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- Subaru
- Legacy
- 2023
- Sport 4dr All-Wheel Drive Sedan
Retail Price
$33,895 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | 2.4L H-4 |
| MPG | 23 City / 31 Hwy |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | Lineartronic 8-spd CVT w/OD |
| Power | 260 @ 5600 rpm |
| Drivetrain | Subaru Symmetrical AWD all wheel |
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The 2023 Subaru Legacy is the only midsize sedan with all-wheel drive as standard, but still keeps prices competitive against front-drive rivals. Pricing starts at $24,395.
A minor update marks the arrival of the 2023 Legacy midsize sedan. The front end is tweaked, safety systems are improved, and the Sport trim finally receives the lineup’s turbocharged engine to actually make it more sporty.
Otherwise, the Legacy continues to be an all-wheel-drive [AWD] outlier. Some rivals don’t even have AWD on their options lists. The other usual Subaru virtues of toughness, reliability, and excellent results from crash-test programs are also present. This is a sedan for the many Subaru buyers living in areas where harsh winters are expected rather than surprising.
2023 Subaru Legacy Pricing
The 2023 Subaru Legacy starts at $24,395. The popular Premium trim begins at $26,695 and the top Touring XT model starts at $37,695. The Legacy is on the more affordable side of midsize sedans along with the Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, and Nissan Altima.
- Legacy Base: $24,395
- Legacy Premium: $26,695 | Most Popular
- Legacy Limited: $31,445
- Legacy Sport: $33,895
- Legacy Touring XT: $37,695
These are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices [MSRP] and don’t include the $1,020 factory-to-dealer delivery fee.
Before buying a Legacy, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. The Subaru Legacy’s resale value is about average for the segment.
What’s New?
The Subaru Legacy gets a facelift for 2023 that keeps it up to date with the design language of the Subaru brand. It’s a welcome improvement that gives the Legacy a bit more of a distinct appearance.
The Legacy also gets updates to its safety and infotainment tech features. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay now come with the 11.6-inch screen, while the EyeSight safety tech suite adds an electric brake booster and a wider field of view for cross-traffic alerts.
Finally, the Sport trim gets the turbocharged engine along with a revised appearance package.
Driving the 2023 Subaru Legacy
Steady and stable — that’s how the 2023 Legacy drives. Outward vision is good, and the simple, functional dashboard does nothing to distract the driver’s eyes.
Each version has active torque vectoring, where the standard all-wheel-drive system apportions power to whichever wheels can help the Legacy track through corners most efficiently. This helps keep the car stable and easy to drive while the AWD system does its work.
The base engine is the best buy for most drivers. In our experience, the performance is modest, and what it lacks in excitement it makes up for in efficiency.
Life behind the wheel perks up considerably with the 260-horsepower turbocharged engine found in the Limited XT and Touring XT. Now, it’s also in the more affordable Sport, complemented by this variant’s sport-tuned suspension.
Spacious Interior
Simple and spacious — that’s how the 2023 Legacy sedan’s cabin feels. Materials are of acceptable quality, the layout works from an ergonomic point of view, and road/wind noise gets nicely subdued.
The Sport trim has its own black/gray cloth upholstery with red stitching, plus aluminum alloy pedals. The top Touring XT comes with perforated, extra-soft Nappa leather seating surfaces.
We found the rear seats to be roomy and adult-friendly. The rear seats also split and fold in the time-honored 60/40 manner to add extra versatility to what is already a practical and spacious 15.1-cubic foot trunk with a wide opening.
Refreshed Exterior
A revised front end for 2023 brings new LED headlights, a larger grille, and a fresh fascia. This new front end gives the Legacy a more distinct look that makes it stand out a bit more in its class. The Sport version puts a red accent across the grille.
Our Favorite Features and Tech
All-wheel drive
Subaru and all-wheel drive go together like bacon and eggs,
shoes and socks, and Mick and Keith. It’s included on every Subaru save the BRZ sports coupe. It’s reassuring in bad weather and provides optimum traction in the dry.
11.6-inch infotainment system
This becomes standard in the Premium trim level, one up from the base model. It’s oriented vertically and makes the cabin feel cooly contemporary. Wireless Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto are added for 2023.
EyeSight driver assist technology
Subaru’s priority on safety comes through in the EyeSight safety tech suite. Standard EyeSight features include automatic emergency braking and steering, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, and automatic high beams.
Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio
The Limited and Touring XT models
feature a rich Harman Kardon premium audio system. This is a 576-watt system with 12 speakers and Clari-Fi technology for the clearest musical reproduction.
Exciting turbo engine
The turbo engine in the Sport and Touring XT makes the Legacy more exciting to drive. It’s rated at 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, which is a big improvement in performance over the base engine.
Nappa leather seats
The top Touring XT model is more luxurious
than you might expect for a Subaru sedan. It features supple Nappa leather seating that adds a premium feel to the Legacy while remaining a good value.
Engine & Transmission
Popular Engine
The most popular engine in the Legacy is a 4-cylinder “boxer” engine. Its performance is modest but adequate, and it returns good fuel economy. It’s mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission [CVT] and all-wheel drive comes standard.
2.5-liter 4-cylinder
182 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
176 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/35 mpg
Turbo Engine
The turbocharged 4-cylinder engine option brings a significant performance upgrade to the Legacy. It turns this Subaru into a more exciting sedan, especially if you get the Sport trim with its revised suspension system. It’s not as efficient as the base engine, but it still has reasonable fuel costs and doesn’t require premium gas.
Like the base engine, every turbocharged Legacy has a CVT transmission and all-wheel drive.
2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
260 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
277 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/31 mpg
More Legacy fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.
3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty
The Subaru Legacy is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. These warranties are typical for this class.
KBB Vehicle Review and Rating Methodology
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle [typically, around the 2-3 years mark] with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better [or worse] than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? [Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.]
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
More About How We Rate Vehicles