Subaru’s Legacy Fades To History As Longest Running Nameplate Is Dead In America

After 35 years of production, the final Legacy sedan has rolled off Subaru’s Indiana line as the plant shifts to Forester production

                                        https://www.carscoops.com/author/bradcarscoops-com/                                    

The end of an era has arrived for the Subaru Legacy in America. About 18 months after the company confirmed that it would kill off its longest-running and first American-built nameplate, production has officially wrapped up. So, if you want to get behind the wheel of a Legacy, you’ll have to hunt one down from the existing inventory.

Subaru started building the Legacy at its plant in Lafayette, Indiana, in September 1989. The factory was initially a joint venture between Subaru and Isuzu, but this ended in 2022. After this partnership fell through, Toyota became a significant investor at the site, and the ever-popular Camry was built there alongside the Legacy between 2007 and May 2016.

Read: The 2026 Outback Morphs Into An SUV And Brings Sticker Shock With It

Across the Legacy’s seven generations, approximately 1.4 million units have been produced at the Indiana factory, split between 1,056,056 sedans and 342,938 wagons. Unsurprisingly, demand for the Legacy has dropped in recent years as a growing number of buyers turn to SUVs. According to Subaru, 19,951 examples found new homes in 2024, a 23 percent decrease from the previous year.

“This is a bittersweet moment for our company and our associates,” Subaru of Indiana Automotive president and chief operating officer Scott Brand said. “While an important chapter in our history has been brought to a close, we’re already turning the page and starting a new one.”

Outback Production Moves to Japan

Subaru isn’t only winding down Legacy production at the Indiana facility. By the end of October, assembly of the Outback will also wrap up there, with production of the redesigned crossover-wagon shifting back to Japan. That doesn’t spell the end of the plant itself, though. It is set to take on Forester production, and by spring it will also begin building the new Forester Hybrid.

“We’re excited for what lies ahead,” added Brand. “Bringing gas-powered and hybrid Forester production to the U.S. will provide quicker market response for one of Subaru’s most popular models, while also introducing hybrid processes and technology into our operations.”