The all-wheel-drive system ensures that the power is distributed to all four wheels. This makes the car easier to control on dry pavement and is especially helpful when the road surface is slippery. Unlike part-time four-wheel-drive systems designed for off-road use, Subaru's system adds little weight, and the all-important viscous coupling unit is no larger than a grapefruit. This effectively replaces the hefty transfer case you'll find in a truck or SUV.

The four-cylinder engine produces 165 horsepower, which is good for this size of car. More important, the engine generates good low-end torque, which is the force that propels you away from intersections and up steep grades. Subaru's engine is more powerful than the four-cylinder engines in the Audi A4, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry -- and those are bigger cars. (The A4, Accord and Camry are available with optional six-cylinder engines, which Subaru does not currently offer.)

The manual transmission is smooth and pleasant to use. As in all four-cylinder cars it helps get the most out of the engine. Acceleration performance suffers somewhat with the optional automatic. With its new notched-gate pattern, you need to make sure you don't select third gear instead of drive.

In regular driving on smooth dry roads it is all but impossible to tell the Legacy has all-wheel-drive. It is transparent to the driver, which is as it should be. The steering feels nice and precise and there is no torque steer when accelerating hard.

Overall the Legacy GT offers a driving experience that is a cut above that of numerous cars in its segment. It still doesn't quite offer the excitement of many European competitors but it's closer than most similar sized cars from domestic or Japanese manufacturers.