Why is the automatic version of Subaru Legacy 3.0 so slow compared to the manual?

Question

I know that autos are usually a little slower than their manual counterpart, but there is a massive difference for this particular model. For a BMW or jaguar it's less than half a second, for Subarus it's nearly 2 seconds. This also applies to the Forrester 2.5 turbo. Seems to be a Subaru characteristic. Has anyone actually got an automatic subaru? If so is the gearbox noticibly slow and clunky ?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

i worked at a subaru dealership and i noticed the same thing, it has to do with the fact that the drive by wire throttle is way to slow and the tranny they use is a dog, it was made to be smooth and all that good stuff but i think they went to far

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

This is the only answer which contains some useful information I didn't know and doesn't contain information that's either wrong or irrelevent. Cheers!

Answer 2

Not enought to make a difference in your everyday drive.

Answer 3

Its because of the boxer engine and the way it delivers power. I personally would not recommend one buys a automatic Subaru they are very uneconomical

Answer 4

two reasons... gearing is worse with the automatic, and you can't rev the motor to a high rpm and dump the clutch with an automatic (which is how magazines get great 0-60 times with AWD cars)

Answer 5

The official numbers from Subaru for 0-100 km/h acceleration for the Legacy 3.0 are 6.9 seconds for the manual and 8.2 seconds for the automatic. A difference of 1.3 seconds doesn't sound very massive to me. The manual version weighs 10 kg less than the automatic. More importantly, though, the manual has six speeds while the automatic has only five.

Similarly, for the Forester XT, 0-100 km/h is 6.0 seconds for the manual and 7.6 seconds for the automatic, a difference of 1.6 seconds. The manual version weighs 25 kg less than the automatic. And, again, the manual Forester XT has one more forward gear than the automatic (5 vs 4).

I doubt very many Subaru automatic owners would describe their gearbox as 'clunky' but some might feel that it's noticeably slower than the manual.

You should also consider that the acceleration times for manual transmission cars that are reported by manufacturers and magazines usually require an expert driver to achieve them. The times for automatics can be achieved by anyone, regardless of driving skill.

Source(s):

http://www.subaru.de/legacy-spec-19.pdf
http://www.subaru.de/forester-spec-19.pd…