The 2009 Subaru Legacy is luxurious, comfortable

What you need to know:

The Legacy manages to provide a comfortable ride. It also offers an impressive array of creature comforts, and the wide range of available trim levels ensures that most drivers will find it to their liking

The first thing you will notice about the Legacy is that it is a fairly striking car. Unlike owners of some notable competitors, you are not likely to lose track of this sleek sedan in a crowded parking lot. Hop inside and the inspired styling continues, as the Legacy sports the most visually interesting centre stack in its class.

Running on a 2,500cc petrol, which could be argued as a somewhat big engine, Leah Kahunde who has driven the Subaru Legacy since December 2020, says in terms of fuel consumption, the Legacy is fairly economical, especially when driving for long distances.

A filled tank at Shs250,000 (approximately 62 litres), was able to take her to Fort Portal in western Uganda and back to Kampala without the need to refuel.  A 2,500cc version seems like a big engine, especially for saloon cars but the beauty with the Subaru Legacy is that it runs on a Variable Valve Timing Intelligence (VVTI) engine. Above certain speeds, VVTI technology allows the car to switch from fuel to electric mode, especially on highways where speeds are somewhat constant.

“Fuel economy is also about maintaining certain speeds and how you balance your foot on the acceleration pedal. When overtaking, make sure you are not revving or accelerating. Once you time your acceleration well, plus the distance from your car and the oncoming one, it should be enough to overtake successfully without you accelerating,” Kahunde advises.

It is about mastering how to balance the foot on the acceleration pedal and maintaining a constant speed; the car will gain a steady speed. That is why you will find one motorist with a heavy acceleration foot using more fuel compared to another motorist covering the same distance and carrying the same weight using less fuel.

Service and maintenance

Like most motorists, Kahunde services her Subaru after covering 5,000km. She fortunately has not experienced any major mechanical problems with her car whose mileage is still as low as 79,000km.

How much she spends on service depends on what needs to be fixed. However, if you, for instance, change from one service station to another, especially for motorists who do service at fuel stations, you have to replace the crucial parts and lubricants such as engine oil, oil filter, and other parts so that the newer lubricants at the new service station are compatible with everything else new in the car system.

This is because the usability of products such as oil has to be compatible with, for example, the oil filters, the way Castrol oil is recommended for some Land Rover brands.

The highest service cost Kahunde has incurred was Shs350,000 when she changed service stations. Ordinarily, minor service ranges between Shs180,000 to Shs220,000, depending on what needs to be done.

Spare parts

When you buy a used car, in most cases, you will have to  replace the tyres, brake system, especially the brake pads, shock absorbers and the suspension bushes. For Kahunde’s Legacy, the air conditioning system, engine and everything else were still in perfect condition. 

Entertainment

Albert Kaweesi, a car music system technician in Wandegeya, Kampala, says the entertainment systems in the 2009 Subaru Legacy and newer models do not need any adjustments since they already have good output. The only music system part Kahunde replaced was the android radio since she preferred a smart radio. 

Comfort

Peter Amadi, a Subaru mechanic in Bunga, Kampala, says as the 2009 Subaru Legacy is comfortable, the only downside is its low ground clearance. Much as you could use spacers to raise it a little, the car will appear like it is hanging in space.

“It is better to use bigger profile tyres and small profile rims and get rid of the spacers if you have already fitted them. With bigger tyres, you will get better ground clearance which will make driving on our potholed and rough roads easier,” Amadi advises.