limited and spec.B models get a new audio system with an auxiliary input and XM satellite radio compatibility; GT Limited models get a new wheel design; and GT models get a new gauge cluster with ECO gauge and upshift light for cars with manual transmission.