Category: Large Family 
Price Range: £20,400 to £27,400
Unusual, distinctive, tough and durable, utterly useful and practical yet sporting to drive, should be excellent value for money
Too idiosyncratic for some?
A car for those not drawn to the obvious choices, the thinking person's option.
Subarus have never been the most fuel-efficient, four-wheel-drive cars usually being thirstier, and owners often struggle to get anywhere near the quoted mpg figures in real-life driving.
However, the Legacy's consumption is said to be comparable to that of similarly-powered two-wheel drive rivals, helped by the weight reductions and improved aerodynamics.
Exhaust emissions have also been much-reduced - a boon for company car tax-payers - with Subaru keen to point out that the petrol 2.0 Legacy Sport Tourer (estate) model is actually rated better than the diesel Passat 1.9 TDI PD (130bhp) 4MOTION estate, also four-wheel drive.
It's cheaper to run than the 2.0i Accord Tourer, too. The diesel returns up to 49.6mpg, depending on bodystyle/trim, and emits 151g/km of carbon dioxide.
Depreciation (loss in value) is stemmed by the high demand for, and low supply of, second-hand Subarus. Insurance ratings have also been improved, thanks to good security measures, though if things do go wrong (out of warranty) then repairs can be very expensive.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Subaru Legacy
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