Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
18 -23 City / 25 -31 HWY
Horsepower
170 -265
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Justin H
Most dependable all wheel drive vehicle for most or any road conditions.
Best vehicle I have had yet. Every Subaru I have owned is incredible in the snow and off road such as muddy conditions. I really can't say I have had any major issues with my vehicle other than your normal vehicle maintenance. As far as comfort, it is very comfortable and user friendly.
accountCircle Sabrina S
Subaru-car of your dreams!
It is a very well made vehicle. I have had it for 8 years and it is never given me any trouble. I keep up with regular maintenance and it runs great. The gas mileage I get is incredible. The car is like a tank while driving in the snow. It is an excellent car!
accountCircle Emily L
It is a nice car and I love it.
I like the smooth drive and AWD in this car. The car is very roomy and comfortable for the driver and all passengers. I dislike the material of the seats which easily stain from water and are hard to remove.
accountCircle Luis H
The car is great on gas, reliable, and not very expensive on maintenance.
This is a very reliable car. It is great on gas and not very expensive when it comes to maintenance. I bought this car with many miles on it and it runs like new, as long as you are keeping up with maintenance. Handles well and is a great looking car in my opinion. Very nice car overall.
accountCircle Michelle H
Economical, sporty, luxury.
No major problems. Routine service every 5000 miles. Synthetic motor oil. Subaru has warrantied the CVT transmission forever. Excellent fuel mileage, use higher grade gasoline. Has all the bells and whistles. Performance and handling is excellent with performance rated tires. We prefer pirelli tires.
accountCircle Jen T
Subaru, the car designed for adventure seekers and mountain dwellers!
Living in a region where the roads quality is not the best, the weather can change in a instant, snow and ice on steep inclines are common, my vehicle performs great against all these challenges. I have driven my car through unplowed and icy streets with ease, there has never been a moment where I had to second guess whether or not I should drive due to road conditions.
accountCircle Dominique M
Good 4 wheel drive, nice interior, bad headlights, problematic sunroof.
Currently replacing serpentine belt and all 4 tires and left headlight. Sunroof has been broken for some time and anytime I get it fixed it breaks again. Headlight is not easily replaceable because the front bumper has to be taken off in order to replace it or must go under which ever side of the car under the wheel well to reach the headlight. Performance is great, drives steady with 4 wheel drive and leather interior and great sound system.
accountCircle Elizabeth B
Runs great even with all the miles that have been put on (almost 200k).
It has a lot of miles (almost 200k) but still runs great! Have a little problem with the headlights coming on sometimes but they work fine when I do not keep them on throughout the daytime. The brake vibrate and shake a bit sometimes when I have to brake too hard but never been a real problem.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Matthew M
How to run it gas effectively.
I m not a fan of it in generalist has many flaws and defects needs need brakes and a whole lot more work.
accountCircle michelle R
Heated seats is my best option in this car, winters are cold and this helps takes awhile for the car to get more in the mornings.
I just don't like it poor mileage, could never get bluetooth to work, i think it was wrecked and don't know when i bought it used from a dealer that goes to auctions.
accountCircle Emily H
Overall a good vehicle, highly recommend. Has good gas mileage!
My vehicle has been very reliable, as long as you keep up with the daily maintenance and always check your fluid levels it shouldn't be much of a problem. It runs great. Decently priced, parts are not too expensive. I have several younger siblings that I need to drive around, its roomy enough to fit all of us comfortably, but not too big that I feel overwhelmed when driving it. The interior has held up nicely with all of the wear and tear my vehicle takes on, we have 2 large dogs and have never once has an issue with fabric holding stains or tearing. It has a decent size trunk for a sedan, a good bit of leg room both in the front and back seats. The body has a very attractive sleek look for its year. I've never had an issue getting bulky car seats to fit, or worry about lack of room after putting one in. The only downfall is a lot of road noise can be heard inside while driving ( with all windows closed) but for the price and durability of a Subaru it's not bad overall. Highly recommended to anyone!
accountCircle Theresa S
CVT transmission problems are very expensive.
I love my car but I wouldn't have bought it had I known it has a CVT transmission. The transmission is going out and it is very hard to find someone to fix it and it's very expensive. Other than that it has been a wonderful car. Great gas mileage, comfortable, smooth ride.
accountCircle Olivia S
Decent vehicle with comfortable features.
Overall is a decent car, have had some issues with the transmission which I had to replace. Sometimes it makes noises that do not sound right and I have had to get a bit of work done on it throughout the years. The car is very comfortable and super spacious. A large backseat with comfortable seats and front seat warmers.
accountCircle Katie R
Spectacular all wheel drive sedan for any driver in any location.
Purchased this vehicle as a result of low cost and top safety ratings. Comfortable drive and ride. Easy to drive. Large, spacious cabin. Large, spacious trunk. Good for small family. No mechanical problems to date with up to date maintenance. Performs well in bad weather conditions.
accountCircle Brian M
Easy maintenance, reliable vehicle. Good family car.
Our legacy has been extremely reliable and easy to maintain. It is a solid option for a small family looking for a good value, good mpg, that has ample room for a family of four. The trunk holds most of our gear, and the back seat has plenty of room for car seats. A good family starter car.
accountCircle Bryan H
The car is a pretty navy blue with tinted windows.
My first Subaru and it is just ok. Had about $3k worth of transmission issues six months after purchasing the car used. Here I thought there were suppose to cheap cars to own. I also have had four recalls to deal with. The hood of the car seems very cheap too.

Subaru Legacy Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
2.5i
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Prem AWP
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Prem AWP/Pwr Moon
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Prem AWP/HK Audio
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Prem AWP/HK/Pwr Moon
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Prem
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
3.6R
256 HP 20 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Ltd
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Ltd Pwr Moon
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
2.5i Ltd Pwr Moon/Navigation
170 HP 26 MPG 5 Seats
car
3.6R Prem HK Audio/Pwr Moon
256 HP 20 MPG 5 Seats
car
3.6R Prem
256 HP 20 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2011 Subaru Legacy Owner Reviews

4.48
171 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 58%
4 stars 33%
3 stars 8%
2 stars 1%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Kristina K on June 24, 2021
Built to last; built for peace of mind.
My car is reliable, comfortable, sleek and performs well in all weathers. It is a Subaru-so safety and dependability is part of what you get when you buy one. I feel safe driving it and it handles well-it’s sturdy, responsive, and stable. I have had minimal repairs in the 7 years of ownerships and over 100, 000 miles driven. As long as you keep up with basic maintenance, my car will last.
accountCircle Nicholas V on June 24, 2021
38 mpg at 10 years old and 170,000+ miles.
The Subaru legacy impresses me time and time again. Through foil weather, storms, rough terrain mileage and mpg. My car has 170,000 miles on it and recently averaged 38 mpg on a trip from Raleigh to Orlando! I love my Subaru and will stick with them for as long as I can. Take care of them and they will take great care of you!

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Kristina K.

All wheel drive; low maintenance; reliable in bad weather; good gas mileage; safe; comfortable; drives stable; easy to handle; very stylish; good rates on insurance; good trunk size; fits 4 adults comfortably; would trust my kids to drive this.

likeFilled Tyler B.

The size of the vehicle is awesome. I love the off road quality of the Subaru build. The sound system is a Bose so that is pretty great as well. I get about 35-40 MPG on average so the gas mileage is great too.

likeFilled Megan S.

Love the handling of the car and the look of it. Love the affordability, dependability and low maintenance costs. The fact that I can have AWD in a sedan is also a huge plus. I do not have to get an SUV to have AWD.

likeFilled Jennifer K.

Feels safe and reliable, nice size, roomy, very user friendly dashboard, it has all-wheel drive which helps with snowy weather and I like the look of it because it is streamlined, but not cheap looking.

likeFilled Mary D.

This is the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. It is got over 110,000 miles on it and no major issues. It has not required any service beyond routine maintenance. It drives like a dream in all conditions. I absolutely love my Subaru.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Kristina K.

The headlights constantly go out and need replaced-averaging at least 2 times a year. Wish it had Bluetooth. It a model too late. It is a little more costly for repairs. Otherwise, I am very pleased and plan to buy another Subaru soon.

dislikeFilled Tyler B.

The deck is very outdated. The gas tank also has a hard time opening. The seat heater is very easy to hit on accident. I wish the seats were not leather I wish they were something that wouldn't wear as much as they do and the color of the seats makes it hard to keep clean.

dislikeFilled Megan S.

Cons are that it is a low profile vehicle and where I drive a lot is dirt roads with vastly uneven roadways. I tend to hit the front bumper quite a bit. With the low end trim that I have, the air system is not the most accurate and has to be played around with.

dislikeFilled Jennifer K.

I would say the cons are that it has a bulky covering over the wheels which is part of the design, but not my favorite look. It takes a pricey type of oil. Only one side of the back seat folds down for more trunk space.

dislikeFilled Mary D.

The drivers side window is a bit glitchy after so many years. It is also very low to the ground, which helps with how well it rides but I tend to scrape on curbs while parking or going over certain angled hills which is frustrating.

Ranks #1 Midsize Cars by Owners

The 2011 Subaru Legacy has an average owner rating of 4.48 out of 5 which ranks it #1 of 13 other Midsize Cars.

1
car
4.48
2
car
4.47
3
car
4.41

Ranks #6 Midsize Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2011 Subaru Legacy has a combined MPG of 32 which ranks it #6 of 13 other Midsize Cars.

1
car
41 MPG
2
Tie
car
39 MPG
6
Tie
car
31 MPG

Is The 2011 Subaru Legacy A Good Car?

Yes. It is the perfect size sedan and they are amazing in the snow that get good mpg. My car has a manual transmission so I get ever better gas mileage.
Stephanie C.
Yes, I really like having AWD and really good gas mileage. Plus the leather seating is nice since I have a little boy who, by nature is messy.
Lindsay R.
Yes it is a good vehicle. I like it because it is safe and because it does not have very many recalls.
Samantha E.
Yeah, very good car life. Very durable. Relatively low maintenance. Handles extremely well in the snow for a sedan. All wheel drive is a huge plus.
Emma D.

How Reliable Is The 2011 Subaru Legacy?

It does not have any problems currently. I just need to do normal maintenance to it currently which are some light bulbs, brakes and rotors, and my suspension. Other than that my car runs perfectly.
Stephanie C.
It is reliable. I have not had any major issues with it since I bought it. However, I was told by my sons grandma that I may have a high bill because with the Subaru the timing belt has to be replaced... Read More
Lindsay R.
My Subaru is very reliable. It does have some problems but nothing I cannot just fix at the dealership.
Samantha E.
The only issues I've had with this car is that the headlights go out quite frequent. I've had the car for 2 years and have had to replace the headlights 6 times.
Sara S.

Is The 2011 Subaru Legacy A Good Value?

I do not know the value now but I bought it for $5000. With the lack of problems and great mileage I believe I got a steal deal on it.
Stephanie C.
I would say yes, it fit the needs I had at the time I bought it. However, I did find that it lost it is value very quickly and now I am upside down on my auto loan which is very disappointing.
Lindsay R.
My loan was for a little more than $12,000 and Subarus hold their values as I have been told but so far I have had 3 recalls on it.
Samantha E.
I purchased my car for $12,500 used at 50K miles. I consider that great value for a car that has taken a beating and held up great.
Ashley R.

Related Articles for 2011 Subaru Legacy

From the Vehicle History blog

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2008 Subaru Legacy Review: A Sporty, Comfortable Sedan That’s Priced to Move, but Only at the Entry Level
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2017 Subaru Legacy Review: Reliable Midsize Sedan With Reasonable Ownership Costs

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5 i transmission fluid capacity?

Answer: The transmission fluid capacity for the 2011 Subaru Legacy with the 2.5 L 4Cylinder engine iS3.7 litres for the manual and 12 litres for a total fill for the automatic. The type that should be used in the car...

How do i perform the 2011 Subaru Legacy oil light reset?

Answer: The oil maintenance light in a Subaru Legacy can be reset very easily. Simply put Your key into the ignition and set it to ON. This should turn on all the accessories, but not the engine. Once You can see that...

Does the 2011 Subaru Legacy have Bluetooth?

Answer: The 2011 Subaru Legacy does have bluetooth. You will come into problems with the sound. This could be from the stereo's speakers or a phone that is connected to the vehicle. Whatever the source, You will need...

Does the 2011 Subaru Legacy have a timing belt or chain?

Answer: The 2011 Subaru Legacy comes standard equipped with a timing belt instead of a timing chain. This means that it will benefit from routine maintenance and check ups. The belt, unlike a chain, is not meant to...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety