Subaru Legacy (1989 - 1993) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

If you've seen this Grandma-looking station wagon sitting in my driveway, you probably have thought, "Wow, who would drive that? I bet that thing doesn't go over 80 MPH." But what you may or may not have seen and or been with me in the car was, doing 115 MPH in and out of traffic on the highway, scared to death because you think I couldn't handle the car. 0-60 I'd say falls between 6-8 seconds. But come on now, a 2.2Liter Boxer Engine 4 cylinger, with only 147 HP, tugging a large enough station wagon body, well, it's actually pretty good. Low RPMs in this car was the key for burnouts and a quick get-away, sounding fast a high RPMs gave it a good head turner for the sound, but poor acceleration at those RPMs. Accel- 3 out of 5 Braking- 2 out of 5 handling- 2 out of 5 Build quality was awesome. Honestly, the body began rusting on the sides before the engine ever began to have a slight hiccup which it never did when I owned it. It had to be repaired mostly only because I beat the living hell out of it, ranging from burnouts to flying through corn-fields. Other than that, it would have stayed very sound if I didn't make it need repairs. Appearance- 3 out of 5 For 1993, its was a pretty sexy little station wagon. It was more expensive to own, seeing as how it being a Japanese car, needing premium gasoline, and being an imported vehicle, the cost for the parts were sky high...but, keep in mind, once it was fixed, it wouldn't need done again for probably another 20 years. Overall, a fun car to drive, but with needing premium gasoline and getting crappy fuel mileage, well, hope you have money for it.Aug 07, 2010

it needs some work but I wouldn't trade it for many other cars It has some mods giving it some better get up n go (I havn't lost to a single Neon yet or a single Honduh even ones with V-TACH), I've toped it out at 133mph, the 4wd is great, and I plan to do a turbo 2.5L motor swap eventually and with the parts list I'm including I should see a 450+hp wagon, she will be a total sleeper! Haters beware or you just may find yourself beat by a wagon!!!May 27, 2010

I'm the second owner on this car; I've had it for three years. It has 195000 miles on it, and I believe the head gaskets were replaced once. Surprisingly good acceleration for a four cylinder 2.2L (manual trans). It leaks oil from the valve covers and maybe elsewhere - about a quart every 3000 miles (it's probably burning some of that). Mileage is okay (24ish mixed city/hwy). I've had nothing but regular maintenance in the last three years, so I'm really pleased with it's durability. It's on the noisy side - you hear all the road noise plus assorted squeaks and rattles (it's 16 years old!) Other than a light out on the defrost button, all the interior components work great. It is comfortable and has plenty of room for hauling things when you put the back seat down. I was a little surprised and disappointed that with a baby-seat in the back, you need to move the front seat up almost all the way, and even the two skinniest people couldn't fit in the backseat next to it. So, it's a little short on people space. Appearance-wise, it is the opposite of sexy, but it's very practical. With good tires and brakes, I feel completely in control on wet pavement even up to 70 mph. It handles excellently in the snow, and is a lot of fun to throw through four wheel cookies. It even has pretty good ground clearance for driving on dirt roads on the mountain.Dec 03, 2009

Performance: Even as stock, has more than adequate performance to hault the family and the dog around. Build Quality: Very solid build. Appearance: Doesn't catch the eye. Nicely "stealthy". Cost of Ownership: Cheap'ish to run, but the ever present demon of "more power!" has it's effects on the wallet due to constant performance upgrades. Not very fuel thirsty either despite of the size and engine. Fun Factor: Lots. Power and all wheel drive. Unbeatable combination!Jun 19, 2009

It's fast, it holds the road and it's responsive. It's acceleration is good and it has good top-end, generally ready for a gear change at 2500rpm but letting you push to 3500 rpm if that gets your testosterone pumping. The brakes were surprisingly firm for such an old car but nevertheless needed replacement. The suspension was tweaked, replacing worn out struts, ball bearings and ball joints, the shock absorbers replaced and a new set of tyres with sport rims fitted. The steering column was replaced because of wear and tear to the previous one. The clutch plate and pressure plate were also replaced. An engine overhaul was done, the body repainted and the rear bumper replaced. The cpu that regulates fuel injection short-circuited on its first long drive and was replaced. The timing chain was readjusted, the spark plugs replaced and an overhaul of the engine done. All the electricals, except the radio, are in working order.It's roomy inside and with the right decor could be a serious cruisemobile. It lacked climbing power at first but this could have been attributed to a number of service issues that were quickly resolved. Fuel efficiency is decent for a make that's been traditionally associated with high fuel bills. Overall, a good drive!Aug 15, 2008

Got it cheap...Fixed it cheap...Modified it semi-cheap. This car handles, breaks, and even has pretty good acceleration for an EJ22. And while the engine light is pertinently ON, the problems that it has don't stop it from being insanely reliable! I have a good sound system (easy to install in Subarus) and a good alarm (w/ remote start) system, that has kept my sound system from being stolen a couple times. And don't even get me started about fun in the snow! (1-foot turning radius!)May 27, 2008

Subaru sure knows how to make a fine vehicle. I've got 156,300 miles on my '93 Legacy and it runs like its got 56,000. I've never had to anything but standard maintanence (oil change, air filter, spark plugs, timing belt...), and it has never left me stranded; even on my trip from Seattle to Los Angeles and back a month a go. The AWD is unstoppable and gets me up and down icy hills and to the mountain passes with no prob. Truly a legacy to be remembered...Apr 24, 2008

Summary: Best car ownwrship experience ever. After 7 years, 70,000 km I still get a "new car" ride. Very low maintenance and high satisfaction. Strengths: AWD, manual transmission provides 50/50 power to front and rear wheels. Fun to drive. Very reliable, few repairs. Shear driving excitement. Handles well in tight turns, nimble, solid. Weaknesses: none Mar 04, 2008

I bought this when I got rid of my Daytona, so anything seemed better. Had this car been properly maintained, I would still be driving it now and having a blast. Unfortunately, this was rust everywhere, not just on the body, which was in awful shape. After two years, the gas tank started leaking because of the rust in the gas filler pipe, and that's when I knew it was time to let her go. I still miss this car, but mostly because I only remember the good things about it.Feb 21, 2008