CR's 7 Most Reliable Fuel-Stingy 5 Year-Old Cars - Subaru Legacy Is A Top Pick

With new vehicles challenging to find, what are the most reliable and fuel-efficient used midsize sedans? A new report says the Subaru Legacy is one of the top five-year-old sedans to put on your shopping list.

What are the best used midsize sedans for shoppers with the new model shortages? According to Consumer Reports (by subscription), with the new 2022 Subaru Legacy sedan virtually nonexistent at retailers this year, CR says the 2017 Subaru Legacy ranks among the most reliable and fuel-efficient sedans for shoppers this summer.

The 2017 Subaru Legacy is one of the seven top sedans that are five years old. Consumer Reports says it's reliable and fuel-efficient, but they missed an important feature.

CR's seven-best 5-year-old sedans this summer

In addition to the 2017 Subaru Legacy, CR includes the Toyota Corolla (a small sedan), Mazda 6, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Volkswagen Passat, and Toyota Avalon.

What is the Legacy fuel mileage?

CR says the Legacy gets an owner-reported 27 mpg. The EPA fuel mileage estimates for the 2017 Legacy are 25/34 city/highway and 29 combined mpg.

What is the price of the 2017 Subaru Legacy?

The 2017 Subaru Legacy price range is from $18,425 to $23,225, depending on the trim level, miles, and condition.

Consumer Reports says, "The Legacy sedan offers a smooth, comfortable ride and good handling. It's also the least expensive all-wheel-drive midsize sedan on the market. All Subarus come standard with AWD (Subaru's Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system). Forward collision warning and the automatic emergency braking are part of an optional package that includes adaptive cruise control."

Consumer Reports says it's reliable and fuel-efficient, but they miss one of the midsize sedan's most essential features; its safety rating.

What are Legacy's safety scores?

The 2017 Legacy earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ safety score from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

New safety technology

New for the 2017 model year, Limited and Touring trim models get safer. The Legacy comes with reverse automatic braking, which detects objects when reversing, automatically triggers an alert, and brakes the vehicle to avoid a collision. The improved headlights come with high beam assist and are standard for 2017 Legacy models.

Legacy comes with Subaru's EyeSight driver-assist safety technology. EyeSight features six technologies to maximize passenger safety: Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Pre-Collision Steering Assist, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert.

For 2017 there's a new Legacy 2.5i Sport

The new 2017 Subaru Legacy Sport 2.5i was a new trim level with a few exterior and interior styling upgrades. The Legacy 2.5i Sport trim will cost consumers $26,815. Outside, it features a dark gray grille, fog lights with gloss black housings, and newly designed 18-in. sport-styled wheels. Other Legacy Sport exterior styling upgrades include chrome-accented rocker trim and high luster silver-finished turn-signal mirrors.

Inside, the Sport trim has a two-tone pairing of gray and black cloth upholstery with blue stitching on the seats, door panels, and steering wheel. It also comes with a carbon fiber pattern dash, door panel trim, piano-black door switch panels, and steering wheel switches.

You likely won't find a 2022 Subaru Legacy sedan on retailers' lots this summer, so check out the 2017 model year. Consumer Reports says it's one of the seven-most reliable and fuel-efficient midsize sedans. We would add it's also one of the safest models you can buy.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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