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2018 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited.JEREMY SINEK/The Globe and Mail

Subaru has only itself to blame if its sedan sales aren’t all they could be. Back in 1995, when Subaru jacked up the suspension and butched up the bodywork of the Legacy station wagon to create the Outback, it pretty much invented the quasi-SUV-crossover concept that has subsequently sent mid-size sedan sales into a tailspin.

Despite all the copy-cat competition since then, the crossover frenzy has been good for Subaru. Its Canadian sales have grown for six years straight. Its three crossover nameplates – Outback, Crosstrek and Forester – represented 66 per cent of all Subaru’s Canadian sales in 2017 (and are tracking more than 70 per cent so far this year).

Subaru sold almost five Outbacks in Canada last year for every one Legacy, but Subaru isn’t neglecting its cornerstone sedan. Now midway through its sixth generation, the Legacy received a midlife makeover for 2018 that went somewhat deeper than the usual minor cosmetic touches. Detailed work also went into improved brake and steering feel, reduced noise levels, enhanced safety and lowered emissions. Arguably the biggie in this day and age, though, it got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to go with 6.5- or 8.0-inch touch screens.

The 2018 lineup comprises five trims, four powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine, plus a six-cylinder boxer propelling the 3.6R tested here, all paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

Despite having all-wheel drive standard, the Legacy is well priced in the mid-size sedan category, with MSRPs ranging from $24,995 for the base 2.5i to $36,795 for this 3.6R. The only other mid-size sedans with AWD are the Ford Fusion, which asks over $30,000 with that option, and the even pricier Buick Regal (Nissan will offer AWD on its 2019 Altima).

You may have seen the Subaru commercials promoting the 2018 Legacy as a “sport utility sedan.” This is a little misleading: unlike the Outback sedan of the early 2000s, the Legacy has neither raised suspension nor quasi-SUV styling cues. Then again, neither does it carry the roughly $4,000 current price premium of the Outback package.

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The Legacy is well priced in the mid-size sedan category.JEREMY SINEK/The Globe and Mail

What it does have is all-wheel drive and, in this version, one of the segment’s few remaining large-displacement, naturally aspirated six-cylinder engines (most alternatives have switched to two-litre turbo “fours” for their uplevel option, if they even have one).

While the 3.6R’s 256-horsepower is competitive with the turbo fours, it’s trumped by rival sixes (Camry V6: 306 hp) and its 247 lb.-ft. of torque trails all the competition. The AWD Legacy is also notably porkier than its FWD rivals.

Would that make the Legacy a tail-ender in an all-comers mid-size-sedan drag race? Over the quarter-mile, yes, almost certainly.

But don’t dismiss the Legacy just yet. Its combination of the CVT transmission’s generous ratio spread, plus the absence of the launch lag that afflicts the turbo-two-litre alternatives, plus all-wheel-drive traction, all let the Legacy pilot deploy all its performance pretty much all the time. In contrast, aggressively launching a 300-horsepower front-drive rival would typically generate more wheelspin than forward motion.

Better still, the 3.6R engine spins with silky refinement. Even rival V-6s are not this smooth, never mind the turbocharged four-bangers. And the transmission supplies the benefits you expect of a CVT, with virtually no trace of the usual “motor-boating” downside – it feels just like a conventional automatic, without the shift shock.

While that sweet-running powertrain is nice to have, it’s also the only aspect of the Legacy likely to arouse the pleasure centre of your brain. In every other way, this is a relentlessly rational choice – roomy, easy to drive, safe, reliable and (especially when you factor in Subaru’s traditionally high resale values) good value. All, of course, with standard full-time all-wheel drive.

It’s still not a sport-utility sedan, but it is a sedan that makes an awful lot of sense when you’re ready to cross back over from the crossover cult.

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The Legacy's interior is roomier than most.JEREMY SINEK/The Globe and Mail

Tech specs

  • Price: $36,795
  • Engine: 3.6-litre boxer 6-cylinder
  • Transmission/drive: Continuously-variable/All-wheel
  • Fuel consumption: (litres/100 km): 11.9 city/8.3 hwy
  • Alternatives: Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Charger, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Mazda6, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat

Looks

Subaru says form doesn’t take a back seat to function, but our eyes suggest otherwise. Despite the coupe-esque roofline and minor cosmetic tweaks for 2018 (grille, bumpers, fog lights, door mirrors), the basic shape is a tad staid compared with, say, a Ford Fusion or Honda Accord.

Interior

This is where function before form pays off. The Legacy may not be much to look at, but it’s a pleasure to look out of – visibility is outstanding. A 10-way power driver’s seat is standard on all trims. And although it has the segment’s smallest exterior, its interior is roomier than most. The dashboard is rather plain, with ho-hum materials and old-fashioned gauge binnacles, but there’s generous storage on the centre console and two USB ports for rear-seat riders. And the eight-inch infotainment screen is a welcome modernization, still thankfully without overreliance on touch-screen control.

Performance

As already discussed, standard AWD enhances the Legacy’s real-world, year-round usable acceleration performance. The same largely holds true of the handling – there are no pretensions to athletic glory here, but the Legacy feels light and poised on dry pavement and of course comes into its own when weather happens. Ride comfort (usually a Legacy strong point) was a little disappointing, but perhaps the test car’s winter tires were a factor. Even after the 2018 revisions, brake pedal feel is rather soft.

Technology

The eight-inch screen (6.5-in. on the base 2.5i) is packaged on all trims with STARLINK smartphone integration (including Aha Radio) as well as CarPlay and Android Auto. Subaru’s EyeSight package is standard on all Legacys except the base 2.5i, and includes precollision braking, adaptive cruise, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lead-vehicle start alert and reverse automatic braking.

Cargo

Despite the space occupied by a rear axle, the trunk is only a little smaller (426 L) than average for the class, supplemented by a pass-through that’s more useful than many.

Verdict

8.0

An all-round good sedan with all-wheel drive.

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