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2020 Subaru Legacy Review & Buying Guide | It's a sedan! And a good one

The 2020 Subaru Legacy is facing a very steep climb. Though redesigned and massively improved, it's still a sedan in an increasingly SUV world – and a sedan, no less, that has always struggled to attract shoppers away from the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Even within Subaru's own dealerships, it seems destined to gather dust while buyers gobble up the brand's four popular crossovers. But, who cares about popularity? The new Legacy is extremely good, benefiting from technological advancements and massive engineering upgrades for 2020 – including the welcome return of a turbocharged engine. It's better to drive, more comfortable, and easier to use, while maintaining its sterling safety reputation and standard all-wheel-drive system. Really, the Legacy has never been so appealing and competitive in the midsize sedan segment, even if its timing is a bit lousy. If you're among those happy to avoid the SUV trend, it is absolutely worth going against the grain. What's new for 2020? The Legacy is completely redesigned for 2020 – although it's a bit tough to tell by the styling. It adopts the same platform as other recently redesigned Subarus, most notably, the 2020 Outback that continues to be effectively a lifted Legacy wagon. Or, given their respective popularity, is the Legacy now a lowered Outback sedan? In any event, the two share virtually everything except their ride heights and trunk designs. That includes a substantially stiffer structure that contributes to improved handling, steering precision, ride comfort and safety; a mostly new base engine and the welcome return of a turbocharged four-cylinder as the engine upgrade; new accident avoidance tech; and an improved interior with nicer materials, a more attractive design and a massive 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen in most trim levels. What's the interior and in-car technology like? Like the exterior, the Legacy's interior isn't as eye-pleasing as those of many rivals, but it's also better than before. It boasts better materials, including padded and stitched simulated leather on most surfaces up front that contributes to a far more upmarket look and feel. The top-of-the-line Touring XT trim level, pictured here, gets pretty swanky with its Tan Nappa Leather, and we like that Subaru didn't feel the need to spread fake wood trim about to make it seem more luxurious.

Subaru WRX STI S209 brings wider body, 341 hp, gold wheels to Detroit

With the Subaru WRX STI S209, "S" finally comes to the United States. Subaru Tecnica International created the S201 in 2000, but this ninth take on the theme — inspired by the class-winning WRX STI Nurburgring Challenge racer — is the first to make it our way. Unlike the last special edition we got here, the Type RA, this one comes with a notable power boost: 341 horsepower instead of the 310 ponies in the regular WRX STI. The muscle comes courtesy of a larger compressor and turbine in the HKS turbocharger, and 1.8 pounds more boost pressure. Since the S209 is the most powerful in-house model STI has ever built, the tuning arm didn't stop there. The EJ25 boxer gets air from a new intake duct, induction box with conical air filter, and a silicone turbo inlet duct. Paddles on the steering wheel control a system that sprays water on the intercooler to reduce air temperature, a feature last seen on the WRX STI from the 2004 to 2007 model years. An old-fashioned six-speed manual controls the transmission.The engine gets its fuel from a high-flow fuel pump that feeds larger injectors. Torque hasn't changed from 290 pound-feet, but there's 10 percent more torque at 3,600 rpm. Airflow through the mufflers is 17 percent freer. The cans also are 4.1 pounds lighter and terminate in four-inch pipes. Subaru makes no mention of any other S209 weight loss, but the looks and the "focus on high-performance driving" should make themselves known. STI widened the front and rear track by 0.6 inches, and punched out fenders with aero-aiding canards make the car 1.7 inches wider. The roof and rear wing are made of carbon fiber. Instead of the 245/35 R19 wheels on the series WRX STI, the S209's forged BBS alloys wear 265/35 Dunlop GT600A summer tires, which we're told can handle max lateral grip beyond 1 G. Behind those wheels, six-piston monoblock Brembo calipers with high-friction pads clamp cross-drilled steel rotors in front, two-piston monoblock calipers in back. Stiffer coil springs wrap retuned Bilstein dampers, the suspension aided in its work by reinforced front crossmember and rear subframe, a longitudinally-flexible strut tower bar in front, flexible draw stiffeners front and back, and a 20-millimeter rear stabilizer bar. STI programmers recalibrated the SI-Drive system's three driving modes: Intelligent, Sport, and Sport Sharp.

Subaru's first hybrid drawing close

In 2011 Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries confirmed that a hybrid Subaru would debut this year. Ever since, there's been speculation about what kind of technology the gasoline-electric hybrid would use - Subaru's own or some version of the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive, which car would debut the new system - Forester, Legacy, or Outback - and whether it would come to America or be a Japan-only model.
A report in The Detroit Bureau says that whatever that first model is, it could be shown as soon as the New York Auto Show, and while the company feels it's a must-have offering for the Japanese market it will also come to the US. It will have a Subaru-developed mild hybrid system that could have been previewed by the Hybrid Tourer concept shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and is not expected to be able to drive on electric power alone. The Hybrid Tourer used a direct-injected, 2.0-liter boxer engine connected to a CVT and assisted by an electric motor rated at 13 horsepower. Subaru has yet to give anything away about the details of its hybrid plans, so we'll look to New York for the long-awaited unveil.