Alfa 159 Sportwagon v Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer

So you think you need an SUV? Your excuse is you've got kids, you need the space and the four-wheel-drive comes in handy when the weather is bad. But you wouldn't be seen dead in a people carrier, right?

A chunky 4x4 has to be the answer and to hell with what the treehuggers think. But lets face it, out in suburbia, you definitely care what your neighbours think and the fact of the matter is that SUVs are fast becoming uncool.

You’ll be jeered on the school run, struggle to fit into parking spaces and never let out of junctions. And anyway, SUVs simply don’t make sense unless you live in a rural area or regularly tow a horsebox, boat or caravan. Their high centre of gravity and extra weight makes them thirsty and a lot less entertaining to drive than a car. But what's the alternative if you genuinely want space, four-wheel-drive and even a bit of fun? Well, we've brought together two of the finest examples of why you don't necessarily need an SUV: the Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon Q4 3.2 V6 and the Subaru Legacy Spec B Sports Tourer. Both are spacious, both are four-wheel-drive and both are fast…

Henry's choice

Well I might as well admit it from the start. As an Alfa owner, I am entirely biased towards anything with a baby-eating snake on its badge and had pretty much decided from the moment we booked in the cars that I would be spending most of my time in the 159. Although when it arrived I was tempted to ask Ian to drive it just so I could watch it go past. If you think a pumped-up SUV looks aggressive, wait until you see the 159’s slanted triple headlights and traditional shield-shaped grille looming in your rear-view mirror. Add the deep front airdam and swollen wheelarches of this top of the range Q4 and there are few cars on the road with as much presence.

First Drive: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon

The Sportwagon is arguably a better balanced design than the saloon on which it is based and looks far less estate-like than the staid Subaru, which apart from some mean looking headlights, is entirely unremarkable. Its four-square stance and raised ride height help the 159 it hold its own against true SUVs although the large gap between tyre and wheelarch is rather ungainly. In fact when a passenger cursed a Volvo estate that pulled out in front of us, exclaiming: “damn station-wagons,” she at first refused to believe that we were in fact in the same type of car. “Yeah but this is a hot one,” she responded. It certainly is, the Q4 receiving Alfa’s top-of-the-range 3.2-litre V6.

##%Overview of the Alfa Romeo 159 range[[%LNK|VipOverview||Alfa Romeo|159|%]]1%##

Keep it simple, Subaru

Sadly not the gorgeous old V6 with its chromed pipes and visceral howl, that I enjoyed so much in an old 164 I owned, that classic powerplant was killed off by emissions regulations, but a joint venture engine shared with GM. Still, it’s nice and straightforward, an engine with 260bhp and 237lb/ft of torque rather than Subaru’s “Super Intelligent Drive” system, entirely useless to anyone other than the press officers who can boast about the car having “three engines”. I can decide how economically or otherwise I want to drive, via my right foot, thank you very much. Not sure what the “Twin Phaser” legend on the Alfa’s cam covers meant though.

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And where a leaden right foot would have had my 164’s front tyres scrabbling away, the Q4 four-wheel drive system transmits the power cleanly and without any hint of fuss, the traction control light staying stubbornly unlit. However, even my Alfa bias can’t overcome my initial slight disappointment at the drive. The steering is quick-witted but the car never feels as light-footed or as chuckable as an Alfa should, due mainly to the weight of the all-wheel drive hardware and some nose heaviness induced by the large V6 up-front.

It's what's inside that counts

But as time went on I warmed to it, yes the body rolled in bends and the handling is biased towards safe understeer, not least because of that heavy engine in the nose, but it was always sure footed and the V6 pulled eagerly from low revs, helped by a light clutch and positive, if notchy, six-speed manual gearbox. It was certainly far preferable to the Legacy’s infuriating five-speed automatic which was dull-witted in fully automatic mode and too slow when the paddleshifts were employed.

Besides, drive it too fast and the kids will start decorating the interior with shades of their own making and that would be a shame as the Alfa’s cabin is a very special place to be. The Subaru’s interior is quite frankly dull, acres of black plastic and leather, enlivened only by an enormous sunroof and some trick dials on the centre screen. The Alfa by contrast is swathed in gorgeous fluted leather, machined aluminium and a chunky three-spoke steering wheel. The dials, charmingly labelled in Italian, are deep-set and biased towards the driver, presumably to avoid shrieks of “slow down” when it is being piloted in an Italian manner…

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We spend most of our time going nowhere fast these days and the 159 is simply a much, much better place to spend time in, belying the old tales of Italian build quality by feeling far less tinny than the Subaru. When the road finally clears, it will keep you and your family safe and secure with its all-wheel traction and even carry most of their clobber. Drive one and people will cheer, not chuck things at you. Let’s face it, if you’re thinking of buying an SUV you’re more interested in style than substance anyway and the Alfa has the former in spades while making a decent fist of the latter. Who needs an SUV anyway?

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Ian's choice

“It looks like a Hyundai,” was the view of one relative when I pulled up in the Subaru Legacy Spec B at Christmas. “Erm, it’s actually a 242bhp Subaru,” I replied, slightly dismayed. Had I spent £30,000 of my own cash on a Spec B only for someone to liken it to a budget Korean car, my surprise would probably have changed to anger, then depression. Yet on reflection, the fact that the Spec B looks so ordinary and discreet is probably its greatest strength. This is a rarely appreciated quality in performance motors. With cars like the Spec B you can enjoy seriously impressive performance and handling without actually looking like a baseball cap-wearing boy racer.

For instance, dear help the hot hatch-driving road hog who pulls up beside you at the traffic lights, engine screaming at 6,000rpm and his face giving the whole “my car is better than yours” thing. Or the irritating taxi driver, constantly edging forward, clearly in the wrong lane but determined to be first away from the lights. Because underneath the sober suit is a hugely grippy four-wheel-drive system and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine with enough grunt to ensure you’ll rarely lose such meaningless challenges, should you choose to enter them.

Looks aren't everything

One car that, on paper at least, has the potential to upstage the Spec B is the Alfa Romeo 159 3.2 V6 Q4 Sportwagon. It’s hardly as inconspicuous as the Subaru, but nor is it overly sporting either. But it is well matched: both cars have four-wheel-drive, both are a smidgen under £30,000 and both have large capacity, six-cylinder engines. The Alfa’s unit is certainly more characterful – and more powerful with 260bhp – but does that make it the better car? Well Alfa-mad Henry will argue the 159 is and - if you’re comparing them purely on looks – he’s right. If you want the most beautiful-looking estate car on sale then buy the Alfa.

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Just be prepared to put up with dull dynamics, a sloppy gearchange, an estate that is actually more of a hatchback and an engine that sounds incredible but doesn’t feel all that swift, certainly no-where near as potent as the Subaru’s. We were testing the Legacy with the £400 automatic gearbox option which has paddles behind the steering wheel and, like all Spec B’s, gets Subaru Intelligent Drive – or SI-Drive – an odd-looking little dial behind the gearlever that promises all sorts of things. What on earth could this do?

Three engines in one

Quite a lot actually, because according to the press pack this contraption endears the Spec B with “three engines in one”. You start off in the default normal or ‘S’ mode, which feels quick but a little short of puff below 3,500rpm – and certainly a lot less swift than other Spec B’s I’ve savoured. Has Subaru sent me the wrong car? There are no Spec B badges to let me know otherwise. Then I discover ‘Sport Sharp’. What a difference. The throttle response is instantly sharper, the Legacy pulls more keenly from lower revs and the automatic gearbox holds on to gears for longer and bashses through them more aggressively.

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The result is 0-60mph in 8.0 seconds (or 6.6 seconds with the manual), but mid-range performance that makes these figures look completely pessimistic. Closing a gap on the motorway or zooming past tractors on rural roads is a pleasure in this car, especially with the auto ‘box; point your foot to the floor and let the car do the rest. Actually, I made a lot of use of the paddles as it brings you more in touch with the experience of driving. And they are useful when you need some engine braking but don’t want to use the brakes; just tap the left-hand lever down a gear or two.

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Rally-bred handling

On our test route the Legacy was unmatched, its limited-slip-differential getting the power on to the road as cleanly and efficiently as possible and the rear torque bias (45% front, 55% rear) helping to point the noise into corners for blistering exit speeds. From the driver’s seat over these roads, you can genuinely feel the connection between the Spec B and the Impreza WRX. The Alfa, in comparison, felt much heavier and more unwieldy – indeed, no more athletic than the captain of your pub darts’ team.

Back to the three-engines-in-one thing, the third programme is called ‘Intelligent’ or economy mode. Select this and the car, supposedly, takes on the manner of a 2.0-litre petrol; the throttle response softens and the engine conserves power. I used this a lot on the motorway to try and better the low twenties fuel economy, but got really frustrated with the lack of oomph once the road ahead cleared so found myself periodically flitting between economy mode and Sport Sharp for an instant hit of acceleration. All-in-all, though, it’s a clever solution to combating the woes of poor fuel economy, especially when most people tend to drive ‘normally’ day-to-day.

First Drive: Subaru Legacy Spec B Sports Tourer

Everyday useability

Testing the car over Christmas was the perfect excuse to test out the load-carrying ability of the Legacy. As you’d expect, my girlfriend and I had a fair amount of luggage and presents to lug with us – her more than me, I add – and the boot took it all. It has to be said, the boot isn’t massive, but it puts the Alfa’s to shame; 459-litres of capacity (or 1,628-litres with the seats down) versus 445-litres (growing to 1,235) in the 159. The Alfa’s boot also has an unusually high lip for an estate car that makes loading more difficult.

For the money - £29,895 with the auto ‘box - the Legacy is cracking value. The interior is no-where near as flash and fancy as the Alfa’s, but it’s well-crafted inside and certainly comfy. And the equipment list is impressive: Momo steering wheel, electric-folding mirrors, six-disc CD stereo, climate control, heated seats, sat-nav, cruise control, sunroof, curtain airbags and electric leather seats. Is there anything else you could possibly need from a car? Apart from a chauffeur?

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As the days passed I found myself liking the Spec B more and more. The ride was firm but supple, which I like, and the grip and handling were simply sublime, even on greasy winter-plagued roads. The fuel economy wasn’t so endearing, especially when the combined fuel figure is 28.8mpg and we were getting nearer 21mpg, but it’s the Legacy’s ability to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing that most impressed. The Alfa may be the better looking car, have the nicest interior and sound better, but as a discreet, practical and red hot performance car, it can’t match the considerable talents of the Spec B.

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