2020 Subaru Legacy and Outback stay affordable despite big updates
The Legacy starts under $24,000, while the Outback slides in under $28,000.
Earlier this year, Subaru rolled out major redesigns for two of its larger vehicles, the Legacy and Outback . Occasionally, changes this sweeping require jacking the price ever higher, but in Subaru's case, things stay nice and affordable. Let's take a look at each car individually.
2020 Subaru Legacy
The 2020 Subaru Legacy starts at $23,645, which includes the mandatory destination charge, a bump of just $200 over the outgoing generation. Standard equipment includes a dual 7.0-inch screen layout, with an infotainment system and audio controls above a second screen that covers the climate control and vehicle systems. Apple CarPlay , Android Auto and satellite radio are all standard.
The base engine is a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is standard -- it's a Subaru, of course -- as is a continuously variable transmission with standard stop-start functionality.
The next trim up is the Legacy Premium, which will set you back $25,895 including destination. This adds heated seats, heated side mirrors and a windshield wiper deicer, in addition to dual-zone automatic climate control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It also upgrades the infotainment system to a single 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen that combines all the features of the dual-screen layout on the base trim.
If you're after some more stylistic changes, the $27,845 Legacy Sport might cure what ails you. It sports 18-inch black wheels and different looks for the grille, rocker trim and trunk spoiler. It also gets a two-tone cloth interior with red stitching, carbon fiber-look trim and red stitching on the steering wheel.
At the top of the 2.5-liter range is the $30,645 Legacy Limited, which adds leather-trimmed upholstery, heated rear seats, second-row HVAC vents, a power front passenger seat, keyless entry, reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring.
If you want some more oomph, there are two trims available with a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-flour that makes 260 horsepower. The $35,095 Legacy Limited XT adds embedded navigation, a moonroof, a heated steering wheel, insulated front glass and a driver-monitoring system. Above that, the $36,795 Legacy Touring XT includes Nappa leather and a front-facing camera.
2020 Subaru Outback
While there might not be many feature-level differences between the Legacy's and Outback's trims, there are a few notable differences with the 2020 Subaru Outback.
Here's the lowdown on the similar stuff: The 2020 Outback's base trim starts at $27,655, a bump of just $300 over the last generation. The Outback Premium will run you $29,905, while the $34,455 Outback Limited offers fancier treatments in exchange for more cash. There are XT trims available, too: The Outback Limited XT will cost $38,755, while the Outback Touring XT rings in at $40,705. All those prices include destination.
In terms of differences that set the Outback apart, there's a non-XT Touring trim that costs $38,355 and includes all the good, fancy bits of the Touring trim, just without the more expensive (and more powerful) 2.4-liter turbo H4 engine.
You'll notice that there isn't a Sport trim for the Outback. Instead, there's an Outback Onyx Edition XT trim. Not only does it pack the more potent engine, it adds black-finshed alloy wheels and badges, in addition to a gray two-tone interior that uses a water-repellant material called StarTex. The Onyx Edition also sports a power rear tailgate, a full-size spare tire and Dual-Mode X-Mode, which Subaru claims is for "increased capability in a wider range of environmental conditions."
Both the 2020 Legacy and the 2020 Outback will go on sale this fall, and both are built at Subaru's facility in Indiana.
