Retro Review: The 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Is A Crazy Rare STI With A "Dad Bod"

Рет қаралды 15,669

Күн бұрын

Subaru fanboys might love the rally-bred WRX and STI for tuning and modding, but anyone looking for a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, stick-shift station wagon with a bit more class should definitely consider the extremely rare 2005 Legacy 2.5GT. Built with a WRX's short block and STI heads, the turbo flat-four puts out 250 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, all in a wagon body with a much more comfortable interior than any other contemporary Subie.
In this retro review, HotCars contributor Michael Van Runkle takes one of only 1,461 Legacy 2.5GT five-speed wagons for a drive on Mulholland to see how this daily driver holds up more than 15 years and 173,000 miles later.
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Пікірлер: 44

@heym8838 Жыл бұрын

Dude i picked one of these up today for 700 bucks! Runs perfect just needs a brake line had no idea these cars were rare. I even got a Cobb turner for free as well. Time to have some fun

@abby.friesen Жыл бұрын

What do you know about changing the reverse light on it?

@ramijundi3349 Жыл бұрын

My pregnant wife came home with 5mt GT wagon in 2005 and loved every minute of it till 2018/240k miles later.

@tenofdiamonds6440 8 күн бұрын

I was selling Subarus back in '05/'06 when these cars were new on the lot. Man they were nice at the time!

@Mike_44 2 жыл бұрын

That's my car in the Outback XT version. It's got 213K miles and still going, love it!

@Ballsack44 Жыл бұрын

Still running?

@gabrielharrison2700 5 ай бұрын

I got an 05 Outback XT as well, with the manual! 214k miles and still going strong.

@Mike_44 5 ай бұрын

@@gabrielharrison2700 You’re lucky, manual is rare.

@franco8049 Жыл бұрын

I’ve had my 05 LGT for almost 10 years now. Spec B struts on Swift springs and every mod you can think of outside of the block and heads. 315,000km no issues 😊

@brandonlee3624 29 күн бұрын

Still loving my LGT wagon everyday! Even though it's an automatic

@itsss_mike 2 жыл бұрын

Brings back so manny memories, my dad had one when I was little.GT and everything it was just an auto so he got rid of it

@masonhgmail 2 жыл бұрын

So nice to hear from equally rabid devotees! I'm still driving (and loving) my 2005 Legacy GT Ltd Wagon 5-speed manual. Satin White Pearl exterior and beige leather interior, and I'm just about to pass 150,000 mi. WHY IN THE WORLD did Subaru of America discontinue this amazing car!?!? I love fast wagons, and I would buy this exact same car all over again, but we can't even get a Legacy in the Wagon trim anymore. I've driven the Outback -- they are much less stable in corners with their raised center of gravity, and nowhere near as fun. Such a misstep by Subaru. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have bought two.

@JesusRodriguez-pf1gq Жыл бұрын

I have a sedan 2005 Legacy GT Limited automatic. I’ve had it for 11 years. It’s been parked for a year. I just started to drive it after changing water pump and miscellaneous engine parts from wear and tear. It’s holding up well.

@abby.friesen Жыл бұрын

What do you know about change the reverse light?

@user-yt6nw2de5y 5 ай бұрын

Many build from 2005 to 2009 in Canada..had one in 2008...it was very nice!

@NiksAndersons 7 ай бұрын

Nice! Thats why Audi wagons do so good, super comfy and goz like rockets:)

@rowanheisinger6761 Жыл бұрын

I have this exact car but non limited and black interrior there so great

@beginization 2 жыл бұрын

I crash mine on the 2nd day, I was told they made 300 each year and mine is numbered 151

@benquinton3506 Жыл бұрын

You tit

@techno.racer. 2 жыл бұрын

I just bought my 05LGT wagon auto in silver as my first car and the thing is way too much fun to drive

@salecon 2 жыл бұрын

I have a 2007 (with SI Drive) 5 speed manual vf52 and supporting mods black/black wagon. I believe these 07 were only sold in Canada. How rare are they hehe

@SinSGone Жыл бұрын

I had a black one of these in a Limited, still a manual. It was a horrible car between the turbo blowing at 17k and the clutch going at 10k (and then soft again at 25k). I sold it back to the dealer. i loved the way it drove though.

@FIRST465 6 күн бұрын

The Multi layer steel gaskets for the turbo model dont have the head gasket issue

@frafraplanner9277 Жыл бұрын

6:06 Subaru put Multi Layer Steel head gaskets on their turbo charged engines, so those never failed. Only Subaru headgaskets that are graphite-coated regularly failed, and Subaru only out them on their naturally aspirated 2.5L engines from 1997-2014

@djSmokeShow Жыл бұрын

Correct me if I'm wrong but with those thumping sounds coming from the back and the bouncy ride I would venture to say it needs a new set of struts.

@jons4686 2 жыл бұрын

Its actually an STI block with STI heads. In 05 WRX's were a 2.0L.

@frafraplanner9277 Жыл бұрын

Now I learned about the "two-car solution" and "one-car solution"

@oscar.rx2715 Жыл бұрын

I found a 2005 with 140,000 miles on it, for 4,500. Is it a good buy?

@frafraplanner9277 Жыл бұрын

If it's in good shape, definitely do it

@maxstefanski 27 күн бұрын

Not sure anyone will see this, but I’ve found one near me within my budget with 180,000 miles, would it be a worthy buy?

@huasgler 2 жыл бұрын

I have the same just automatic in CT

@KonohazFinest 2 жыл бұрын

I'm looking at one how does it hold up and when should I start to worry about the head gasket.

@frafraplanner9277 Жыл бұрын

@@KonohazFinest Subaru used different head gaskets on their turbocharged engines that never fail, so you don't need to worry

@KonohazFinest Жыл бұрын

@@frafraplanner9277 sorry but the hell they don't it's a common issue with some Subarus

@frafraplanner9277 Жыл бұрын

@@KonohazFinest Yeah but it's only common on the naturally aspirated 2.5 L engines, which are the ones Subaru put graphite coated head gaskets on

@nathanyoung8284 2 жыл бұрын

My car is an identical spec to this one. 1/99! Mine has 225K. Also this does not have STi heads. STI heads are dual AVCS and this car only has intake AVCS.

@chrisdavis4622 2 жыл бұрын

04-07 sti are single avcs

@nathanyoung8284 2 жыл бұрын

@@chrisdavis4622 Ah, well then I'm guessing the heads are the same all around then? This car uses a pretty different turbocharger and intercooler setup than the STI, so I'm guessing the intake manifold is the main difference.

@chrisdavis4622 2 жыл бұрын

Yea I believe they both run the b25 heads. Main difference like you said being the intake manifold, turbo, and all that. There might be some minor differences with internals, I can't recall. I'm rusty lol.

@trashedsti7869 Жыл бұрын

The motor in it is the same from the 06-14 wrx, not 04-06, and while the heads are very similar they are different heads. I believe they are B25 heads, separate from the STI in a slight cam profile and only containing intake AVCS whereas the D25 heads on the STI have dual AVCS

@ttinio-jc1fw Жыл бұрын

plus one on the rare part....extremely.

@gladiatormaximus4913 Жыл бұрын

I got one

@slimmaskguys 3 жыл бұрын

i have the same black pearl XD

@markthompson8397 Жыл бұрын

Lol the tan interior is absolutely hideous. The exterior is also lowest spec. They could have done better in a lot of ways, but then again what would anyone expect from a usdm version of a jdm car.