On one hand:
I’ve never driven it. Well not yet. I’ve sat in this shape Legacy and I’ve driven the new Legacy which has exactly the same Boxer diesel engine. The petrol engines were revised for the new Legacy but apparently due to it being released in 2008, the diesel was left unchanged. More on that later…
The point is I have extrapolated (which I am good at) what the car is like and I like it. As CAR UK says about this Legacy in their GBU section: “Quirky Japanese 3-series”. And indeed that is the feeling. The interior quality is about 95% (at this spec) which will have to do. The interior feel is somewhere between e46 and e90, i.e. nearly perfect. The driving position is slightly more Japanese, reminiscent of a Honda, and slightly better than any 3-series.
The feel, at least of the new Legacy I drove, ONCE ON THE MOVE is completely different to a 3-series. It feels Japanese, light and easy on the controls. Not worse, just different. And it corners with the same accuracy as the 3-series (at lower speeds in any case, had no opportunity to test the high speed precision that separates my 320i from anything else I have ever driven.) Much of the cockpit reminds me of a 3 and this is all good. Even down the to the BMW-style economy gauge. (Something I think has a positive effect on ones driving, more so then merely having an instantaneous readout on the trip computer.)
As for the diesel bit? Well it is the Legacy the makes the most sense to buy, even here, even for me. Of course that would never be enough for me otherwise, indeed that “diesel is the only reasonable choice” affliction is enough to prevent me buying many other cars in this cars. (the C5 and Mondeo being prime examples)
BUT I LIKE this diesel. I’ve now driven 6 modern diesel cars, each with a different engine (A4 1.9 TDI, A4 2.0TDI, A3 1.9TDI, Focus TDCi, 520d and the Legacy) and this is a first one I actually like. The engine is nice. It’s not just awesomely torquey it also has a nice character. And I like the ridiculous induction noise threw the bonnet scoop. Pity about the 4500rpm redline, I hope I won’t come to hate that.
On the other hand:
I want a more exciting car. I want to feel more like I am on an episode of Top Gear. You car is more like that…faintly ridiculous and certainly flawed…but it sounds like it has the feel good factor.
My 320i is more the kind of car I usually try to buy: perfectly balanced, an excellent car, but hardly a barrel of laughs. It’s rather serious, isn’t it? There nothing wrong with it, no design flaws, no irritating features, no glaring omissions but nothing outrageous either. Most of what is good about it (the quality, the service, the handling, the high end of the rev-range) requires work and effort and time to appreciate. This is all very good…but not out rightly fun, no instant gratification. It’s a car that gives me a self-satisfied smile, but it doesn’t make me burst out laughing. (except for a bit in Norway.)
It’s for this reason that things like the Sicrocco, GTi and fast Meganes have started to tempt me. Smaller, nippier…worse…but more fun, more instant useable fun.
So what am I going to do about it? Maybe I’m going to buy a 4WD Japanese business man’s diesel saloon.* Oh dear. It’s even called a “Business”.
You must be right, deep down I am very boring.
