It is a sad fact that the single greatest turn-off of many good cars is the people who drive them. The BMW 3-series, Ferrari 360 Modena and Range Rover are all fine vehicles but were I in the market for one, being identified with those who typically drive such cars would likely deter me. Pathetic, I know, but true.

Conversely, and at least until now, the single greatest attraction of the Subaru Legacy has been its owners. Nobody ever bought a Legacy to show off. Legacy owners don’t have personal plates, gold Rolexes or cosmetic surgery. See a Legacy and you can bet it will be driven by someone whose only concern is having the right tool for the job. Legacy owners are proper people who give not one stuff about how they are perceived by others.

That’s why I was so disappointed by this latest Legacy. It’s not a bad car and it’s quicker, better looking and more comfortable than before; but none of this elevates it above the current class state of the art, as espoused by the BMW 3-series. At the same time, the honesty and charm of the old car — the foundation of its original appeal — have been sucked out of it. It has sacrificed its unique attributes in pursuit of something that can be found on any street corner. Subaru itself proudly proclaims that this Legacy is “now aimed unashamedly at leading prestige European marques”. But why?

The answer is money and the fact that Subaru reckons it can make more of it by selling Japanese BMWs than cars with their own identity.

To be fair, I make these comments with experience only of the new, range-topping 3.0R Legacy. As is often the case with car manufacturers that get ideas above their station, the more bread-and-butter versions may prove convincingly more satisfying. But it is the 3.0R about which Subaru is trumpeting most loudly, and as it’s the first time that Subaru has tried to sell us a six-cylinder, 3 litre Legacy, it seemed right to focus on that.

It’s hard to believe it is a Subaru. The Legacy of old had a no-nonsense interior — not pretty but possessed of a pleasing honesty. This one is a world of soft-touch fabrics, flush surfaces and electro-luminescent dials; yet the result is neither attractive nor characterful.

Nor is the car conspicuously good to drive. The 3.0R is available only with automatic transmission, removing that Legacy hallmark, the low-range transfer box, that effectively gives the car 10 forward gears. The 245bhp engine sounds powerful enough but its performance feels sluggish. Subaru claims a 0-62mph of 8.2sec, but on the road it feels like even this modest feat would be an achievement.

The flat-six engine is smooth but those who loved the rasping song of the flat-four engine hitherto sung by all Legacys should save their money and buy a cheaper version where the old engine, extensively modified, survives alongside the transfer box.

Despite Subaru marketing this Legacy as a sporting car, it will be appreciated more for its comfort. It corners well but there’s little fun to be had — for all its extra fluency, it feels anaesthetised compared with Legacys of old. By contrast, its ride quality and refinement have been radically improved. At any speed, it’s admirably quiet and comfortable.

But this is nothing not already offered by a BMW 3-series, Audi A4 or Mercedes C-class. And any one of these looks better inside and out, will retain its value better and offer a greater sense of occasion. The Subaru counters with an extensive list of standard equipment and a list price around £2,000-£3,000 lower than 3-litre versions of these rivals. It will be interesting to see how many are prepared to abandon prestige German marques in order to make that saving.

This Legacy is a classic example of a car maker stretching its brand further than it cares to go. We have seen it many times before — Audi with the A2, Honda with the NSX and Volkswagen with the Phaeton — and the results are rarely pretty. Subaru is not making such a big mistake, this Legacy is, after all, just one of a range that starts at less than £16,000, but it’s a worrying move.

Car manufacturers that begin to lose sight of what made them great are taking a risk. And I fail to see those who have identified with the charms of the Legacy in the past finding the same values in this car.

Time may show it has the same bomb-proof workhorse qualities that endeared its predecessors to a legion country doctors, vets and farmers; right now they’re hidden beneath a veneer of touchy-feely comfort items and showy instruments. When you turn on the ignition, the needles sweep around their dials to briefly register maximum speed and engine revs, very possibly the most pointless gimmick of any car on sale today.

With features like this, Subaru should perhaps be less concerned with what BMW drivers make of this car than its rightly loyal band of existing Legacy owners.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Subaru Legacy 3.0R
Engine type: Flat-six, 3000cc
Power: 245bhp @ 6600rpm
Torque: 219 lb ft @ 4200rpm
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Suspension: (front) MacPherson struts, anti-roll bar (rear) Multilink rear axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Fuel/CO2: 29.4mpg (combined) / 229g/km
Acceleration: 0-62mph: 8.2sec
Top speed: 147mph
Price: £24,250
Verdict: Tries to be a Japanese BMW. Fails