New vehicle forecast

New vehicle forecast - Subaru Legacy

It will be tough for Subaru to make any kind of impact in the highly competitive D-segment with the launch of its new Legacy

The fleet market has long been the core battleground for upper-medium cars such as the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra and more recently BMW 3-Series and Audi A4. Selecting a Subaru Legacy over a more familiar, mainstream product, inevitably requires buyers to make an informed choice based on the car having clearly differentiated qualities.

The Legacy has found a niche in the marketplace as a competent and well-specified range of saloon and estate cars and, with the addition of the Outback versions, has developed a strong following with the ‘country set’. The arrival of a diesel engine for the range will no doubt further extend the car’s appeal, and may just be the catalyst for the corporate driver to take a look at the brand for the first time.

With a select following, residual values for the Legacy line-up after three years and 36,000 miles are expected to range from 32 to 40 per cent of the list price when new.

A reliance on a loyal customer base, which maintains affiliations to individual dealers as much as to the cars, has been key to the survival of the Subaru brand in the UK. This connection could be crucial for the success of the Legacy on the new and used car markets.