Does the LGT handle well?

I'm thinking of making a purchase of a lgt sedan. Most of the reviews I read in the car magazines say the lgt doesn't handle well. That really surprises me. They all say it doesn't handle well enough to be considered a sports sedan. I want to know what current lgt owners think of how well the lgt handles.

It only handles well in straight lines or twisty roads. Oh, it only corners great too. So unless you plan on driving it underwater where it doesn't handle so well, then I'd say you are reading the wrong magazines. I've never read anywhere that says it doesn't handle well.

Here is something in an edmunds.com article.

Senior Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig did test the Legacy in the turns and wasn't impressed. He liked the Legacy's feel around town, but found it too soft for serious cornering. "It's got the guts to go fast, but the suspension caves too easily when pushed. The tires give up early and it rolls too much to really rip corners." In other words, it's more family sedan than sport sedan.

I've read similar stuff in car magazines.

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why don't you go try it out? and it's a sport sedan ... unless you only call the m5 a sport sedan or something. plus, you can easily change the suspension to your liking (although i have yet to do this).

I have driven it but only for a short time. I do plan on taking a good drive in it before I buy. A good friend of mine is an internet sales manager at a subaru dealer. So getting to really check out the car before I buy won't be a problem. I'm sure I won't be dissapointed since my current car is a mustang gt vert. Not exactly a car known forto handle well. Although I will miss that rear wheel drive v8. It's a blast to fish tail around turns and spin broadies.

Teh sucktones are doing their duty, what more do you want.

 

Just throw out the stock RE92s and get some better tires and the handling should be 10x better.

Speaking of tires what tires workbest on the lgt?

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Handling improves noticeably with better tires and sways but it ain't gonna handle like an STi, for example. There is some softness and body roll but that usspension setup is also what helps give it a very comfortable ride. It's not meant to be a sports car - there are always tradeoffs.

 

Drive one and see what you think. You can surely stiffen the ride if you like and improve it's handling if you prefer.

How well it handles compared to what?

compared to other sports sedans. Like the mazda 6 or acura tsx. I haven't driven the acura but the mazda 6 I've driven allot. It handles great. but every mazda car does handle well. I'm stuck on the lgt because it's reliable and subaru has the best awd system you can get on a car.

The LGT will always be somewhat of a compromise. Those who are looking for STi-like handling will be disappointed. It is marketed differently. Unfortunately alot of people want the LGT to be an STi but more civilised. It ain't gonna work. because to do so, it will turn off people that are looking for something that is comfortable to drive.

The LGT is a nice sports sedan in the grand touring tradition. Not bone jarring ride, but not razor-like handling either.

the articles you probably read are either driven by pansies, or dont know that the car is limited to the silly RE92 tires.. I say this car OWNZ in handling (but then again, I also drove the car for only 4 weeks on stock suspension and then went to full coilovers for racing use).

 

GT to me is more preferable than an other car out the new car pricing/bang-for-the-buck. Only the tires is really holding the rest of the car back.

 

Keefe

Even on Stock rubber, I'm now finding that the car can handle more than my RS could on Turanza LS-V's ... Not a super tire, but not a bad one either ... certainly better than the RE-92's replaced. On the other hand, it took me a solid 3 weeks (which for me was around 2000 miles) to begin to be comfortable with pushing the car. It was weird in that I couldn't get the "feel" of the car which was quite the opposite experience I had with the RS which I felt I could push from day 1 in the driver's seat. But once I got comfortable with the handling ... I have no real complaints. The tires are noticeably weak and will protest under hard cornering, but I know that's a temporary issue.

jfdeuce,

 

I would definitely urge you to take advantage of Subaru's new "24-hour Test-Drive" program:

 

http://www.subaru.com/misc/etd/index.jsp

 

If that's not viable in your area, I certainly hope that your friend will hook you up with a longer-term test-driver.

 

"Does it handle well" is, IMveryHO, a personal opinion - and not only in terms of how you fare as a driver or what you're comparing said car against, but also what you expect of the car and from what background you're coming from.

 

Get in behind the driver's seat, get comfortable, and put down a few hard miles - you'll have all the answers you need.

 

 

-A

Most of the reviews I read in the car magazines say the lgt doesn't handle well. That really surprises me. They all say it doesn't handle well enough to be considered a sports sedan. I want to know what current lgt owners think of how well the lgt handles.

 

I tell ya'...the Legacy GT ain't NO Formula One car...nor does it corner as if on rails. That being said...you can probably put a regular BMW Series 3 car to shame thru twisties and turns.

 

Just know that the factory B-stones are the weak link and that any other handling worries is nothing that a Japanese rear sway bar [$200] won't fix.

 

That being said, the Legacy GT handles extremely well and the authors of those magazine reviews you read are urged to stay off drugs.

Compared to my WRX wagon the GT wagon feels bloated/heavy. So I am not sure what reviewers are placing their relativity towards maybe cars in the same class. However the handling feedback and feel is great given the balance of comfort. My WRX lacks the comfort however feels like its ready for the track. Both are on stocker tires.

 

Personally I would try it out and see what you think.

Speaking of tires what tires workbest on the lgt?

 

I've been VERY happy with Pirelli PZero Neros. They are highly rated at TireRack, though snow and rain performance were high on my list of needs and may not be on yours.

 

I got 225s instead of 215s. Quiet, great grip.

I've been VERY happy with Pirelli PZero Neros. They are highly rated at TireRack, though snow and rain performance were high on my list of needs and may not be on yours.

 

I got 225s instead of 215s. Quiet, great grip.

 

How's the flatspotting?

i'm coming from a WRX with AGXs set at 3 all around, and prokit springs. while the LGT wasn't much of a comparison, it definitely didn't dissapoint me.

 

plus, the elimination of road noise and rattles over bumps made it an easy sell suspension wise.

 

dR

Well it isn't great, but it isn't abd either.

 

It requires building some faith, and you definitely want tires that warn you before getting loose. To describe it simply, what feels like the first 3rd of suspension travel is pretty mushy. This makes for a pretty comfy ride. However, getting into a turn hard requires you to build up some trust in your car because it FEELS like it's going to not take what you throw at it. In actuality it will take quite a bit.

 

the thing that really gets me in the handling department is the bounciness when you hit a bridge seem or similar. It seems a bit excessive and if you hit lots of bad seams at a decent clip you could get some severe harmonic bouncing that might cause control issues.

lol!

I think all of the important parts to a good handling car are there in the Legacy. It has quick, accurate steering. The weight distribution is much better then it's FWD compettitors. The car is well balanced, with slight understeer in stock form, and can be rotated easily with a lift of the throttle or slight trail braking. The stock tires are a handicap. When you look at the Magazine comparisons, cars tested on the same tires run equal to or slightly worse then the LGT's numbers. But the cars on better rubber have much better numbers. A good alignment will also transform the handling of just about any stock car. The shocks and springs are on the soft side for a sports car, but the car can still be made to handle well with them. I think the Legacy is a perfect candidate for the "soft spring, stiff anti-roll bar" school of suspension tuning, at least if you want to keep it a nice all around car.

 

I've frequently seen the LGT compared to the Acura TSX in car mags. The Acura is praised for it's handling, yet it's test numbers don't better the LGT. The explanation is simple. The Acura is SLOW, slower the my full size pickup 0-60 and in the 1/4 mile! It's down 50hp and almost 100ft.lbs. of torque to the LGT. It seems to take corners well, because it approaches them with less speed. It's kind of like driving a car at 7/10ths. With the power of the LGT, the Acura chassis would be more of a handfull.

 

Jason K.

I love the car but I'm modifying the suspension and brakes to get more out of the car. I'm putting better struts on and a anti-sway bar. I'm also putting better brakes on.