Jeremy Clarkson
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From
March 30, 2008
Subaru Legacy Outback TD RE
The aristo ruined by the devil’s brew
Each of the summer’s social occasions has its own code of conduct and everyone makes much effort to ensure they turn up in the correct clothes. At Royal Ascot, for instance, it is important to demonstrate that you started with nothing and have become very rich. And so you must go to www.russianbrides.com and rent yourself a 6ft hooker whom you then make taller still by kitting her out in a hat made from tinsel and old tractor tyres.
At Wimbledon you must develop phlebitis and a set of bingo wings bigger than most hang-gliders. At the Goodwood Revival you will need David Niven’s moustache. And at Glyndebourne your black tie should be aubergine.
At Silverstone it’s a gold-buttoned blazer teamed with pleated-front chinos and topped off with the branded-badge-and-tie combo. Henley requires that your Russian “wife” wear some clothes for once, and at the Chelsea Flower Show, for reasons that are entirely unclear, you must wear a suit and a straw hat.
Of course, all of this requires a wardrobe that stretches from here to the Philippines but at least a century of tradition means you won’t ever commit the mortal English sin of turning up at the wrong place in the wrong clobber. I mean, can you imagine going to Glyndebourne with bingo wings? It’d be social suicide.
Unfortunately, while the sartorial rules are clear, first impressions are actually made in the car park. And here, because there are no rules at all, it is desperately easy to make a complete tit of yourself.
A couple of years ago someone arrived at my local prep school’s sports day in a pink stretch Hummer. At first I thought they were being ironic. But the gazebo they then built in the car park suggested they weren’t. Honestly, they couldn’t have got it more wrong if they’d turned up in split-crotch scuba suits.
The first thing you have to remember is that at any of the summer events you will be parking in a field, which means you can forget any dreams you may have had of arriving in a Ferrari Scaglietti. You absolutely have to have four-wheel drive.
Once there, you will be having a picnic, which means the boot must be big enough to serve as a hole for the dogs, a kitchen, a pantry and a boot store. A drop-down flap on which aged guests can perch is also a good idea. And the car should be grey or silver. Not red. Never red. Red cars are for Lebanese teenagers on Park Lane at two in the morning.
Above all this, though - above every other consideration - your car should be good in a traffic jam. Because that, no matter where you’re going, is how you’ll spend most of the day.
A social event in what Tatler calls “the season” is invariably held in a part of the world that was designed for the ox, not half a million people in hats the size of the moon, with a boot full of vodka and bouillon.
Obviously the Range Rover is your best bet. It is the little black dress of cars, a one-size-fits-all solution to every social and practical requirement. It works in fields, there’s enough headroom for the most preposterous of hats, the tailgate splits in two and it’s just as happy in a field as it is when the B4746 is jammed up all the way from Nethercombe Bottom to Piddlecomb End. But it is very expensive: filling it with fuel costs £111, the road tax will soon cost more than a beachfront villa in Miami and few cars made today depreciate with such vim.
That’s why, when I was invited for lunch at the Cheltenham Festival recently, I chose to go in the smart man’s Range Rover. The Subaru Legacy Outback.
Now, I have written about this excellent car before, twice actually, but I have an excuse for reviewing it again because it’s now available with the world’s first flat-four diesel engine.
In a flat four, there are two cylinders on each side of a central crankcase, and the pistons move towards one another. Imagine two men boxing and you’ll see why these engines are known as boxers.
Petrol-fuelled boxers have been used before, in quirky cars such as the Citroën GS, the Alfasud, the Beetle and several Porsches. There are some notable advantages. A boxer engine is well balanced, it is easy to cool, it takes up little space in the engine bay and, because it’s flat, it can be mounted low down, giving a lower centre of gravity.
The disadvantage is that it’s expensive to make. It was for this reason that Sir Alec Issigonis abandoned his plans for a flat four in the Morris Minor and it is why most car makers today have followed suit. But not Subaru. It continues to use a boxer in the Impreza and has now built one that runs on the fuel of Lucifer.
Quite why, I don’t know, because the flat four’s main advantages – you can have a sleek front end and good handling – are largely irrelevant in a car that sounds like a canal boat and goes with the vigour of a Norfolk Broad. And they are especially irrelevant in an estate car that was designed for muddy car parks.
No matter. I set off for Cheltenham in convoy with some friends in a Range Rover. And possibly because of the fuel they’d use if they spent all morning sitting with half of Ireland in a jam, the route they chose seemed, as far as I could tell, to be made up of roads that were “unsuitable for motorists”.
We went through villages that were lost to a strange mist 400 years ago. We saw signs telling us that “there be witches”. We saw people in smocks. We went through Henry Dent-Brocklehurst’s kitchen. We drove over twigs, logs and a field full of turnips and we forded rivers that don’t even feature on Royal Geographical Society surveys. And the Subaru laughed at it all, clinging onto the Range Rover’s tail like an eager puppy out for the first time with its mum.
Of course, the Range Rover has more ground clearance and a computer program that allows it to cross the Sahara, and do a rainforest before lunch. The Subaru has no such wizardry. Just a straightforward four-wheel-drive system, and that, trust me, could take everything that Gloucestershire placed in its way.
Inside, it has five seats, a dashboard, some leather and a sat nav screen that works well. Except at night, when it stares out of the dash like a second-world-war searchlight. Oh yes, and either I’ve grown or the car’s shrunk since I last tried it out, because I can report that life for the taller driver is cramped.
Outside, it’s just very good looking in a Chelsea Flower Show suit sort of way.
In the car park at Cheltenham, it looked like it belonged. And not only because there must have been a thousand others, all slightly bent, dirty and blue-blooded. This is the car of the aristocrat. The person who uses money to buy time. Not things. It really should come as standard with a black lab in the boot.
And . . . I’m repeating myself. You probably already know that I am a huge fan of the Legacy. And what you want to know is: the new engine. Any good?
No. It’s crap. Normally, diesels are happiest at low revs in a high gear. Not the Legacy. It has the torque of a pencil sharpener, the life and soul of a corpse. You need to be in first until the whole engine has revved itself clean off its mountings, and even then when you go for second it judders and shivers in protest.
I don’t care if it uses only a gallon of fuel every 6m miles; it is just not worth the bother. And to make matters worse it’s not available with an automatic gearbox.
The Legacy with a petrol engine? Yes. Definitely. It has bingo wings, a great suit, the right moustache and a silly hat in the shape of a mad sunroof. If it could talk, you know it would sound like Edward Fox. It’s a brilliant all-rounder. But the diesel? Not in a million years.
Vital statistics
Model Subaru Legacy Outback TD RE
Engine 1998cc, flat four
Power 148bhp @ 3600rpm
Torque 258 lb ft @ 1800rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel 47.9mpg (combined cycle)
CO2 156g/km
Acceleration 0-62mph: 8.8sec
Top speed 124mph
Price £23,495
Road tax band D (£145 a year)
On sale Now
Rating 
Verdict Would be ideal if it wasn't a diesel
I've just replaced my 4th Volvo with an Outback diesel. The ride & performance (in all categories) is far better. The equiv. specced Volvo is £10K more. It's slightly noisier, 38 mpg after only 200 miles should improve. The engin needs to be revved to avoid stalling. So far, I'm very pleased.
alex, yorkshire, UK
I picked my new Legacy diesel up on the weekend and have had a big smile on my face ever since.
The engine is superb whether you are cruising up the motorway or driving cross country.
It's way more torquey than the 2.5 petrol I used to own and far smoother than the A4 TDi its just replaced.
Neil Griffiths, Cardigan, Wales
I placed my order for a Diesel Legacy Estate 2 days ago. i'm getting it in july. My current car is an Impreza but after the test drive, i was stunned! The engine was had perfect combination of power and refinement. Handling was superb like in all Subaru's. Sorry Jeremy, but you are wrong....
Marko, Saltvik, Finland
I'm wondering if Clarkson drove the Diesel Outback at all. Having tried both the Outback and Sport Tourer, I am convinced that this flat four is the best four cylinder diesel on the market. Both of the cars that I tried were completely free of low rev vibration. I've ordered a Diesel Legacy Saloon
Richard Griffiths, Brighton,
A diesel engine in a Subaru has long been awaited by those who do genuinely use them for country pursuits, and drive through streams and floodwater. Sadly, Subaru have taken too long in designing this new engine, and the technology of other diesel engines has evolved faster.
Soon, we will all have to contend with greener vehciles. The cars that Clarkson likes to drive will soon not be allowed to be built, if the EU gets its way; so, he too will have to start liking them!
Frank, Hants, UK
The usueal Anti Diesel prejusice from Clarkson. He may not have to worry about fuel bills with his multi millions but other people do hence Diesels increasing popularity.
I have tried this engine and found it to be excellent. There is a little clatter on start up but other than that it is very quiet except when pressed when you get that lovely flat four warble. There is no sudden lurch of torque but rather a nice progressive spread throughout the rev range. It is a very free revving engine for a Diesel as well. Add 50 odd mpg and low Co2 emissions and you have a car that is sure to do well. One Dealer told e he had sold 15 blind. I am seriouslt tempted to have a close look at an Impreza to replace my Skoda Fabia VRS later this year.
Matthew Bodycombe, Gillingham, United Kingdom
Usual Clarkson Anti Diesel prejudice and don't agree with a word. I have tried this engine. Yes there is some clatter from outside the car. It is however very quiet and smooth on the move, is very free revving for a Diesel and has that lovely boxer warble when really pressing on. Quite simply it is a lovely motor.
Add far superior torque to the peaky petrol version plus 50 odd mpg and low CO2 emissions and you will guess that Subaru will sell every one it can bring in. A dealer told me he had sold 20 blind.
Matthew Bodycombe, Gillingham, United Kingdom
Please bring the boxer diesel to the U.S.!
My Subaru Legacy sedan in city driving gets less than 25 miles per *Imperial* gallon on petrol, even if I drive like the proverbial little old lady.
Even though diesel prices here in the U.S. are currently about 20% more than the lowest grade ("regular unleaded") petrol, the mileage increase on diesel more than makes up the difference.
Bill, Charlotte, USA / NC
Jeremy has loads of money so unlike the rest of us, he doesn't have to worry about fuel costs.
It's about time he opened up to diesels and started to admit that they can be ok for us poor people!
I have driven this model and it is excellent by the way!
Derek, Cumbria,
Clarkson cannot have actually driven one because if he had he would know that the diesel is quieter than the petrol version and has meaningful torque from below 2000rpm to the red line at 5,000rpm. The car is only available as a manual because the auto box(as used in the 3.0 petrol) is not able to cope with the extra torque of the diesel.
Will, Berwick,
I would have been interested to know if at least the 6 ft. hooker fit in the passenger seat. Especially with the reported lack of torque, this is a concern.
Menno Aartsen, Washington, DC
"It continues to use a boxer in the Impreza and has now built one that runs on the fuel of Lucifer. Quite why, I don’t know, because the flat four’s main advantages – you can have a sleek front end and good handling...."
The low centre of gravity of the boxer configuration is even more important in a diesel engine - given that they are much heavier than their petrol equivalents. Another advantage of boxer engines is their inherent balance, eliminating the need for contra-rotating balancer shafts. Again due to a diesel's extra weight the shafts would harder to design. It seems that a boxer diesel is an excellent idea. Perhaps Subaru got the implementation wrong - but that's no reason to criticise them for trying. Incidentally, a major UK car magazine has just rated Subaru's as the 3rd best diesel engine in the world, after the Honda 2.2 CDTi & BMW 2.0D ... so there appears to be quite a spread of opinion.
ik, watford,
I was driving a 2000 Subaru Outback up I-270 at 65 mph when I dozed off. Hitting the jersey wall was an effective wake-up. The Subaru saved my life. When I awoke I was STILL going 50 mph straight (!) up the shoulder. The Outback did this with NO right front tire (tyre to the Brits) and busted steering links! I was able to stop without veering left into the traffic. Now that is one hell of a car! I've had two Subarus and loved them both. AND they were made in the USA!
Phil USA, Reston, USA
MAsai runners in London Marathon in paper today Wed. 2nd April
how do I sponsor these runners.
more info please.
Sonia Wijeratne, Beckenham Kent, UK
At the auctions here in Japan, the older Outback and Grand Wagon are discounted into the ground. Largely because the larger estate is so last season. The SUV-soft-roader is flavour of the month. So you can pick up an Outback with under 30,000km on the clock and be out the auction gate for around a grand (converted into sterling). And with an unpopular colour...then throw in "accident/repair" and they are almost begging you to take it away. Diesel does sound like a good idea, but you can always add a fuse and switch to front wheel drive. Saves fuel, but you lose steering self centring, so feels like taking two big dogs for a walk with them pulling in different directions. Where I reside in the Japan Alps, occassionally we get a city-based homeowner come out in the winter in their flash two-wheel-drive. And nine times out of ten they get stuck in the snow. Here's wishing those jokers that castigate 4x4s a three-hour walk home in sub-zero temperatures. Didn't I mention the bears?
Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan Alps
The headlamps look like they were derived from Amy Winehouse on one of her midnight walkabouts.
Dave, Manchester,
Actually, Jeremy was not knocked out by the Legacy in his 2004 review (link on this page above). These newer Legacies have low seating compared to older models, and far less usable room inside.
That being said, I see Subaru is flogging off petrol Legacies worldwide with big cash incentives. I bit because I could get a Legacy GT (2.5L 243 hp turbo 4) in Canada for less than one of the new putrescent WRX models, with their hideous looks and even worse interiors. This GT is equipped with leather and power everything, and does not so much go as hurtle, when the mood hits.
I have no allergies except for diesel fumes which make my eyelids puff up and close when I visit the UK. So I could care less about diesels. However, I do hope Subaru's version sells, because it seems to me that "giving" away Legacies around the world is a recipe for financial disaster.
Since I expect mine to last like my old regular Impreza, I am rather hoping that Subaru will be around to provide spares.
B Armstrong, Halifax, Canada
Haha, I doubt the engine is the problem. Unfortunately, Subaru in its infinite wisdom uses really, really, REALLY soft bushings and mounts...everywhere. It was bad with the petrol engine, quite bad actually. Now you throw in a very, very torque happy diesel engine in the thing. What do you get? Absolute rubbish. Upgrade the engine and tranny mounts. Upgrade the rear diff bushings. It will transmit the power far smoother.
I would also suspect the OEM ECU tune to be less than outstanding. No NA or turbo engine stock by Subaru is tuned well. It's tuned safe. It does weird things for emissions or maybe just fun(like full throttle input delay, on purpose, or the bad open/closed loop transitions). A completely stock WRX, tuned and the turbo maximized, gains a HUGE amount of torque down low and a good deal of HP throughout the rev band, like 20-30% gains...completely stock. It's ridiculous.
The turbo diesel once put in the aftermarket tuners hands will become a monster.
Matt, Rochester, MN
Surely a diesel car benefitting from "petrol car like driving characteristics", as I have read on a couple of occasions, but keeping low CO2 emissions, near 50 mpg, AWD and a 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds is of more relevance than other diesels being happy at low revs in a high gear?
There is decent enough acceleration. It is certainly quiet in comparisons to others diesels I have driven.
My only issues are that the hand break digs into your thigh when applied it only has 5 gears and that the driving position is un-nervingly low. It is without doubt a bench mark for diesels.
jonathan, london, uk
Boxer engines punch outwards, not inwards.
Subaru buyers have been waiting for a diesel for over 20 years. These will sell
like hot cakes, because not only does Barbour man not want to be flash, he also
hates paying through the nose for petrol.
The low nose allowed by the boxer configuration is entirely irrelevant in a
rural estate car. The low centre of gravity is the point.
So, entertaining as ever, but missing the point and completely wrong in your
conclusions.
Jonathan Wilton, Singapore,
You wait till they let the broads flood and then see how fast they go!
Stephen dolan, Rickmansworth,
Over hear in New Zealand we have lots of these things turn up as used imports out of Japan. They are ideally suited to the rural roads & lifestyle. They are cheap to buy & need to be.
I had one & got rid of it after only 12 months. Very expensive to maintain (by Japanese car standards), not very economical ( about 20mpg) or reliable.
They are a quirky ugly little car company that should have been left to die long ago. For Subaru's sake let's hope that with Toyota's money & influence they can kick it into shape, which shouldn't be too difficult.
a. Get rid of that flat four motor
b. Stick to conventional engineering
c. Employ a descent Designer ( or bring back Peter Stevens)
Bruce Gibson, Auckland, New Zealand
Why does it have that stupid hole in the bonnet? Was the design finished the day after a company party? It ruins the wonderful, quiet disguise of the previous Outbacks.
On the engine, much as I love JC, I've never known Subaru to get it wrong.
Liam, Dublin, Ireland
Jeremy put the wrong fuel in!!!
Graham, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Totally agree, I bought the "proper" 6 cyl petrol engine version last year and it's a great car. It helps of course that petrol here is cheaper than water! It's great to live in a country without awful diesels!
Jonathan Main, Kuwait City, Kuwait
20 years ago no serious car journalist would give a diesel the time of day. Now, they are all (except JC) falling over to tell you how much better they are than the petrol version. Why? Because diesel evolved and improved so much in the last 20 years. Didn't it? Trouble is, whenever you get a diesel as a courtesy car you still immediately notice, if you're used to petrol, all the loose bolts rattling up and down the cylinders, and when you try and pull away from a junction smoothly and fast, you can't. So bravo, JC, for not being an ostrich. Diesel has certain qualities, but for driving it's like aerosol versus chantilly cream.
Jammo100, London,
i have been reading this article for a while, but it has taken me until today to notice the option at the top of the page to 'explore jeremy clarkson'. don't mind if i do...
sam, Bordeaux/Cambridge, France/England
One would hope that Jeremy would one day have the guts to overcome his prejudice to admit that he's wrong about diesels. Greater torque/mpg/lower co2 etc...
Even if he doesn't give a toss about the environment, he should at least think how he's going to explain to his children about the state of the world and environment his children will inherit when he's gone and that he had played an active part in it's destruction.
My current car is an A4 Quattro TDI and I'll be ordering a Legacy diesel very soon. Besides with greater uncertainty about climate, floods, storms etc I'll be needing it...
C, st austell,
I agree that the Legacy is a nice car. I don't agree that Subaru's diesel engine is "crap".
Even the numbers by themselves are enough to make it a good engine--they are in 2WD territory on an AWD vehicle.
Furthermore, every other review of the new engine (and there are many) has said nothing but good things regarding its performance, smoothness and fuel economy. It has been compared favorably with the best diesels on the market and even gasoline (sorry, petrol) engines.
Regardless of what reviews say, the engine is going to provide a major boost in Subaru sales in a number of markets.
Michael, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Much as I love your work Jeremy - a few other testers seem to disagree. I may be wrong but I think even Topgear magazine said nice things about it.
(Having said that you can get a 3.0R legacy for 10k these days and spend the other 10k it would cost to buy a new diesel on fuel/tax)
Gavin Sullivan, Cardiff, uk
I test drove the diesel Subaru Legacy only yesterday morning and it was torquey, very quiet and as a complete package I thought it was very impressive.
My last cars have been Audi A6 1.9 TDi Avant x 2 , Audi 4 1.9 Tdi Avant, Mercedes C Class estate and numerous Volvo estates...to obtain a similar spec to the Subaru with 4wd would add a miminum of ten thousand pounds to the cost... with higher Co2 ...
I agree they will sell shedloads ... and my order is going in very soon!
Jonathan Cooper, Banstead, London, Surrey
I live up a mountain in Switzerland and love my Outback. A fantastic car with a deserved following among folk around here and others in the know.
I am disappointed to read about the diesel's low-end performance though - I was hopeful Subaru would achieve Audi diesel levels of performance.
But Jeremy, if you are such a fan of the Outback how come it doesn't make it into your 'Best Car/ Worst Car' top 3 Estate Cars?
DR, Villars, Switzerland
0-62 in 8.8, 124mph and 47.9 mpg all in a good looking ultra reliable body. That will do for most people!
robin, Lingfield, england
Sure the petrol Legacies are nice cars - if you can afford to run one. Problem is that just about no-one in the market for a mid size 4wd estate can. Which is why Subaru are have been reduced to offering thousands of pounds off the price, dressed up as a contribution to the petrol costs. Not that its helped them much.
Subaru was going to die out completely in this country without a diesel.
This engine takes away the one big reason not to by a Subaru. I reckon they'll sell a shedload.
Redcliffe, London,