If you are interested in a 2012 Subaru Legacy due to its standard AWD and fuel economy, you should know what owners have to say about its reliability first.
The 2012 Subaru Legacy is part of the fifth-generation sedan that debuted in 2010. Those days were when sedans were still the default car of choice. It was also before the SUV craze hit the mainstream. The result was a market filled with competitive choices like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Altima.
The 2012 Subaru Legacy’s engine and transmission choices stand out from the herd. Its quirky styling, potent yet thirsty horizontally opposed Boxer engines, and standard all-wheel drivetrain made the Legacy the default sedan for wintry climates. Moreover, 2012 was a good year for the Legacy regarding powertrain options, but the fifth-gen Legacy was the second least reliable next to the sixth-generation Legacy manufactured from 2015 to 2019.
Most of the issues started in 2010 and were related to the brand’s Lineartronic CVT, but Subaru managed to rectify most of the CVT problems by the 2012 model year. The NHTSA reports that high-mileage examples could suffer powertrain failures related to the fuel delivery system, stalling due to failing torque converters, and electrical issues.
