Subaru Legacy Production Ends in Indiana

Subaru's Indiana automotive plant (Subaru of Indiana Automotive, SIA) produced the last Legacy sedan, a Magnetite Gray Limited model, which rolled off the assembly line on Friday, September 12, shortly after 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

“This is a bittersweet moment for our company and our employees,” said Scott Brand, president and chief operating officer of SIA, in a statement prepared for the milestone.

“While we have closed an important chapter in our history, we are already turning the page and starting a new one,” the executive added.

The Legacy was designed for the U.S. market and, with its debut on September 11, 1989, became the first Subaru manufactured in the neighboring country. Since its debut, all of the nearly 1.4 million units sold in the United States over seven generations were assembled at SIA.

The first-generation model marked the beginning of a new era for the Japanese automaker, which would eventually use the same platform for the development and production of the Outback, thus offering a competitive sedan and station wagon in the mid-size segment.

Although the Legacy was Subaru's longest-running model line, its discontinuation reflects the market's transition from passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers, along with the transition to electrified and all-electric vehicles.

The discontinuation of the Legacy will be followed shortly by the end of Outback production, putting the SIA plant into a transition phase before it begins assembling the Subaru Forester in October, followed by a hybrid version of the same in the spring. The Forester is currently produced in Japan.

“We are excited about what lies ahead,” Brand said. “Bringing production of the hybrid and gasoline-powered Forester to the United States will provide a faster response to the market for one of Subaru's most popular models, while introducing hybrid processes and technology into our operations,” he explained.

SIA is Subaru's only plant outside Japan and currently assembles the Ascent, Crosstrek, and Outback models. The facility produces approximately half of all Subaru vehicles sold in North America and is projected to produce its 8 millionth vehicle in November.