Subdriven | The Subaru Enthuisast Website

Any mention of Las Vegas instantly brings about thoughts of gambling, showgirls, and the ever-changing face of the Las Vegas Strip. Our visit, however, was for an entirely different purpose. We were there to get our chance to see what the highly anticipated 2005 Subaru Legacy and Outback had to offer, once off the autoshow floor and onto the road and track.

As the bus pulled into the infield of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the hot desert sun shone down upon a fleet of new 2005 Subaru Legacy GTs that were lined up at the infield road course. This was to be the first of the five events that Subaru had planned for us. After a quick introduction to the car we were introduced to the group of professional drivers that would be riding shotgun and instructing us on how to achieve the smoothest and fastest line on the course.

For the road course portion of the event Subaru gave us the option of driving the Legacy 2.5GT wagon and the sedan in both the automatic and 5-speed manual transmissions. All test mules were equipped with the the 17 x 7 aluminum alloy wheels and 215/45 R17 Bridgestone Potenza RE 92 all-season tires. The Legacy 2.5GT boasts a 250-hp turbocharged engine and a very respectable 250 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm. The first few laps I took were with the 5-speed manual and managed to keep it pretty smooth and not send my instructor into a panic or make him reach for the imaginary brake pedal on the passenger side. After a few more laps, I was much more comfortable and able to push the limits of both the car and the instructor. From trackside I was able to see how the car handled visually as several of the other drivers were actually able to get the back end to come completely loose into one of the faster transitions.

Unlike the WRX STi, this power and performance package is aimed at a much broader audience and does a great job of supplying the daily drive performance, while not alienating those cushy, comfy dash stroking, luxury folks. This combination comes at a cost to those people who want that next level of performance. The car offered good stable dynamics at normal speeds, but transitions were a little more hairy at a spirited pace due to the inherent body roll and the lack of grip from the RE92s. The engine in the 2005 Legacy/Outback also sits lower than the previous models, improving the center of gravity and lowering the hood line as well. A more aggressive driver would trade some of the smooth ride for better handling by putting on a set of performance street tires instead of the all-seasons.

The 5-speed automatic transmission brings with it a different Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive setup than the manual. Where the manual has a viscous-coupling locking center differential that splits the power 50/50 front to rear, the automatic uses Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) to continually adjust power front to rear depending on road and driving conditions. Like many of the sportier automatics these days, the Legacy and Outback can be put into a manual mode by moving the shifter into the Sportshift mode, where gears can then be selected by pushing the shifter up and down. Another set of gear selectors can be found on the steering wheel, and can actually be utilized at any time, regardless of whether or not the shifter is in the sportshift position. This allows you to quickly gear down and make a pass rather than just stepping on the gas and waiting for the computer to decide which gear it wants to use.

The interior quality of the previous Legacy has always been an obstacle keeping this car from achieving anything close to luxury car status. Well, Subaru has answered that issue and given this car some well deserved upgrades. All the controls are well placed and the 3-spoke, leather wrapped Momo steering wheel feels much more comfortable than the previous model when placing my hands in a lazy driving position.

The gauge console is presented in beautiful electro-luminescent white on black, with subtle red accents. The center stack starts off with a combination digital clock and trip computer. Just below that is the standard 6-disc in-dash CD changer that pushes its sound out through the 6 speakers. Next down the line would be the controls for the dual-zone climate control system that is accompanied by 4-stage front heated seats. Those seats were also firm and comfortable and reminded me of those found in a German luxury car.

Next on our tour, we were given a ride around the oval track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by one of the professional drivers Subaru had on hand that day. During this demonstration we reached speeds of over 120 mph and the cockpit was as quiet as it was at 40 or 50. Here again, though, the all-season RE-92s proved to be the greatest detriment to this car's performance potential. The rest of the car felt smooth and confident.

Our next stop took us to a fleet of Outbacks staged right next to an off-road obstacle course that unfortunately, would not be ready in time for us to tackle. Instead, we all climbed into our trusty mules for a trip into the desert where we would eventually be lead off the road and onto a dirt trail heading back into the hills. While not exactly the roughest terrain, it did give us a great demonstration of how the suspension and the nearly 9 inches of ground clearance helped the Outback handle the ruts and rocks as we clipped along the desert path.

With several engine and trim levels to choose from we chose the Outback 3.0L, 6-cylinder, VDC limited addition. This is the big boy of the whole Legacy line. While having the same 250-hp of the XT model, this naturally aspirated H6 gives power on demand to those who don’t want the bother of turbo lag. I should note that both the Legacy and the Outback can be had with the 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine on the 2.5i model. This however supplies a rather uninspired 168 hp.

The Outback XT offers the choice of the reinforced 5-speed manual transmission or 5-speed automatic with the Sportshift and steering wheel shift buttons. The 3.0 R model comes standard with the 5-speed automatic but only has the Sportshift handle, as the steering wheel contains audio system controls instead.

Overall, I think the new Outback takes Subaru to another level with a truly versatile vehicle that can put SUVs to shame with its all-road capability, car-like handling, and stunning new design. Not only is the wagon versatile, it's comfortable and beautiful while remaining a hallmark for Subaru's utilitarian design.

Subaru has appropriately answered many of the requests of both Subaru fanatics and consumer demands with this newly redesigned line-up. Not only has the new Legacy raised the bar for the midsize class, it has also raised the bar for the rest of the Subaru line of vehicles. I am excited to see where this new trend of class and power takes the other vehicles in Subaru’s repertoire.