Used Subaru Legacy review and buying guide (2009 to present): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Subaru Legacy should you buy?

Pick on engine, because the Subaru Legacy sold from 2009 has no known faults against either one. The 2.0 Boxer diesel came with a six-speed manual and the 2.5 petrol had Subaru's Lineartronic CVT automatic as standard, both driving all four wheels. The cars on record are Legacy Tourer estates.

The petrol automatic's the one with less riding on it. The dearest Legacy stories all belong to the diesel: a snapped crankshaft and an injector change that means lifting the engine out. They're single cars, not a proven pattern, and the petrol's clean sheet only means nobody's reported a problem, not that it can't have one. Buy a diesel if you want the manual, but only with a history you can follow.

Which Legacy engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The diesel's crankshaft is the report that matters. One 2010 car's crank broke at 44,000 miles, and its owner understood it to be a common failure on this Boxer diesel, giving way under load at a 60 to 70mph cruise. There's no known fault behind that claim, but the importer quoted £11,000 for a new engine, so it's a lot to gamble on a diesel with gaps in its history.

Injectors aren't a quick swap on the diesel either: a dealer quoted one owner £647 for the work, because the engine has to come out to reach one. Another owner's Legacy needed a new clutch after two years; that report doesn't name the engine, but the manual came with the diesel.

The 2.5 petrol with the Lineartronic CVT has no Legacy owner reports against it at all. That's a thin record rather than a clean bill of health, so judge one on its service history, but nothing in it points to a particular part you'd need to worry about.

What should you check when viewing a used Legacy?

Ask a diesel seller straight out whether the engine's ever been out of the car, since both the crankshaft and injector jobs involve that, and look for the invoices if it has. A replacement engine on the bills settles the crankshaft question; a gap in the stamps leaves it open, because the 2010 report gives no warning sign to listen for on the drive.

Check the clutch on a diesel too: ask whether it's been replaced and get the receipt if it has, given one owner's Legacy needed a new one after just two years and 11,000 miles. On the petrol automatic there's no Legacy report to check against, so the service record is the thing you're judging.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Subaru Legacy cost to run?

What do Legacy owners like about them?

It's a capable, solidly built car, and the cabin's a high-quality place to sit, with more room than the Legacy before it. There's extra headroom up front and a lot more legroom in the back, helped by a longer wheelbase, so rear passengers aren't cramped. The Tourer's 60/40 split rear seats fold flat, which turns the back into a big, usable load floor.

It's stable and composed on the road: the front suspension was reworked for steadier, more refined handling, and a thicker anti-roll bar keeps body lean in check through bends. The petrol's CVT gathers speed in one smooth, unbroken surge, with no gearchanges to interrupt it.

• The 2010 Subaru Legacy was recognised as Japan's safest car, receiving the Grand Prix 09/10 in the JNCAP assessment.
• The Legacy Tourer offers a high-quality cabin with increased space, providing up to 1,726 litres of luggage capacity.
• The Legacy model grew in size compared to its predecessor, becoming 50mm wider, 65mm taller, and 55mm longer.
• The car features a new grille with a wing motif, elongated headlights, prominent wheel arches, and a strong belt line.
• The interior has been fully redesigned to enhance occupant room and comfort, with front headroom up by 21mm and rear legroom by 99mm.