Marketing
The USA Legacy was marketed as an affordable, luxurious sedan and wagon without the premium price, similar to the marketing efforts in Japan and Australia. The American, Japanese and Australian brochures actually define the vehicle as a luxury car. The European and British Legacy were marketed as a roomy, comfortable, yet durable vehicle for life in the country, with unexpected amenities.
The Legacy was introduced in the USA as a competitor to the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Stanza, and Mazda 626, with the Legacy offering All Wheel Drive (AWD) as a major distinguishing feature against its competition. (Toyota initially offered AWD on the Camry in the USA in limited markets, with the designation Camry LE All-Trac, but discontinued the feature due to disappointing sales.) The only Japanese competitor to continue offering all-wheel-drive in a similarly sized sedan was Mitsubishi in the premium sport package Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, whereas Subaru offered all-wheel-drive as an option on all trim levels internationally. The Legacy sedan had very similar dimensions and appearance to the current at the time Toyota Cressida. When Subaru decided to offer a sedan and wagon that pushed the limits of Japanese regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine size, it appears they drew inspiration from early 1970s Toyota Mark II and Nissan Maxima, adding their all-wheel drive to the list of options as a safety feature.
The Honda Legend introduced in 1986, appears to be a significant inspiration, with a very similar rear tail light influence on the Legacy sedan, and the appearance of the word "Legacy" across the trunklid in a similar "Legend" fashion. Many of the technical advancements included with the Legend, along with ergonomic desirability of various features found themselves appearing in the Legacy. Items like variable length intake manifolds, multi-port sequential fuel injection, independent strut suspensions, attention to aerodynamic design standards, and the desire to have a car that attempted to redefine what a luxury car should be. Other items like push button heating and ventilation controls, lighted footwells for the driver, storage pockets in the front doors with optional puddle lighting for all doors, bronze tinted glass to reduce glare and UV intrusion into the vehicle, hydraulic engine mounts to reduce engine vibrations intruding inside the vehicle, and numerous other items. The alloy wheels that were used on the 1991 Legacy LS sedan and wagon are also similar in appearance to the alloy wheels used on the 1988 Legend LS as well. When the Legend appeared in Japan and North America, its full name was the "Legend Touring Sedan". The Legacy wagon in Japan has always been described as the "Legacy Touring Wagon" and not a station wagon or estate, a tradition still maintained. Legacy trim levels also match the trim packages offered in North America, using "L" for the entry level model and "LS" on upper trim level products.
The Legacy was pitted against vehicles that were offered at the time from Detroit, notably the GM "A" platform (Pontiac 6000, Buick Century, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, and Chevrolet Celebrity) and the GM L platform (Corsica/Beretta), the Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz and the Dodge Spirit/Plymouth Acclaim. Ford also offered AWD on the Tempo in limited markets from 1986 to 1991, and GM installed AWD on the Pontiac 6000 STE, but experienced the same results as Toyota with the Camry All-Trac and cancelled the option soon after. On the Pontiac, only the uplevel 6000 STE came with AWD as standard equipment from MY 1988–1990, with a V6 engine. The GM "A" body was also available as a wagon on the Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Chevrolet, but all were FWD only. In North America, starting with model year 1993, the Legacy sedan and wagon saw the introduction of the Mitsubishi Diamante as a luxury wagon with optional all-wheel drive with a V6 engine.
In Europe, the Legacy competed against vehicles like the Toyota Carina, Nissan Primera, Opel Vectra, Ford Sierra, Volkswagen Passat, Audi 80, Alfa Romeo 75, and the Renault 21. The Ford, Opel, VW, Audi, and Renault were available with optional AWD at the time, but the Renault had AWD only on turbocharged engines, and the wagon was called the Nevada/Savanna. The Renault 21 was sold in North America briefly, called the Eagle Medallion until 1989.
In Japan, the early 1990s saw a rise in popularity of entry level luxury 4-door hardtop sedans, notably the Nissan Presea, Toyota Carina ED, Honda Vigor, Mazda (Efini) MS-8 and the Mitsubishi Emeraude all utilizing frameless side windows on a compact sedan wheelbase. Some vehicles had a slim "B" pillar between the front and rear door while others didn't. The Japanese-spec Legacy RS turbo competed with the Toyota Carina G Limited and the Nissan Bluebird SSS-R. The Legacy wagon appeared around the same time as the Nissan Avenir.
The Legacy was introduced with many different trim levels, with an assortment of different names (i.e. Brighton, Lancaster, VZ to name a few). Perhaps the most dubious one of all would be the 1993 Subaru Legacy Touring Bruce, named for Bruce Willis, who lent himself to a Japanese market advertising campaign and sang in commercials, singing the song "A House of Gold" by Kenny Rankin. Willis also appeared in the Japanese market Subaru Legacy sales brochure for both the sedan and wagon, wearing a linen suit in both brochures. Here is a small collection of commercials with Bruce Willis as the spokesman Singers Jennifer Lopez and Rod Stewart have both filmed TV commercials for the Japanese market and actor Mel Gibson sang in a commercial for the second generation with two songs "So Far Away" and "You Light Up My Life" by David Morgan. Rod did singing commercials for the second generation Legacy, singing "People Get Ready", "Tonight's the Night" and "Sailing". Jennifer also did singing commercials for the third generation, with the song "Ain't It Funny". Willis re-appeared in a commercial for the fourth generation model to celebrate the production of the 3 millionth Legacy in 2005.
Read more about this topic: Subaru Legacy (first Generation)