1991 Subaru Legacy L review from North America

Adjusted (but not replaced) clutch at 61000 miles.

Replaced alternator at 62000 miles.

The Legacy is a great sedan. With respectable performance, reliability, and comfort in a package that is very inexpensive, one would be hard pressed to find a car from another manufacturer that was designed to compete with this model that can measure up to it.

While I did replace the alternator and adjust the clutch, that's all I had to do. I could tell the car wasn't not properly maintained when I got it, but in spite of this was in excellent condition anyway.

I was late for a meeting out of town and drove 110mph on the freeway the entire way there, making a 2 hour drive in just over an hour, then drove 110mph back. Didn't hurt the car at all.

I lost the car however while being stopped at a traffic light and being hit from behind by a large pickup truck travelling over 50mph. The car was totalled yet myself and two passengers were unharmed save for some neck pain. The passenger compartments of the car remained uncompromised even though the car was rendered unrepairable and the frame bent. For cars of this time construction with safety in mind was not at the forefront of design or marketing, yet this Subaru took a hit that would have potentially killed occupants of other cars in the same class, and we walked away for the most part unharmed.

All in all, the Legacy is an excellent value that few other car manufacturers can offer. I liken its reliability, safety, comfort, and performance to perhaps the early model Honda Accord but for a fraction of the cost.