Page 45 - Layout 1

AUTO REVIEW

Nissan Altima, both the Camry and Accord fered on the Premium, but keyless entry with standard all-wheel drive that those com-
have nicer cabins. and ignition are available. petitors don’t even offer as options.

Legacies are offered with either a 175 HP Not surprisingly, standard and optional If you’re in the market for this kind of ve-
2.5 liter four-cylinder engine or the 3.6 liter equipment for the 3.6 Limited is similar to hicle, call Phil Hornbeak at 210-301-4367
six that pumps out a heftier 256 HP. Both that of the 2.5i Limited, with the addition of and take a look at the Subaru Legacy.
motors are naturally aspirated. My test car the bigger motor and xenon headlights.
came with the smaller engine, and there was Steve Schutz, MD, is a
sufficient power for everyday driving includ- Mid-size sedans may be fading compared board-certified gastroenterol-
ing passing or getting up to speed on the in- with crossovers, but they’re not dead yet, and ogist who lived in San Anto-
terstate. All Legacies are equipped with CVT Subaru seems determined to get a bigger nio in the 1990s when he was
automatic transmissions, which enthusiasts piece of this mainstream action. No, the stationed here in the U.S. Air
like as much as nails on a chalkboard but Legacy with its CVT transmission isn’t the Force. He has been writing auto reviews for San
everyday drivers don’t even notice. enthusiast’s choice, but the Legacy isn’t just Antonio Medicine since 1995.
another Camry or Accord, and it does come
Base 2.5i models, which cost around
$22,000, come surprisingly well equipped
with automatic headlights, rearview camera,
Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and
smartphone integration with Pandora and
Aha audio streaming. The 2.5i Premium
adds alloy wheels, heated exterior mirrors,
dual-zone climate control, eight-way power
driver seat, heated front seats, upgraded
gauges, a telematics system called “Starlink
Connected” (no, it can’t get you a star named
after your favorite dog), an upgraded audio
system with 7-inch touchscreen display, voice
commands, and internet-connected music,
news, and weather applications.

A selection of options that you can get
with the 2.5i Premium includes sunroof, sat-
nav, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear
cross-traffic and blind-spot warning protec-
tion, additional connected services, and
something that Subaru calls its EyeSight sys-
tem. EyeSight combines the adaptive cruise
control, lane departure warning, lane depar-
ture intervention, forward collision warn-
ing/mitigation, and brake intervention to
actively avoid a crash. Previously seen only
on luxury cars, it’s nice to see these life saving
technologies available on average price cars.

Upgrading to the 2.5i Limited trim gets
you bigger alloy wheels, a more pliant sus-
pension, leather seats, driver’s seat memory,
heated rear seats, power folding side mir-
rors, a blind spot warning system with rear
cross-traffic alert, and a 12-speaker Har-
man Kardon sound system. Optional
equipment is nearly identical to what’s of-

visit us at www.bcms.org 45