Subaru Is Pulling The Plug On The Legacy, The First Car It Ever Made In The US
Subaru has just announced that the Legacy will depart these lands after the 2025 model year, according to a press release. The Legacy marks a number of momentous events for Subaru. It was the first Subaru made at Subaru's Indiana plant and the first Subaru of any kind made in the United States. Now, the plant makes the Ascent, Outback, and Crosstrek, in addition to the dearly departed Legacy. Starting production in 1989, it's also the oldest Subaru model line at 35 years old.
Sedans aren't that profitable anymore in the current market environment, prompting the Legacy's demise. Subaru notes: "Though the Legacy is the longest-running Subaru model line, its discontinuation reflects market shifts from passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers and Subaru's transition to electrified and fully electric vehicles." It's worth remembering that, as of now, Subaru only has one EV, the Solterra. In the same press release, Subaru states that it wants to have eight electric vehicles by 2028.
The Legacy's legacy
The Legacy was never the same level of automotive icon as the WRX or the Outback, but it was undoubtedly popular. You wouldn't sell over 1.3 million of them over six generations and over 30 years if people didn't take notice of the car. The Legacy's legacy of putting Subaru on the map in the United States can't be overstated though. If the Legacy didn't start right off the bat with available features that people actually wanted, like all-wheel drive in a no-nonsense, reliable package, then who knows how long it would have taken for the brand to take hold in the States.
Subaru even notes that if it weren't for the Legacy, there would be no Outback, as the very first Outbacks were heavily built off the Legacy. This spring will be the last time you can buy a new Legacy, so if you really want to get a hold of Subaru's historic sedan, you need to move fast.