A surprise revealat this week’s Chicago auto show is from Subaru.

As Arctic conditions envelop the northern United States, it made for a poignant environment to reveal new product from the brand which established its reputation by providing honest all-weather motoring solutions.

The car in question is the seventh generation of Subaru’s large sedan, the Legacy, which rides on an all-new platform. Subtle styling hides a structure which is claimed to be 70% stiffer torsionally and 100% more twist resistant around the front axle – hence the promise of superior steering response, compared to the previous Legacy.

Inside, the new sedan’s cabin architecture is dominated by Subaru’s 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is vertically orientated – in a manner similar to Volvo’s Sensus system.

Subaru’s all-wheel-drive sedan cars might be niche purchases in a segment dominated by traditional German offerings, but this Legacy is noteworthy for debuting a new engine development – one the brand is desperately in need of.

Powering the new Legacy is a 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine, which boosts 194 kW and 375 Nm. Those are tidy numbers and should offer a vastly improved driving experience, although the only transmission option is a CVT auto. This new 2.4-litre engine is the first turbocharged powerplant offered in Subaru’s Legacy since 2012 and will headline the range, with a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated flat-four powering more affordable models.

As a sedan, you’d expect decent boot-space too and thanks to some slight design revisions, the new Legacy can accommodate 427-litres worth of luggage.

Subaru South Africa has yet to decide whether to offer the new Legacy in South Africa.

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