Comfort

And speaking of comfort, the front seats deserve extra praise for their supportive foam, handsome two-tone cloth upholstery, and just the right amount of side bolstering. The manually adjustable lumbar support on the driver's seat is another welcome comfort feature.

As noteworthy as the front seats are, the Legacy's back seat leaves something to be desired. While there's a bit more space in back than in previous generations, scarce foot and legroom make this a better place for kids than adults. Though designed to accommodate three across, the narrow center position is suitable only for the most tolerant of toddlers.

Out back, no pun intended, our Legacy 2.5i wagon featured a surprising amount of cargo room, made more useful by the 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks. Two four-inch deep underfloor storage bins make a great place to stash odds-'n-ends that would otherwise cause distraction rolling around the back. A retractable cargo cover is also standard, but a removable section that attaches to the inside of the rear hatch to provide full protection from prying eyes seems like an afterthought that's likely to get lost or broken.

Add surprisingly low levels of wind and road noise, and this is the nicest Legacy interior to date. In all, the redone cabin looks more attractive and feels more substantial, which should serve it well in its quest to go head to head with the refined interiors in comparably-priced models from Honda, Toyota, and even Volkswagen.