Legacy or Accord

[ramibel]

Am seriously smitten with the new Legacy GT. But I also considered getting the new Accord 3.5V6, except that it seems too big for my taste. Anyone out there familiar with both? Pro's and Con's?

[crossdx]

I, too, was taken by the new Legacy when it was released and made me change my mind at the last minute from buying another car. But the car I was considering was completely different from your other choice: a Hyundai Genesis Coupe. That should tell you something. Get the Legacy if you want a more sport-oriented executive sedan. The Accord should appeal to those looking for more luxury/amenities over driving performance. Even so, I still think the Legacy is the better pick as long as you don't live too far from MotorImage/Subaru.

[josephm]

Am seriously smitten with the new Legacy GT. But I also considered getting the new Accord 3.5V6, except that it seems too big for my taste. Anyone out there familiar with both? Pro's and Con's?

Have no experience on both cars, but this is my opinion:

The difference is the drive. Subaru Legacy has full all-wheel drive which means that all four wheels are planted to the ground at all times. Very handy when driving in changing road conditions. Honda Accord has only the front two wheels to drive it through the road. So there.

But Accord 3.5 V6 has VCM (6-4-3 cylinder transition, please research) that depends on your speed, so with that it gives an advantage in terms of fuel economy against the all-wheel driven Legacy.

~~~IMHO~~~

[crossdx]

No doubt, as said above, if you're at all concerned about fuel economy the Accord is the clear winner. Keep in mind that the Legacy GT also requires 95 RON minimum. That said, I don't see most people buying a 2 million peso vehicle for its fuel efficiency characteristics. As was mentioned in another thread, if you want an Accord (or Camry for that matter, why not throw it into the mix as well?) to save on gas (compared to the Legacy), might as well get the 2.4L instead and save even more. The V6 Accord or Camry is never going to win a drag race against a Legacy GT anyway. ;)

[ramibel]

i didn't know the legacy needed 95 octane gas. thanks for the info. but i guess the primary consideration - for me, at least - is still the performance. fuel economy, utility, luxury, et al are all secondary so in this respect, i think the legacy wins hands down. besides, i think the legacy will be more exclusive, as there will be fewer of them on the road compared to accord or camry. bonus na lang yun.

[ramibel]

crossdx, just read on the internet that the fuel requirement for the new legacy GT is just 91 octane unleaded. which means pwede yung regular unleaded natin (93 octane). i just wonder if it will make less than the advertised 265 hp on 93 octane . . .

[jaymd]

91 pump octane number (RON+MON/2) in the states is equivalent to 95 RON here sa pinas. ata.

[crossdx]

crossdx, just read on the internet that the fuel requirement for the new legacy GT is just 91 octane unleaded. which means pwede yung regular unleaded natin (93 octane). i just wonder if it will make less than the advertised 265 hp on 93 octane . . .

The SA from MotorImage told me 95 RON was the recommended fuel for their turbocharged Subaru units, the new Legacy GT included. Maybe it will run on 93, but prolonged use of below 95 may result in engine knock. Personally, I don't think it's worth the risk to save a few bucks at the pump. I think it best to use 95 as per recommendation, especially if that's what's listed in the owner's manual, though in a dire emergency I'm sure lower octane can be used (like if you need to refuel in the middle of nowhere and can't find a decent gas station) without much trouble as long as you don't make dire emergencies a habit.

[niky]

91 pump octane number (RON+MON/2) in the states is equivalent to 95 RON here sa pinas. ata.

Yup... 91 octane in the US (AKI) is usually comparable to 95 RON.

-

The one advantage of the Legacy is the upgradeability, and the availability of AWD for snowy or icy conditions.

In the Philippines, though, the most you'll have to deal with is rain. And in the rain, tires are more important than AWD.

Most FWD cars tend to keep going in a straight line when hydroplaning... same as with AWD cars. The safety of AWD cars is better than that of RWD cars in the rain, but against FWD cars, safety is similar. I've driven FWD cars off-road, in mud, gravel and dirt... and they act quite similar to AWD when they get sideways... just countersteer and add some gas and they straighten out.

That said... the Legacy should be safer because it has better tires than the Accord... whose Michelins are quite unsuited to the amount of power available.

The Accord is still the more luxurious car, but the Legacy is more like the Mazda6... more fun to drive... and it has much more power than the 6, too.

[ronw123w124]

Legacy sedan hands down, heck if the Camry was included among your choices, I'd go for it over the Accord ONLY.

[josephm]

What kind of Michelin tyres are in the Accord?

The Legacy has the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A for grip.

[niky]

What kind of Michelin tyres are in the Accord?

The Legacy has the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A for grip.

Michelin MKV, if I remember right... that or some other silly "energy-saving" tire. Decent enough for regular driving, but lack grip for maneuvers at the kind of speed the Accord is capable of reaching.

[niky]

Yeah... a Legacy Turbo would be a great tuner car.

But if you're buying one of these cars to sit in the back of, the Accord would still be a much better choice.

Horses for course, of course. ;)

Michelin MKV, if I remember right... that or some other silly "energy-saving" tire. Decent enough for regular driving, but lack grip for maneuvers at the kind of speed the Accord is capable of reaching.

Whoops... we were talking about videos in the other thread... I meant MXV.

[crossdx]

Yeah... a Legacy Turbo would be a great tuner car.

But if you're buying one of these cars to sit in the back of, the Accord would still be a much better choice.

Horses for course, of course. ;)

I haven't got to try riding in the back of a new Accord, but having tried the Legacy GT's backseat, I gotta say it's pretty darn comfortable and roomy enough, even for larger folks (based on the American sites that have reviewed it). I think due to its size, the Accord would probably be a bit roomier/better spaced, but I'm not sure if it would really make it a much better pick over the Legacy just based on that. We Filipinos aren't known for our posterior size after all, well, for the most part. (guilty of having one, but luckily I sit up front) Or am I missing something, like the Accord's backseats are of lounge chair comfort level?

[renzo_d10]

Legacy for me.

There's only a disadvantage at your part though. Their one and only CASA - that's if, you live far away from it.

[ramibel]

Got the full technical specs on both cars and here's how they stack up:

Engine - Legacy 2.5L turbo H4, Accord 3.5L V6
Power - Legacy 265hp *5600rpm, Accord 268hp *6200rpm
Torque - Legacy 350Nm * 2400-5200rpm, Accord 336Nm *5000rpm
Drivetrain - Legacy AWD, Accord FWD
Transmission - Both have 5-speed AT
Brakes - Legacy ventilated discs on all 4 wheels, Accord only in front (solid discs at the back)
Tires - Legacy has 225/45-18 Bridgestones, Accord 225/50-17 Michelins
Suspension - Legacy has MacPherson struts in front, double wishbones at the back, Accord has double wishbones all around
Features - almost identical (moonroof, full leather, auto-levelling HID headlights, iPod-ready audio system, etc)
Size - width nearly identical, Legacy taller by about an inch, Accord a full 8 inches longer
Price - same

Verdict: the performance advantage of the Legacy is clear (AWD, better tires, power at lower revs with a much flatter torque curve), but what surprised me was the luxury part. i had conceded the Accord to be the more luxurious car, but after reviewing everything (i sat in both backseats and they were almost equally roomy), they are nearly equal here as well.
the only disadvantage i could uncover for the Legacy was in fuel costs. the turbo engine does require 95 octane premium (thanks, guys) whereas the Accord can take 93. plus the Accord has that fancy VCM which might make it a little more frugal (but not by much).
But the Subaru is more upgradeable. I heard a simple chip upgrade pushes it past 300hp. nice. not sure if this will void the warrant, though.

All-in-all, i definitely think its the Legacy for me. in black.

[Dons23]

If you want a reliable car that can go for about 8 years with little or NO hassle then go for the Legacy. Subaru quality is much better than honda.

[crossdx]

Got the full technical specs on both cars and here's how they stack up:

Engine - Legacy 2.5L turbo H4, Accord 3.5L V6
Power - Legacy 265hp *5600rpm, Accord 268hp *6200rpm
Torque - Legacy 350Nm * 2400-5200rpm, Accord 336Nm *5000rpm
Drivetrain - Legacy AWD, Accord FWD
Transmission - Both have 5-speed AT
Brakes - Legacy ventilated discs on all 4 wheels, Accord only in front (solid discs at the back)
Tires - Legacy has 225/45-18 Bridgestones, Accord 225/50-17 Michelins
Suspension - Legacy has MacPherson struts in front, double wishbones at the back, Accord has double wishbones all around
Features - almost identical (moonroof, full leather, auto-levelling HID headlights, iPod-ready audio system, etc)
Size - width nearly identical, Legacy taller by about an inch, Accord a full 8 inches longer
Price - same

Verdict: the performance advantage of the Legacy is clear (AWD, better tires, power at lower revs with a much flatter torque curve), but what surprised me was the luxury part. i had conceded the Accord to be the more luxurious car, but after reviewing everything (i sat in both backseats and they were almost equally roomy), they are nearly equal here as well.
the only disadvantage i could uncover for the Legacy was in fuel costs. the turbo engine does require 95 octane premium (thanks, guys) whereas the Accord can take 93. plus the Accord has that fancy VCM which might make it a little more frugal (but not by much).
But the Subaru is more upgradeable. I heard a simple chip upgrade pushes it past 300hp. nice. not sure if this will void the warrant, though.

All-in-all, i definitely think its the Legacy for me. in black.

I also thought the Accord had much more luxury features, until I checked out the Honda website. Turns out it's very similar to the Legacy, so the Accord isn't a runaway winner in that category like I'd assumed. Legacy even one ups it in having 10-way power seats as opposed to Accord's 8-way.

As for fuel, well, with great power (turbo) comes great octane requirements. Hehe, sorry. Like I said though, I think the gas savings are negligible at best considering the prices of these cars. I don't think most people buying either the Accord V6 or Legacy GT will be on a tight gas budget. At any rate, for those looking for the sportier ride, the Legacy's performance more than makes up for it, imo.

The car looks awesome in black, but yeah, hard to keep clean. But when it's clean, it looks simply stunning. :cool: Gonna be getting a blue one myself (favorite color).

[ramibel]

to crossdx,

nakuha mo na ba yung legacy mo? mga May pa ako kukuha. gift ko sa sarili ko for my birthday. if you did, kamusta naman? any feedback? thanks.

[docgorio]

If you'll ask me, I'll get the Legacy Station Wagon in White...

It's a monster of a car in a perfect Mom-mobile camouflage... I'd like to see the Banzai Boys drop their jaws when they eat the dust from a Legacy station wagon...