What I really, really want for 2006

Since, no matter what, I'm waiting for a 2006 before I buy my Legacy, I decided what it is I really want for new features (even beyond HIDs, more power, 6spd, no stink clutch, etc.).........I want a folding rear seat in the sedan.

 

While I'm so excited to trade the so-so performance of my GTI for an all wheel drive turbo upgradeable powerhouse in the Legacy, I know for a fact I'm gonna miss the fold down the rear seats with 40+ big open cu ft of space for hauling everything from camping equipment to a load of paver bricks for my paver patio in the ole' VW.

 

And before everyone screams "wagon"........I just don't like the Legacy wagons, plain and simple. I'm not trying to rain on any wagon owner's parade whatsoever, they just aren't for me. I'm sold on the sedan as my next car 100%.

 

Why is it so difficult for Subaru to make my wish come true? In this day and age of computers, metallurgy and advanced design techniques, I cannot belive that the rear seat needs to be any sort of chassis stiffening or support structure, so it must just come down to simple cost........GIVE ME THE OPTION, I'LL PAY $100 EXTRA BUCKS!

 

Anyway, I know it just ain't gonna happen, so time to search for all them "hidden hitch" posts in the forum........Subaru and a utility trailer......hmmmm http://legacygt.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif

U might be waiting a while for the rear folding seats, Ive got an MY01 and it wasnt it that so why would u think another 5 years is going to make any difference. But the rest of your plans seem pretty straight forward and no, Im not screaming ESTATE.

Adam.

in the sedan you do.

 

it's the rear seat armrest. it goes down to extend the trunk space.

My '97 GT had them. I miss them.

Get a wagon!

Yup, 97 GT Sedan had it, but I can say I have a Wagon now and no need to miss it because I still have it.

yah rear fold down seats r a must.. i hate i dont have them,, the other day i was puttin ina few boxes from ikea and it didnt fit,, i was sooooo choked,, blah

Once one lives in a city, with no pickup or SUV, you'll soon realize what it means to have a vehicle around that can haul cargo......pass through seat, what good is that.......I hauled my new snowblower home in the box by being able to fold down the GTI seats. Try that in the Legacy sedan.

 

It just seems that with the "rugged utility, handy and fun to own" vehicle persona that Subaru seems to have and court, they'd have a simple fold down rear seat in the damn car. My girlfriends 99 'Legacy does! Ahhh, the price of progress.

Yeah, this is the only thing that had me scratching my head when I bought the car. Seems like something that should be a standard option. It's such a good feature..

Well, do you want a five star side impact safety rating, or a fold down seat?

Get a wagon!

Structural rigidity....fold down seat.

Structural rigidity....fold down seat.

 

True it would be nice to get both, BUT like the STI or EVO

structural rigidity won.

 

I know you didn't want to hear it, but if extra room truly IS that important

to you...dig deep and learn to love the wagon (or if it's just that word that

you hate, call it an Estate).

G35 sedan! And it has a centre analog clock too!

I could be wrong on this, but I thought the G35 rear seats just reclines but don't fold down. They have the armrest pass-thru like the Legacy sedan.

I thought they eliminated the fold down seat due to the rear impact testing? I guess it would help some in side impact as well. Frankly, I'll trade the tiny bit of safety for the convenience of the fold down. I've got it in my '94 Accord now, and while I don't use it often, those few times I do need it makes it completely worthwhile. The lack of the fold down rear seat and the lack of driver mirror/seat memory are my two largest gripes about the new Legacy. Its actually got me leaning towards a 3 series BMW or an S60R volvo. Yeah, I know that they are a lot more money, but

 

and I think the only way to get the fold down rear seats in the G35 is to not get the premium package (which includes the reclining rear seat backs).

Estate, Avant, Wagon or Touring Wagon. Yes, it's all the same, wagon. However, from a utility standpoint, it is a good choice. Granted it is not as cool looking as the Japan model but it does have a coolness of its own. People have been surprised that I went for one but now they want me to help them move stuff. People are attracted to the car once they see it. Now that I have moved up to 17" wheels and tinted the car, it has a whole new look and folks are always doing a double take. I plan on lowering it a little to make it a bit more aggressive looking and to frim up the ride and take the handling up a notch.

 

Yes, I only drive an ""i" Wagon, I prefer to call it Touring Wagon but the thing I like most about it is that it does not feel or look like the wagons of yore. I chose this car over the A4 Avant and Passat Wagon. That integrated spoiler gave it a sporty look and I love the way the top slopes down to the rear of the car. The frameless windows are growing on me. Is this not a great look?

Ahhhh Structural rigidity.. So that's the reason we don't have the fold downs. Learn something new everyday.. Makes sense.

I am not sure i buy that....

 

How would the sedan be any less structurally rigid with fold down seats, compared to a Legacy wagon? There is a structural "ring" through the C-pillars, behind the rear doors, under the rear seats, and through the roof between the rear door edges and rear glass. The parcel shelf is sheetmetal as well as the seat backs in the sedan.

 

The wagon only has the c-pillar ring, but nothing in the middle of it. Folding seat backs, and no hard parcel shelf behind them. Is the Wagon less stiff, or more prone to intrusion in an accident?

 

Seems to me that the sedan could have just as much structural rigidity from it's c-pillar ring, and a reinforcement member under the parcel shelf, at the bottom of the rear glass, to hold the glass and the trunk lid in place. The seats could fold down just like the wagon's do.

 

I am not an engineer, I only play one on the LegGT forums... I could be completely wrong about this, but I am just hypothesizing here.

My guess is that its about seating space and not sturctural issues. I think in order to get enough room in the back seats to be passable, they had to sacrifice the space that the folding mechanism would've required. Just my theory.

What they need to do is sell a hatchback version of the Legacy, but it needs to look essentially the same as the sedan. That's what Mazda did with the 6 and it improved storage capacity a lot. The only drawback to that design is structural rigidity, but that can be improved with an aftermarket rear strut brace for the enthusiasts out there.

Once one lives in a city, with no pickup or SUV, you'll soon realize what it means to have a vehicle around that can haul cargo......pass through seat, what good is that.......I hauled my new snowblower home in the box by being able to fold down the GTI seats. Try that in the Legacy sedan.

 

It just seems that with the "rugged utility, handy and fun to own" vehicle persona that Subaru seems to have and court, they'd have a simple fold down rear seat in the damn car. My girlfriends 99 'Legacy does! Ahhh, the price of progress.

 

You wouldn't be able to fit the snowblower in the back with or without the fold down rear seats. Hell, you probably wouldn't be able to fit the snowblower with fold down rear seats.

 

My other car ('95 Camry) has fold down rear seats and let me tell you, you're not fitting *that* much more through fold down seats than with an armrest pass through. Its great at fitting flat, long items like rakes or a smallish bookcase that you buy at Target, but big bulky objects like a monitor in box don't stand a chance.

 

That said, the pass through was pretty much the only deal breaker for me. But I've gotten two snowboards through there as well as a snowboard and a set of skis. So, no problems for me.

It's too late for an 06 wishlist, you guys should start one for 07. Automakers gotta plan wayyy ahead.

I agree wholeheartedly; this is one of my biggest disappointments with the car. Both my two previous - and cheaper! - cars had a 60/40 split rear folding seat. ('96 Contour, '03 Mazda6) It's ridiculous that a car in this class and price range doesn't have that as a standard feature. I think it's a marketing ploy to sell more wagons... there's plenty of cars out there with 5 star side-impact ratings and a folding rear seat. Now that it's finally warming up here and I'm going to be getting into some house and yard projects I know I'm going to wish I had that folding rear seat.