Road Test: Subaru Legacy 2.0D SE NavPlus 5dr

Oh dear. Legacy wagons used to be great cars a few years ago. This new one isn't.

For a start, it has lost the old-school individuality. It now looks like some sort of mash-up of Accord and Mazda6. Old generations, in both cases. And the interior is covered in brash spangly plastic like some 1980s radio-cassette. Though I admit the clocks are nice.

And Legacys used to have a remarkable combination of handling and ride. The low centre of gravity, 4WD traction and sweet steering made them a joy to punt about, but the chassis would also smooth your path. The new one doesn't feel as enjoyably agile, and has a grumbly ride too.

Then there's the powertrain. I love the idea of a flat-four diesel, and it sounds like a petrol when you rev it. But the gear ratios are awkwardly spaced, so you often drop into a low-rev torque hole. It's an infuriating struggle to drive smoothly in town.

No doubt this car will be fabulously reliable and it does have a lot of room, but speaking as an estate fan, I reckon you could do a lot better elsewhere. And if you really need the AWD, you might want to think about all the crossovers available at this price, including Subaru's own superb Forester diesel. As for the Legacy, roll on the next generation.