Subaru Says Goodbye to the Legacy Sedan
Photo: Subaru
Like so many other sedans in recent years, the end of the road is almost here for the Subaru Legacy. The automaker recently announced that 2025 will be the final model year for this long-established midsize model, which first came out in 1989 and has since sold more than 1.3 million units.
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According to Subaru, the Legacy’s demise “reflects market shifts from passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers and Subaru’s transition to electrified and fully electric vehicles.” Essentially, Subaru believes that concentrating on SUVs and EVs is a more profitable alternative to offering sedans like the Legacy, which simply aren’t selling like they used to.
After taking a nosedive in 2010, the Legacy’s annual sales recovered up to a peak of 65,306 in 2016. However, they’ve experienced a steady decline ever since, all the way down to 22,605 in 2022. Although Legacy sales did reverse the negative trend and grow by 13% last year, that wasn’t enough for Subaru — especially now that sales are declining again in 2024.
Photo: Subaru
The Legacy has been around for seven generations, starting its life in two configurations: a sedan and a wagon (which eventually transformed into the Outback). The most recent generation arrived in 2022 and was refreshed in 2023.
Since 2025 will be the Legacy’s final model year, changes are likely to be minimal or nonexistent compared to the current version (and as of right now, it looks like the $24,895 price tag isn’t changing either). The 2024 Legacy is available in five trim levels, seats five passengers, and can fit 15.1 cubic feet of cargo in the trunk. It comes equipped with Subaru essentials like standard Symmetrical AWD, EyeSight safety tech, and Starlink multimedia features. The Legacy’s base 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer engine can achieve up to 35 mpg on the highway, while the turbo upgrade is rated for 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
For vehicle shoppers who want to snap one up before they’re gone, the 2025 Subaru Legacy is expected to go on sale sometime this spring.
A longtime editor/writer and recently transplanted Hoosier, Caleb Cook lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. See more articles by Caleb.