Consumer Reports Calls the 2019 Subaru Legacy 1 of the Most Reliable Used Cars

While brands like Toyota and Honda typically pop up as the best used-car brands, you shouldn’t overlook Subaru when looking at sedans and crossovers. The 2019 Subaru Legacy was recently highlighted as one of the most reliable used midsize sedans you can buy.

You don’t need to know everything about choosing a reliable used car to know that a recent-model-year, low-mileage used Legacy is going to be a good choice. But you don’t need to take my word for it. You can take Consumer Reports’ word instead.

Used Subaru Legacy reliability and satisfaction

2019 Subaru Legacy | Subaru

Consumer Reports gives the 2019 Subaru Legacy a 5/5 rating for reliability. The Legacy has been on the up and up in reliability ratings from CR since 2015. Improvements to the body, performance, safety, and handling have made Subaru’s midsize sedan an even better and more reliable choice among used cars.

And though CR has named the Legacy one of the most reliable used midsized cars, there are some downsides. The 2019 Legacy got only a 3/5 rating in owner satisfaction, possibly related to some common model-specific issues with the fuel system or the in-car electronics. The 2019 Legacy has seen three total NHTSA recalls.

What year is the most reliable Subaru Legacy?

A used Subaru Legacy is one of the highest-rated sedans that no one is talking about. According to Consumer Reports, the most reliable Legacy years included the:

• 2013 Subaru Legacy
• 2016 Subaru Legacy
• 2019 Subaru Legacy
• 2021 Subaru Legacy

Note: Consumer Reports doesn’t have overall reliability scoring for the used Legacy before 2010 because of a lack of sample size. Overall reliability scores are based on 17 common trouble spots in each vehicle and how well those spots hold up.

Great ride quality and up to 26 mpg combined

Excellent reliability and great gas mileage don’t always translate to a dowdy, boring sedan. The 2019 Legacy isn’t a high-performance car like its siblings, the WRX or BRZ, but it’s no slouch.

This model year offers between 175 and 256 horsepower depending on engine choice—a 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, respectively—and has decent acceleration for an economy car. Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive comes standard on every trim level in the Legacy lineup.

Consumer Reports calls the 2019 Legacy “a car with very few compromises” and praises the midsize sedan for “effectively blending an excellent ride, responsive handling, a roomy and quiet interior, great visibility, simple controls, and easy cabin access front and rear.”

Roomy passenger and cargo space

2019 Subaru Legacy interior | Subaru

The 2019 Legacy comfortably seats five adults and offers 104.6 cubic feet of passenger volume in the cabin. The interior is roomy and quiet, cushioning passengers from outside traffic noise and vehicle sounds. Its comfortable and spacious interior, combined with all its other pluses, makes a used Subaru Legacy one of the most reliable cars for ride-sharing anywhere.

The 2019 Subaru Legacy offers 15 cubic feet of cargo space. This amount of storage isn’t the most in the class, but it’s a respectable amount of trunk space and should be plenty for regular trips and weekend adventures.

Excellent safety ratings and top-notch safety features come standard

The 2019 @subaru_usa Legacy gets a slight price bump and a big safety boost: https://t.co/bp9fZTRP0Y #Subaru #Legacy pic.twitter.com/sCGlcaIPuk

— Cars.com (@carsdotcom) July 11, 2018

The 2019 Legacy is a very safe sedan. Forward-Collision Warning (FCW), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane-Departure Warning (LDW), and Lane-Keep Assist (LKA) all come standard on the 2019 Subaru Legacy. Additional standard features include Adaptive Cruise Control.

This wide array of standard driver-assistance features makes the Legacy one of the safest and most reliable used sedans. 

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