Subaru Legacy Hits the Middle of the Note

First, apologies for the blank blog.  I couldn't bear to check my horoscope yesterday because it was such a grim day weatherwise and I was feeling punk.  It is clear that I was in a fog when I sent out a headline.

Now to the Legacy: My singing teacher, the amazing Amanda Boyd (www.amandaboyd.com), has instructed me to get out of my throat when I am singing high notes and to place the sound over my eyebrows.  Using that imagery, a singer is more likely to strike directly into the middle of the note.  As I was driving the Legacy last weekend, I thought this car consistently hits the middle of the note, whether you are cornering, accelerating or going straight.  It's a strong, positive feeling, straight on, not ever slightly flat or sharp.

When I asked Michael McHale, U.S. Director of Public Relations for Subaru why the company has grown so much--five straight years of year-over-year sales increases during a recession and a 26 percent increase in sales from 2011 to 2012--he said that the customer no longer had to compromise because they wanted Subaru's AWD, sturdily built, dependable vehicles.  They have a touch of glamour now.  They are roomier and the gas mileage is greatly improved.

I could not have guessed I was driving a four-cylinder.  Subaru's 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (Boxer) engine had the certainty of a six.  (Horizontally-opposed refers to the placement of the pistons that lie flat on either side of the crankshaft--like in a box as opposed to being vertical.)  It is paired with standard all-wheel drive, continuously variable transmission, delivering better fuel economy at a combined 27 mpg.  All-wheel drive typically has unremarkable fuel economy because it adds weight to vehicles and in its mechanization uses more fuel.

The 2013 Subaru Legacy is a five-passenger sedan offered in six trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited, 3.6R, 3.6R Premium and 3.6R Limited.

My 2.5i Limited came with foglamps, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear seat air-conditioning, leather upholstery and wood trim, a four-way power passenger seat, the contents of the All-Weather package, an upgraded gauge cluster and the Harman Kardon sound system, which I loved.

Options for the Limited include a sunroof, the EyeSight driver assist system and a navigation system that includes a touchscreen interface, voice controls, a rearview camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Cost for my model with options was $30,977 including delivery.  That's a hell of a package for $30K.