Euro NCAP chose an estate version of the Legacy for testing because these sell in greater numbers than saloons. The all-wheel-drive Outback performed well: its cabin remained intact after the frontal impact, the driver’s door opened normally afterwards (a good safety feature) and the footwell retained its shape. Impact forces fed through to the driver’s chest were relatively high, but the children were particularly well protected. Safety information given on labels in the car and on the seats was clear and thorough. The older child used an ISOFIX restraint fitted with a top tether, which improves stability. The side impact result was also very good but pedestrian protection was judged to be poor.
Front impact
The car’s body proved very strong, showing little distortion of the front pillar. The footwell was virtually undisturbed, but structures behind the fascia would be likely to injure the driver and passenger’s legs. The centre rear seat was fitted with a three-point belt that gives superior protection than that of a lap-only belt.
Side impact
The car performed impressively, its side airbag and body structure combining well to protect the driver. Surprisingly, a head protecting airbag is not standard so the Outback could not gain the maximum score for side impact.
Child occupant
A Subaru-branded Römer Duo was specified for the 3-year-old and was used forward-facing, using the ISOFIX mountings and a top tether. A Subaru-branded Römer Baby-safe restraint was specified for the younger child and was used rear-facing. Both performed well throughout the tests. The quality of information given on labels on the restraints and in the car was to a very high level and Euro NCAP commended Subaru for its efforts in this area. The Legacy is fitted with a frontal passenger airbag as standard and Subaru is discussing a dealer disconnect option for this with its outlets across Europe.
Pedestrian
The areas of the car’s front where a child’s and to a lesser extent an adult’s head might strike provided some protection, but the Legacy’s bumper and bonnet leading edge did little to cushion any impact.