CD Article: 2009 Subaru Legacy Wagon PZEV

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


For 2009, Subaru introduces the PZEV, a low-emission version of its Legacy and Outback models. Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh drives a car that can potentially emit cleaner air than what you're currently breathing.

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Read the article | View the photos | All the Test Drives

[Honda Owner]

A nice package for the price. I am sure Subaru will have no trouble selling every one they import into North America.

[2hondas]

I am impressed with this technology. All vehicles should offer this.  Not complicated like hybrid technology.

[tpl]

I wonder how many 3rd owners in 10 years time will bother to pay for a more expensive replacement converter or pay a dealer to reflash the ECU if they get a regular one.
 Just drive with the engine light on I expect.

[toolatecrew]

Welcome to article number 17 written on the Subaru Legacy since it debuted in 2005. Yes low emmissions is new but that's what tech articles are for. By the autors own admission the drive is identical (other than warm up) to every other Legacy so why do a full road test write up.The amount of coverage this particular vehicle gets seems kina out of whack considering its sales and popularity. The Camry which outsells it by a wide margin has had HALF as any tests since 2005. Same thing for the Malibu. The Accord has been covered less .

Honestly how many times doyou need to test drive a vhecile that is esentially identical to the last one you drove? Why talk about the seats and air conditioning and cargo hold etc when its not effected by the new technology. Maybe Subaru has extra press cars cluttering its lots?

[airbalancer]

  , they can only review what they get there hands on

Related articles on CanadianDriver
First Drives
2008 Subaru Legacy Outback, by Paul Williams

Test Drives
2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon, by Peter Bleakney
2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon, by Chris Chase

Day-by-Day Reviews
2007 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon, by James Bergeron

First on 2009 Legacy wagon

[toolatecrew]

, they can only review what they get there hands on

Related articles on CanadianDriver
First Drives
2008 Subaru Legacy Outback, by Paul Williams

Test Drives
2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon, by Peter Bleakney
2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon, by Chris Chase

Day-by-Day Reviews
2007 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon, by James Bergeron

First on 2009 Legacy wagon

WHy review it. Why not an Autotech article like http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/060322.htm on the Impala Flex Fuel Technology. Discuss the tech. I don't see any comments about styling or seats in this article.

The whole point is there is really no need to REVIEW this vehicle. Its been done over and over. Yes I realize I can skip it. But it doesn't strike anyone as odd that tis one vehicle of that isn't all that popular gets so much coverage?

[Jil]

<<A nice package for the price. I am sure Subaru will have no trouble selling every one they import into North America.>>

No importation needed -- they're built in Indiana.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You can never have too many Subaru reviews!

When I bought the Outback the 09’s were just starting to trickle in. Since our 08 was already classified as PZEV, I saw no reason to hold off, thus avoiding the big, bright “PZEV” decal on the back.

Best car I’ve ever had. Love it! And it gets in the low 7s (L/100km) on the highway, low 9s around town. Mrs_T bought more camping gear, so we did have to spring for a Thule Frontier 11 cu ft carrier. But what’s an Outback without a Thule carrier on it anyway.

I am fairly certain that the torque distribution is 50/50 on the manual transmission cars, at least on 08’s.

[Honda Owner]

When I bought my Fit, I seriously considered a Legacy wagon. However, the Honda is half the money and we are really not at the stage where we actually need a car a big as the Legacy. I expect that there will be many interesting new small wagons on the market in the next five years.

[BernardP]

After many years of regularly visiting CanadianDriver.com, this test drive has finally prompted me to register on the forum. I am writing the following as the owner of a 2005 Legacy 2.5i 5MT with a strong interest in the climate change question.

First off, the article starts by referring to "greenhouse gases". It should be understood that the PZEV emission certification, originating in California and now also mandatory in other US states, has nothing to do with greenhouse gases emissions.

The PZEV norm relates to pollutants. Theorically perfect combustion of hydrocarbons (HC compounds) with the oxygen (O2) in the air should produce only water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). H2O and CO2 are not pollutants. CO2 is generally recognised as a greenhouse gas, meaning that it has a heat-trapping effect. Water vapor is also a greenhouse gas, much more present in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. H2O and CO2 are both necessary to life on Earth. So, perfect, pollutant-free combustion of  hydrocabons and oxygen would result in nothing else that greenhouse gases being emitted. The only way to reduce automotive greenhouse gas emissions is to use less hydrocabons and less oxygen to travel a given distance, that is to improve fuel economy.

As for pollutants, there is no such thing as perfect combustion. First, nitrogen makes up 78% of the atmosphere. Impurities are present in gazoline. Combustion processes can't be 100% perfect. This results in pollutants being emitted by combustion. These are mainly oxydes of nitrogen (NOx) and carbon monoxyde (CO), toxic and harmful compounds, thus pollutants.

Achieving PZEV certification will make an engine emit less pollutants (mainly NOx and CO) and more of the products of "better" combustion (H2O and CO2), which are the "feared" greenhouse gases. Less pollutants means more greenhouse gases.

There are undoubtedly some Canadians who think they will be fighting global warming by buying a PZEV car, but they are mistaken. Their new PZEV car will not help reduce greenhouse gases, but will have a mostly symbolic effect on air pollution, akin to trying to cleanup the St-Lawrence River by emptying a few bottles of Perrier in Lake Ontario.

Which brings me to my second point. The PZEV certification is not mandated in Canada, and obviously its only tangible benefits are to allow Subaru of Canada to projet a "green" image and make some Legacy owners feel  greener. If only because of the larger catalytic converter, PZEV implies higher costs.

I will soon be in the market for a 2009 car, and am very disappointed by Subaru of Canada's Legacy lineup for 2009. Considering the Canadian MSRP remains abnormally high compared to US pricing, the base Legacy 2.5i should at least include features that are present on the base US Legacy, instead of the useless PZEV certification. More precisely, the base 2009 Legacy in Canada should have included electronic stability control (VDC in Subaru-speak), 17-inch wheels and heated windshield. It seems really incredible that in Canada, the base 2009 Impreza has VDC while the base 2009 Legacy doesn't. My 2005 Legacy 2.5i base model has the heated windshield, but this convenient feature is now missing in 2009.

To get VDC, 17-inch wheels and heated windshield on a 2009 Legacy, I would have to plunk $2500 more for the Touring Package, which also includes a better sound system, moonroof and foglights, (items for which I have little interest) but strangely, deletes mirror-mounted turn-signals.

It would have been interesting to read comments in the article regarding Subaru of Canada's reasons for selling a decontented base model in Canada as well as Canada-US price discrepancies.

[Mitlov]

A nice package for the price. I am sure Subaru will have no trouble selling every one they import into North America.

Into Canada, yes.  Into North America as a whole, no.  I was unable to find an American buyer for my 2006 Legacy wagon when I was trying to sell it.  In the end, I sold it to a guy in Saskatoon.  In fact, Subaru USA no longer sells the Legacy wagon at all.

[Honda Owner]

[/quote]

Into Canada, yes.  Into North America as a whole, no.  I was unable to find an American buyer for my 2006 Legacy wagon when I was trying to sell it.  In the end, I sold it to a guy in Saskatoon.  In fact, Subaru USA no longer sells the Legacy wagon at all.
[/quote]

Perhaps it has something to do with your economic conditions vs those in Saskatchewan.

[Mitlov]

Perhaps it has something to do with your economic conditions vs those in Saskatchewan.

No, it wasn't.  Plenty of people are still buying cars here.  Subaru cut the Legacy wagon in the States for one reason--it wasn't selling.

[ghost]

I am impressed with this technology. All vehicles should offer this.  Not complicated like hybrid technology.

Most cars these days are already PZEV. It's just Subaru that is turning it into a marketing scheme. I remember seeing a list of PZEV cars long before these new Subies show up. This is so VTEC.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/automobiles/30PZEV.html?_r=1&ref=automobiles&oref=slogin

[safristi]

..it really does look like a PEZ V dispenser......................

[Calbrez]

Why don't they just release their diesel version? it consumes 40% less fuel...

just a stupid marketing scheme...

[airbalancer]

Why don't they just release their diesel version? it consumes 40% less fuel...

just a stupid marketing scheme...

Can it pass NA regulations ?

[kurtdaniel]

i own a Legacy for 2 years now and im so satisfied with it..cant w8 till i get my hands on the 2009 model and upgrade some borla exhaust on it..