2020 Subaru Legacy and Outback stay affordable despite big updates

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Earlier this year, Subaru rolled out major redesigns for two of its larger vehicles, the Legacy and Outback. Occasionally, changes this sweeping require jacking the price ever higher, but in Subaru's case, things stay nice and affordable. Let's take a look at each car individually.

2020 Subaru Legacy

The 2020 Subaru Legacy starts at $23,645, which includes the mandatory destination charge, a bump of just $200 over the outgoing generation. Standard equipment includes a dual 7.0-inch screen layout, with an infotainment system and audio controls above a second screen that covers the climate control and vehicle systems. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite radio are all standard.

The base engine is a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is standard -- it's a Subaru, of course -- as is a continuously variable transmission with standard stop-start functionality.

The next trim up is the Legacy Premium, which will set you back $25,895 including destination. This adds heated seats, heated side mirrors and a windshield wiper deicer, in addition to dual-zone automatic climate control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It also upgrades the infotainment system to a single 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen that combines all the features of the dual-screen layout on the base trim.

If you're after some more stylistic changes, the $27,845 Legacy Sport might cure what ails you. It sports 18-inch black wheels and different looks for the grille, rocker trim and trunk spoiler. It also gets a two-tone cloth interior with red stitching, carbon fiber-look trim and red stitching on the steering wheel.

At the top of the 2.5-liter range is the $30,645 Legacy Limited, which adds leather-trimmed upholstery, heated rear seats, second-row HVAC vents, a power front passenger seat, keyless entry, reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring.

If you want some more oomph, there are two trims available with a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-flour that makes 260 horsepower. The $35,095 Legacy Limited XT adds embedded navigation, a moonroof, a heated steering wheel, insulated front glass and a driver-monitoring system. Above that, the $36,795 Legacy Touring XT includes Nappa leather and a front-facing camera.

2020 Subaru Outback

While there might not be many feature-level differences between the Legacy's and Outback's trims, there are a few notable differences with the 2020 Subaru Outback.

Here's the lowdown on the similar stuff: The 2020 Outback's base trim starts at $27,655, a bump of just $300 over the last generation. The Outback Premium will run you $29,905, while the $34,455 Outback Limited offers fancier treatments in exchange for more cash. There are XT trims available, too: The Outback Limited XT will cost $38,755, while the Outback Touring XT rings in at $40,705. All those prices include destination.

In terms of differences that set the Outback apart, there's a non-XT Touring trim that costs $38,355 and includes all the good, fancy bits of the Touring trim, just without the more expensive (and more powerful) 2.4-liter turbo H4 engine.

You'll notice that there isn't a Sport trim for the Outback. Instead, there's an Outback Onyx Edition XT trim. Not only does it pack the more potent engine, it adds black-finshed alloy wheels and badges, in addition to a gray two-tone interior that uses a water-repellant material called StarTex. The Onyx Edition also sports a power rear tailgate, a full-size spare tire and Dual-Mode X-Mode, which Subaru claims is for "increased capability in a wider range of environmental conditions."

Both the 2020 Legacy and the 2020 Outback will go on sale this fall, and both are built at Subaru's facility in Indiana.