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Walk Around

The Subaru Legacy was completely restyled and re-engineered for the 2005 model year, and this fourth-generation has been updated slightly since. For 2008, it gets what we call a mid-cycle freshening. This is the same as keeping the classic blue blazer or little black skirt and changing the accessories that go with it, and accessories can really update an outfit.

Every evolution of the Legacy results in a sleeker profile, and the 2008 continues that process. While early Subarus and some recent Imprezas wore easily distinguished snouts the Legacy presents an angled-back grille with just enough chrome for highlights. A broad lower grille opening implies power, as does the sliver of hood scoop on turbocharged models.

Headlights employ projector low-beams and reflector high-beams, with the aluminum hood forming a lip above them that tapers into the front fenders. There's symmetry in the angles that form the sides of the upper and lower grilles, fog light housings, and sidelight markers.

All Legacy models use frameless door glass so there are no huge pillars to the front or sides. The rear quarter windows use a version of BMW's Hofmeister kink and viewed from the side, the rear end appears to be indented at a similar angle.

The rear view of the Legacy is perhaps its most distinctive. Dual chrome exhaust outlets and clear lenses for the signals aren't unique, but the wide low decklid and vertical reflectors in the rear bumper, as opposed to the typical horizontal setup, will make it much easier to spot in a parking lot full of ordinary sedans.

Since every Legacy comes with alloy wheels there are no cheesy-looking hubcaps to fall off at the first pothole, and many models have a chrome trim strip just below the door line. Visual appeal is one aspect, but, on light colored cars especially, this chrome should limit the shoe scuffing that eventually ends up underneath every driver door.

Although it is Subaru's largest sedan, the Legacy is not a big car. On average it's about a half-foot shorter, two or three inches narrower, and an inch or two lower than the Accord/Camry/Altima/Malibu group. We'll explain the benefits of this.