The Subaru Legacy is a good midsize car

While the Subaru Legacy is a compact car, it has a decent amount of room for passengers and cargo storage

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While the Subaru Legacy is a compact car, it has a decent amount of room for passengers and cargo storage, writes Roland D. Nasasira

Moses Kawuki
I bought my first Subaru Legacy in 2010 after seeing how fast the car could go during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) in 2007. For three years, I saved money and when I eventually bought it, I was not disappointed. 
In terms of performance, the Legacy combines driving comfort, stability and speed. It offers ample passenger room within an impressively designed cabin, although this comfort is limited to passengers in the front. Those sitting at the back might not be a bit cramped. Also, having a sports engine means you have to be a cautious driver, especially on the highways. Its speed can go from zero to 100km in less than a minute if it is in the best mechanical condition. 

With its 2000cc engine size, it gives me six to eight kilometres using a litre of fuel and approximately 12km on the highway. I only use fuel from fuel stations that deal in high octane fuel and I ensure my tank never goes below a quarter a tank. I noticed that when I drive while the fuel tank is almost empty, the fuel filter sucks dirt that settles at the bottom of the tank which damages it in the long run. 
At the garage, my focus is usually on servicing the gearbox, engine and air cleaner. Apart from the engine, the air cleaner is important in ensuring that you drive the car without getting stuck on the road. It is one of the car components of the Legacy that has to always be checked even if the car has no mechanical problem. On average, I spend Shs300,000 on servicing the Legacy once every three months.
 


Richard Baliddawa 
I have had my Subaru Legacy for three years and one of the features I like about it is its speed. The secret is what lies underneath the bonnet; its small but powerful engine. However, anyone aspiring to buy this car should not just test drive it and then think they know how to race it on the road. Even when you get it, take time to understand how it works.

For the time I have had mine, I have found out that for proper maintenance, one has to use prescribed car lubricants, not those you think serve the purpose you need. Lubricants ensure that car components such as the engine are kept in the best condition. I learnt this the hard way when I had to overhaul the engine after using bad quality oil in 2018 when I had just acquired the car. 
It could not give me the needed engine power and when I went to the garage, the solution was to change most components of the engine, which cost me close to Shs2m. Unlike some Toyota brands whose service schedule you may ignore and stay on the road, any slight mistake with the Legacy means digging deep into your pocket. 

Robert Mwesigye 
Every time I want to travel upcountry, I look no further than the Subaru Legacy compared to my other car, a Harrier. In terms of fueling, from my home in Kira to my workplace in Kampala city centre (a distance of about 11kms), I use fuel worth Shs30,000 a day. A full tank of 65 litres will last two weeks. I have learnt that when I leave the car to run low on fuel and I still refuel with little fuel, it will consume more since it uses more to keep the systems running.   
I find my manual version better in terms of performance compared to the automatic that I also owned, albeit for a short time. I choose the gear I engage while driving a manual and this impacts on fuel consumption differently. 

One of the downsides of the Subaru Legacy is its low ground clearance which limits me from driving it to certain places. It is also a car whose serviceable parts come at a cost. For the car to function optimally, one has to use genuine car parts and not those that have been picked from other cars. 
On average, I spend Shs500,000 to have my Legacy in the best condition. The bigger percentage of this budget goes to car lubricants since they play a big part in improving the car’s performance. Other parts of key concern include the oil filter, spark plugs and air cleaner, among others.