The Subaru Legacy is the only sedan in the Subaru lineup. It’s a bit of a black sheep in a brand most famous for its quirky wagons and SUVs like the Outback, Crosstrek, and Forester. The Subaru Legacy applies its brand’s distinct character to a practical midsize sedan.

The sales of the Legacy lag behind class leaders like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. However, buyers who choose the Subaru Legacy are getting a significant advantage that buyers of the more mainstream sedans are missing out on.

The Subaru Legacy has the best dealership experience in its class

According to scores from J.D. Power, the Subaru Legacy delivers the best dealership experience in its segment. In the “Dealership Experience” category of its scoring, J.D. Power gives the Legacy an 87 out of 100. The only other cars in this class with a score higher than 80 in this category are the Chevrolet Malibu (85/100) and the Nissan Altima (82/100).

The famous Honda Accord gets an OK “Dealership Experience” score of 80 out of 100, and the sales leader in this class, the Toyota Camry, only scores 76 out of 100. The Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata get unimpressive scores of 74 and 69, respectively.

Why is dealership experience important?

Buying a new car is always a big financial move, even when shopping for a reasonably affordable car like the Subaru Legacy. Its starting price of $24,895 is modest, but that’s still an expensive item for most of us. When spending tens of thousands of dollars on a new car, we want it to be a positive experience.

Subaru dealerships in the U.S. have done an excellent job creating a good experience for new car shoppers and Subaru owners getting their cars serviced. The fact that Subaru is a small automaker in the U.S. compared to giants like Toyota and General Motors is a strength in customer service.

Another big part of the positive dealership that Subaru offers is the Subaru Love Promise. That might sound like marketing speak, but the Subaru Love Promise means a lot to Subaru owners and employees.

Subaru describes it as “our vision to show love and respect to all people at every interaction with Subaru. Together with our retailers, we are dedicated to making the world a better place.” The Subaru Love Promise has five core pillars: Environment, Health, Education, Pets, and Community. Subaru dealerships give back to their local communities, and that creates a positive reputation for the whole brand. It makes people feel good about buying Subarus.

Other reasons to consider buying a 2023 Subaru Legacy

There are several reasons besides the excellent dealership experience to consider the Subaru Legacy. It has the distinction of being the only midsize sedan in its class with standard all-wheel drive. A few of its rivals, including the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, offer AWD as an option. However, the base Legacy, starting at under $25,000, is quite a bit more affordable than a Camry or Altima with the AWD option added on.

The Legacy is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and it gets a “Great” rating of 82 out of 100 in the “Resale” category of J.D. Power’s rankings. Those are important practical considerations for buyers looking for a family sedan they can trust.

Whatever your reason for considering the AWD-equipped Subaru Legacy, it’s a great alternative to its more mainstream rivals.