2000-2004 Subaru Outback/Legacy: Year-to-Year Changes

2001 Subaru Outback and Legacy: Budget-priced Legacy models disappeared, but the remaining versions gained some standard equipment, including an outside-temperature gauge, variable-assist power steering, and automatic-off headlights. The Brighton wagon was gone, leaving L and GT sedans and wagons, and a GT Limited sedan. A new Outback VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) wagon and an L.L. Bean Edition both used a 3.0-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission. The VDC wagon had Subaru's first antiskid system, plus Variable Torque Distribution four-wheel drive.

2002 Subaru Outback and Legacy: New H6 and VDC Outback sedans debuted this year, joining the six-cylinder Outback wagons. An All-weather Package with heated front seats and mirrors now was standard on Legacy GT models.

2003 Subaru Outback and Legacy: Joining Outback and Legacy sedans and wagons was the Baja, basically an Outback wagon with an open rear cargo bed. Baja was 6 inches longer overall than the Outback wagon, seated four instead of five, and came with 2-tone leather upholstery. Added midyear was a Baja Sport with cloth upholstery. The wall separating cargo bed from cabin has a panel that folds to create a pass-through beneath the fixed rear window. Roof lights and a bed-extender cage were options. All Legacys and Outbacks got revisions to suspension and front styling, and OnStar assistance is newly standard for H6 sedan, L.L. Bean, and VDC Outbacks. Also new for 2003 were Legacy L Special Edition models with upgraded features over the base L versions. In addition, the Legacy 2.5 GT replaced Legacy GT and GT Limited models and included a manual shift gate for the automatic transmission. Outback Limiteds, the H6 sedan, and the L.L. Bean wagon now came with an in-dash CD changer.

2004 Subaru Outback and Legacy: The Baja gets a new optional turbocharged 210-hp 4-cylinder engine in 2004, while siblings Legacy and Outback get special 35th Anniversary Editions this year, which included added standard features on each.