This generation of Subarus till the 2009 model year is pretty much the last of bunch of vehicles they made that had a "Subaru" character. After that, they all looked like Camrys and Accords.
@@damilolaakanni I still have my 2008 Legacy. If I open all the doors with the windows rolled all the way down it looks so bazaar, especially the rear doors. Except for the Tesla I think I have the last sedan ever made that had frameless windows.
@@damilolaakanni I think it looks sleek, each to their own! The model after this one looks like a Ford Fusion or Hyundai Sonata unfortunately. Trapezoidal grilles were the style at the time.
Shout-out to the owner who let you review their car. What a nice, unmodified, daily driver example. Also in the review it mentioned that a low mileage one of these would be a no-brainer for a daily. Well about that.... There is something like 1500 2005 Legacy 2.5GT 5 speed manual wagons produced. The majority you will find will be auto, and then the actual 5 speed wagons you find will be heavily modified, or 200k + miles and beat. I should specify, don't even bother looking for one if you don't live in a Subaru state like Oregon, Colorado, Maine, etc... or look there lol. Prepare to buy a used example that is high mileage / modified. Hope you have the money for an spare engine. That's why the car in the video is nice. Running driving, not a hoopty, bone stock. Hard to find these in this shape, and these command a premium in manual if you can find one.
Did you get the 3.0R with the Aisin (STi) 6-speed in the US? That's my pick, given I prefer NA and it has the better gearbox. Fantastic sound from the flat-six and it's pretty peppy too!
@@TassieLorenzo we never got the flat 6 paired with a manual in the states. Our Legacy 2.5GT Spec B would end up getting a 6 speed transmission (No DCCD, longer 6th gear vs like a 2006 STI transmission), but this was with the EJ255 offering.
@@aenoymotors Ironically I made a typo, I already have a 5MT 2005 Forester 2.5XT, had no plans of purchasing this car at the time, and I am currently at my maximum car limit of 2 cars. Should specify, had it at the time I made my original comment. If I were to buy another 3rd car un-announced well, I don't want that to happen, as I have already done it 2 times. 3rd times the charm...
I love this thing... I really don't want to sell it. It cruises along happily at three digit speeds all day long. But if anyone would want it I would let it go for $4000. We just did the timing service with OEM parts so it's ready to go!
I didn't have one of these, but I did drive a bug eye wrx from April 2008 to December 2023. Pretty much loved everyday. So much so that after she rusted out, I waited 8 months and them bought a 2004 wrx with mods. It's great for a 20 year old car.
Beautiful car. I really want one. I still have my old 05 Legacy sedan with an automatic, and it was a solid car. It's only been relegated to secondary status because it has over 300k miles on it. I lust over the turbo wagons though, and if I find one for the right price, I may well buy one.
picking up a rust free silver 2006 legacy GT 2.5 manual sedan with black interior with grey door accents test drove it on the weekend that thing is such a beast! its mine in november!
The 4th gen Legacy is my favorite car from Subaru. You can have a turbo all wheel drive manual wagon. You could also get a naturally aspirated four or the rare 3.0 flat six that made 240 HP and reved to 7 grand. Very cool!
I had this exact car in sedan form (including manual tranny). Traded my 2002 bug eye WRX thinking I was upgrading. Just my experience, but this car didn’t have the same soul as the ‘02 WRX. Unfortunately, I regretted the trade, but the Legacy GT was nice in its own right (except for slipping clutch when trying to drive it like a WRX 😂)
I had a bugeye as well and just couldn't part with it. Got really close to trading it for a Mazda RX8, which was definitely a cool car, but just couldn't pull the trigger.
I’ve owned 7 legacies and outback’s of this gen, auto, manual, turbo, na and h6. They’re amazing and I have a hard time finding a better do everything vehicle
This is one of my favourite cars from the 2000’s too! I heard the manual wagons were only made for one year, all other wagons i’ve seen were automatic.
My next door neighbor bought a black one brand new in ‘05 and he mentioned some acceleration metric that was quicker than a 911 of the time. Idk if that was true, but the car was sharp looking. He also had a Range Rover classic, International Scout, Audi 5000, and a couple of Volvo P1800s. This was the only car of his that I didn’t think was junk.
They are more luxury-orientated with the leather seats and so on. I don't recall if they have wider gear ratios, but the stock suspension (even the SpecB Bilstein) is quite a bit softer? If you are a keen driver who enjoys your canyon roads and hillclimbs/autocross, I think the STi is still the pick (out of the box at least).
I love those vacuum fluorescent displays in the radio and climate control and the clock. I hate that more and more cars are going to LED screens like in the odometer. They don't look as elegant.
There's just something about a sporty wagon/hatchback. I've been shopping around for a nice used wagon/hatchback to replace my 05 Mazda 3 5 speed manual hatchback, which is pushing 250k miles and I think I'm going with a 09-12 Hyundai Elantra Touring with a 5 speed manual.
This is nice car and yet I've been seeing newer ones on the road and I've driven a 2008 model with a 4 cylinder and a CVT and it was holding up very well, and I thought it wasn't because of the CVT Transmission, I was wrong lol...
This generation, 2005-2009, did not have a CVT. They had the 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto and 5-speed auto. There was no way you had a 2008 with a CVT, as they weren't out yet. The 2010 on up did.
I had an 09 legacy gt, absolutely loved everything about her, ended up trading her into the dealership I was working at at the time because I was starved for cash, and they just tore it apart to get off the factory options I had added to it, (factory sub, spoiler, strut tower brace, 6 change radio) other mechanics had no idea why they were having to tear the stuff off, and they were told they'd get fired if they didn't, the only thing we could think of was that the manager was making them do it because he hated my guts and I ended up getting good value on selling it
Edit: the NA engines (EJ253) are the ones that created the head gasket meme with their single layer head gaskets. Turbo Subaru engines (EJ255/EJ257) failed for other reasons, namely tuners pushing too much power through stock parts. The turbo engines came with dual layer head gaskets that were a lot more durable than the single layer ones used in their naturally aspirated engines. You can put the turbo head gaskets into the NA engines, and you'll never have to worry about head gaskets again. I'd know, I loved my 2006 legacy base model so much, I bought another one when New England rust killed the first one
The problem with Subaru turbo engines is the EJ25, isn't it? The headgasket is much less supported than in the EJ20 due to the bigger bore (i.e., it's the same block just with thinner cylinder walls), plus the bigger bore creates some of the detonation problems since the flamefront has to travel further meaning it needs more ignition advance to run right. I think the EJ20 in the JDM WRX and STi holds up better (plus it has a 8000rpm redline which is neat! not that it makes power up to there).
@TassieLorenzo No, the turbo EJ255/7 do not have failing headgasket issues any more than the EJ205/7 which is near zero until you lift a head from running a crap ton of extra power/pressure through the combustion chamber. They do however have ringland failure issues that the 2.0 engines do not regularly have.
Probably 20 mpg or so on average if you daily it. I average 22 in my 2010 Forester XT (same engine, slightly heavier, taller car) day to day, can hit 26-27 on longer trips.
This generation of Subarus till the 2009 model year is pretty much the last of bunch of vehicles they made that had a "Subaru" character. After that, they all looked like Camrys and Accords.
And went downhill overall
Compared to the Camry and Accord (especially after 2009), these looked boring.
@@damilolaakanni I still have my 2008 Legacy. If I open all the doors with the windows rolled all the way down it looks so bazaar, especially the rear doors. Except for the Tesla I think I have the last sedan ever made that had frameless windows.
@@damilolaakanni I think it looks sleek, each to their own! The model after this one looks like a Ford Fusion or Hyundai Sonata unfortunately. Trapezoidal grilles were the style at the time.
Excluding the BRZ and STI
Shout-out to the owner who let you review their car. What a nice, unmodified, daily driver example.
Also in the review it mentioned that a low mileage one of these would be a no-brainer for a daily. Well about that.... There is something like 1500 2005 Legacy 2.5GT 5 speed manual wagons produced. The majority you will find will be auto, and then the actual 5 speed wagons you find will be heavily modified, or 200k + miles and beat. I should specify, don't even bother looking for one if you don't live in a Subaru state like Oregon, Colorado, Maine, etc... or look there lol. Prepare to buy a used example that is high mileage / modified. Hope you have the money for an spare engine.
That's why the car in the video is nice. Running driving, not a hoopty, bone stock. Hard to find these in this shape, and these command a premium in manual if you can find one.
Did you get the 3.0R with the Aisin (STi) 6-speed in the US? That's my pick, given I prefer NA and it has the better gearbox. Fantastic sound from the flat-six and it's pretty peppy too!
Hey, the one in the video is currently for sale!
@@TassieLorenzo we never got the flat 6 paired with a manual in the states. Our Legacy 2.5GT Spec B would end up getting a 6 speed transmission (No DCCD, longer 6th gear vs like a 2006 STI transmission), but this was with the EJ255 offering.
@@aenoymotors Ironically I made a typo, I already have a 5MT 2005 Forester 2.5XT, had no plans of purchasing this car at the time, and I am currently at my maximum car limit of 2 cars. Should specify, had it at the time I made my original comment. If I were to buy another 3rd car un-announced well, I don't want that to happen, as I have already done it 2 times. 3rd times the charm...
I love this thing... I really don't want to sell it. It cruises along happily at three digit speeds all day long. But if anyone would want it I would let it go for $4000. We just did the timing service with OEM parts so it's ready to go!
In the UK we didnt get the Turbo but we did get a 241hp 3.0 boxer 6cylinder with either manual or auto and in SpecB trim
Zack, Wagons are always welcome. Hopefully Subaru will bring their Levorg to this market some day.
I didn't have one of these, but I did drive a bug eye wrx from April 2008 to December 2023. Pretty much loved everyday. So much so that after she rusted out, I waited 8 months and them bought a 2004 wrx with mods. It's great for a 20 year old car.
Sweet ride. Besides the stick, seems to have the even more rare option of power-operated doors. 2:48
It's good looking too (for a wagon).
I've always loved the looks of this generation.
I really miss when Mom/Dad-mobiles could double as an enthusiast car. I love older Subarus so much 😌
2006, same color, automatic, owned 12 years and sold. Great car, loved it. Nothing like it on the market now, went to a Type R, same cargo space!
Beautiful car. I really want one. I still have my old 05 Legacy sedan with an automatic, and it was a solid car. It's only been relegated to secondary status because it has over 300k miles on it. I lust over the turbo wagons though, and if I find one for the right price, I may well buy one.
Absolutely loved my 05 LGT sedan with a stick.
picking up a rust free silver 2006 legacy GT 2.5 manual sedan with black interior with grey door accents test drove it on the weekend that thing is such a beast! its mine in november!
I never understood the point of frameless windows. Zack, thank you for explaining their use!
You will be the first to review my Forester once I get it rebuilt titled, unless you have already reviewed a 2004-2005 5MT FXT in the mean time.
The 4th gen Legacy is my favorite car from Subaru. You can have a turbo all wheel drive manual wagon. You could also get a naturally aspirated four or the rare 3.0 flat six that made 240 HP and reved to 7 grand. Very cool!
This is literally peak Subaru
I couldn't have been more proud to own one of these as a daily driver than when it passed the "Big Friggin' Bottle Test"
Zack, the Jack Black of car reviews :)
No way, jack black isn't half as cool as Zack
I had this exact car in sedan form (including manual tranny). Traded my 2002 bug eye WRX thinking I was upgrading. Just my experience, but this car didn’t have the same soul as the ‘02 WRX. Unfortunately, I regretted the trade, but the Legacy GT was nice in its own right (except for slipping clutch when trying to drive it like a WRX 😂)
I had a bugeye as well and just couldn't part with it. Got really close to trading it for a Mazda RX8, which was definitely a cool car, but just couldn't pull the trigger.
I’ve owned 7 legacies and outback’s of this gen, auto, manual, turbo, na and h6. They’re amazing and I have a hard time finding a better do everything vehicle
This is one of my favourite cars from the 2000’s too! I heard the manual wagons were only made for one year, all other wagons i’ve seen were automatic.
Zack is getting close to California!!!!!
I miss my 70's and 80's Subarus, Brats, GL's, Justys, those strange emblems that flipped open to a fog light...
i drive a loyale wagon
I miss my LGT
Would love another one
04:30 BIG FRIGGIN BOTTLE YAY!!! 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
You make me fall in love with it! ❤
What a gem!
My next door neighbor bought a black one brand new in ‘05 and he mentioned some acceleration metric that was quicker than a 911 of the time. Idk if that was true, but the car was sharp looking. He also had a Range Rover classic, International Scout, Audi 5000, and a couple of Volvo P1800s. This was the only car of his that I didn’t think was junk.
Most perfect car I’ve seen yet.
Wagons are not mum cars. Stupid SUVs are. Also knobs are interchangeable you have have it the same as STi.
I want one and I would drive it forever
Legacies are underrated, you can get just as much Subaru as you need for much less than an STI.
They are more luxury-orientated with the leather seats and so on. I don't recall if they have wider gear ratios, but the stock suspension (even the SpecB Bilstein) is quite a bit softer? If you are a keen driver who enjoys your canyon roads and hillclimbs/autocross, I think the STi is still the pick (out of the box at least).
Don't worry about poaching the subreddit name, you've probably literally reviewed and photographed more cars now than anyone posting there! Ever!
Now I want one of these. It’s perfect for my Dog Mom life.
I love those vacuum fluorescent displays in the radio and climate control and the clock. I hate that more and more cars are going to LED screens like in the odometer. They don't look as elegant.
There's just something about a sporty wagon/hatchback.
I've been shopping around for a nice used wagon/hatchback to replace my 05 Mazda 3 5 speed manual hatchback, which is pushing 250k miles and I think I'm going with a 09-12 Hyundai Elantra Touring with a 5 speed manual.
friend of mine bought one. turbo went, didnt have it long
No,no, bad Subaru. Manual transmissions are devil's tools. Must spread the superiority of the automatic transmission. (This is total sarcasm.)
Gotta keep those prices down lol
I’m just surprised that car passed the big freaking bottle test
This is nice car and yet I've been seeing newer ones on the road and I've driven a 2008 model with a 4 cylinder and a CVT and it was holding up very well, and I thought it wasn't because of the CVT Transmission, I was wrong lol...
This generation, 2005-2009, did not have a CVT. They had the 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto and 5-speed auto. There was no way you had a 2008 with a CVT, as they weren't out yet. The 2010 on up did.
These are sweet
Loved the car when I had it, but not the cost. Two warped heads and a blown turbo by 120k miles. I got to know my Subaru service rep. way to well 😞
You must have had a coolant leak in there somewhere
I had an 09 legacy gt, absolutely loved everything about her, ended up trading her into the dealership I was working at at the time because I was starved for cash, and they just tore it apart to get off the factory options I had added to it, (factory sub, spoiler, strut tower brace, 6 change radio) other mechanics had no idea why they were having to tear the stuff off, and they were told they'd get fired if they didn't, the only thing we could think of was that the manager was making them do it because he hated my guts and I ended up getting good value on selling it
I HAVE THE SAME CAR!!! (Different color though, a rare one)
I am so so so so so so mad I passed on a silver om black leather back in the day.
80k miles and kid wanted 8k.... fml
Carjacking proof
That seems to be the case only in North America. In several other countries, there are many more theives who can drive a manual transmission car.
@@damilolaakanni it happens often in Russia yeah
Shifter has ED
I seen one of these in traffic and I was wondering if they were actually worth something
For failing headgaskets? Could be
Edit: the NA engines (EJ253) are the ones that created the head gasket meme with their single layer head gaskets. Turbo Subaru engines (EJ255/EJ257) failed for other reasons, namely tuners pushing too much power through stock parts.
The turbo engines came with dual layer head gaskets that were a lot more durable than the single layer ones used in their naturally aspirated engines. You can put the turbo head gaskets into the NA engines, and you'll never have to worry about head gaskets again. I'd know, I loved my 2006 legacy base model so much, I bought another one when New England rust killed the first one
The problem with Subaru turbo engines is the EJ25, isn't it? The headgasket is much less supported than in the EJ20 due to the bigger bore (i.e., it's the same block just with thinner cylinder walls), plus the bigger bore creates some of the detonation problems since the flamefront has to travel further meaning it needs more ignition advance to run right. I think the EJ20 in the JDM WRX and STi holds up better (plus it has a 8000rpm redline which is neat! not that it makes power up to there).
@TassieLorenzo No, the turbo EJ255/7 do not have failing headgasket issues any more than the EJ205/7 which is near zero until you lift a head from running a crap ton of extra power/pressure through the combustion chamber.
They do however have ringland failure issues that the 2.0 engines do not regularly have.
Not even close to the best of the 2000's but a cool car in it's own right.
Hood scoop!
Dohc vtec never losers
Good on gas?
Probably 20 mpg or so on average if you daily it. I average 22 in my 2010 Forester XT (same engine, slightly heavier, taller car) day to day, can hit 26-27 on longer trips.
Idk why it irks me every video seeing Zach getting the back through the driver side. It’s so annoying
Good cars, pretty quick, stubborn clutch, interior bits are all creaky, expect rust. Favorite Subie besides the STi
69th like!
It's ugly lol
All subarus are ugly and still fun to rip around