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" Behemoth of the compact division or runt of the midsize class? The current-generation (2003\u20132009) straddles that dimensional fence and has the splinters to prove it. Yet for 2010 this 4-door, 5-passenger automotive iconoclast is moving up in size, leaving the card table in the corner to eat with the grown-ups \u2014 but not at the expense of its youthful handling nature.   The new Legacy retains the very essence of -ness \u2014 longitudinally mounted flat-4 and flat-6 engines and standard all-wheel drive \u2014 finessed into a high-tensile-steel unit body whose wheelbase has been stretched a full 3.2 in. to 108.3. Modest overhangs, however, keep the increase in overall length to just 1.4 in., although width is up by a whopping 3.6 in.; height, by 3.2 in. The upshot? An amazingly roomy rear seating area and a trunk that&amp;#039;ll hold four golf bags, helped further by a more compact double wishbone rear suspension that allows for a lower load floor.   Powertrains are a diverse lot, and show considerable tweaking. The base 170-bhp 2.5-liter sohc flat-4 is PZEV-certified and paired to a new optional Lineartronic CVT, the first such variable-ratio Subaru transmission offered in the U.S. since the Justy&amp;#039;s in the late 1980s. The standard transmission is a new 6-speed manual with a positive, though slightly notchy action. The 2.5GT models get the turbocharged 4-cam version of the boxer 2.5 conjoined only with the 6-speed manual. The turbo itself is larger and mounts low and forward of the engine, shortening the exhaust-flow path for a quicker spool-up and helping to lower the center of gravity. The charge cooler&amp;#039;s core is also 25 percent larger, and the changes allow for a 22-bhp bump (now 265 bhp) and a claimed 0\u201360 time of less than 6 seconds. The dohc flat-6, first introduced in the Tribeca, displaces a full 3.6 liters, makes 256 bhp and is paired exclusively with a 5-speed automatic. Both the flat-6 and non-turbo four make the quoted power on regular-grade fuel.   Driving the new Legacy is considerably more serene, as noise levels have dropped partly as a result of new framed side windows that are a break with tradition. The 3-spoke wheel now integrates controls for the sound system, etc., much more gracefully within its spokes. The center stack, looking a bit like a giant high-tech welding mask, has a nice simulated brushed aluminum finish and rows of control buttons that are simple, yet classy in their presentation. The manual handbrake goes away, yielding to a pushbutton electromechanical setup, but the handy Hill Holder system remains.   Dynamically, we could use a little more rebound damping over high-speed swells in the road, but Subaru has proven that supple suspension and relative nimbleness can harmoniously coexist. Turn-in feels a little sharper than before, likely the doing of a quicker 14.5:1 steering ratio adopted across the Legacy range. Stylistically, those big upturned &amp;quot;hawk eye&amp;quot; headlights take some getting used to, but the sporty bubble flares at all four corners do hint at the all-wheel-drive prowess.   Quieter, quicker, more sophisticated, far roomier and more fuel efficient, the Legacy is also something of a bargain...the base 6-speed 2.5i lists at just $19,995. That&amp;#039;s definitely a case of &amp;quot;more is less.&amp;quot; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a15073/2010-subaru-legacy-1/>