The Subaru Legacy sedan, succeeding for two decades, has been redesigned for 2010. The 2010 Subaru Legacy boasts fresh styling, a redesigned body structure, new engines, new transmissions, redesigned suspension, and a new interior with vastly increased roominess. All Legacy models come with all-wheel drive. In fact, all Subarus come with all-wheel drive.

This fifth-generation Legacy offers a 3.2-inch longer wheelbase that adds nearly 4 inches of rear seat legroom, 9 percent increased passenger volume, and a whopping 30 percent increase in trunk space, when compared with pre-2010 models. But it's only 1.4 inches longer overall, thanks to shorter overhangs. For 2010, the Legacy has been widened by 3.6 inches and its chassis stiffened by 39 percent for ride, handling and stability.

Powertrains include a new 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, a new turbocharged double-overhead-cam four-cylinder, and a revised 2.5-liter single-overhead cam engine.

The body has been restyled as well, though nothing radical. More pronounced fender flares reflect today's styling, and there's a nice new grille with a bolder chrome trademark wing. Most of the many improvements are under the skin.

We found the 2010 Legacy wonderfully comfortable, with roomy seats front and rear, and high-quality interior trim. We particularly liked the perforated leather on the Limited models. These aren't luxury cars necessarily, but they are premium cars in terms of the quality of materials and the engineering that goes into them. The trunk on this sedan is quite large.

We found the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i, the base model, effortless to drive. The transmission works automatically, with nothing to do but put it in Drive and go; the CVT gets good fuel economy. The 2.5GT offers sportier performance with its turbocharged engine, while the six-cylinder 3.6R has strong low-rpm power for excellent drivability.

All of them offer good handling, benefits of the all-wheel drive, a low center of gravity and nicely tuned suspensions.