Pros: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Handling, Exterior Look, Interior, Controls, Auto-Dimming Mirror, Reliability, Crash Tests Scores.
Cons: 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, Diesel Engine is not available /yet/.
The Bottom Line: Legacy has everything you need - AWD, VDC, amazing handling, excellent braking, reasonable cost of ownership.
This is a car for people who know the cars and value their money.

I bought 2009 Subaru Legacy Special Edition in March 2009. I picked the car after two years of careful research of compact and mid-size sedans. This is the best sedan your money can buy in the price range $18,000 - $ 25,000. I bought the car with Automatic Transmission for less than $ 20,000. I was looking at VW Passat, SAAB 9-3, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Mazda 6. Passat has more comfortable seats and drives better on the Highway but is more expensive, requires premium gasoline and higher insurance. SAAB 9-3 is good but does not hold its value.The 4-Motion version of Passat is highly overpriced. Mazda is very noisy. Honda and Toyota are simply "vanilla" sedans with nothing to impress.
None of this cars can beat Subaru Legacy SE when you take into consideration the price, quality, reliability, handling, maintenance cost and insurance. Besides that 2009 Legacy looks amazing, combining clean, classic lines with more aggressive contemporary ones.
The symmetrical AWD is one of the best on the market making the car the perfect choice for all weather conditions.
The ride is well balanced with solid feel behind the wheel.The car is very stable on the curves despite getting some negative comments in the reviews for the past few years. VDC gets the job done! Legacy is like glued to the road on the highway. In the city Legacy is easy to park everywhere because of its almost perfect dimensions. Inside the cabin you feel like you are in a much more expensive car. Very good quality fabric, power driver seat, auto-dimming mirror, excellent visibility. The controls are very well placed and easy to monitor.
The 4-cylinder engine has more than enough power, giving the driver the opportunity to switch lanes and to pass other cars with no problems. The automatic transmission is smooth but could use one more gear.
I was pleasantly surprised to notice that the fuel economy is higher than the advertised on the window sticker. I got 29.1 Average MPG for the first 5000 miles of combined driving /city and freeway/.
2009 Subaru Legacy SE with Automatic Transmission is the best sedan in my opinion for everyday commuting and weekend pleasure.
This is the perfect package for every driver - all wheel drive, vehicle dynamic control, excellent brakes, reputation for strong build quality, proven history of reliability, outstanding crash test scores.
This vehicle looks and drives like much more expensive cars.
Everyone who likes good cars and is in the market for a new sedan should test drive the 2009 Subaru Legacy SE.
I did it and I made one of the best financial investments in my life.