ABA-BL5 · CBA-BL5 · TA-BL5 · UA-BL5
Subaru Legacy BL5 specs
BL5 is the model code of the Subaru Legacy / Exiga. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2004–2009 under 4 model types ABA-BL5, CBA-BL5, TA-BL5, UA-BL5. A genuine car’s chassis number starts BL5-.
BL5 at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Legacy, Exiga, Impreza
- Model code
- BL5
- Model types
- ABA-BL5, CBA-BL5, TA-BL5, UA-BL5
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2004–2009
- Engines
- EJ20 1,994 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic, 6-speed manual
- Drive
- four-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 1,320–1,520 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 11–14 km/L (31–40 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
ABA-BL5
Listed 2009. The ABA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules. Check ABA-BL5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,380–1,430 kg | 5 | 13 km/L37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,360–1,410 kg | 5 | 13.4 km/L38 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009 |
CBA-BL5
Listed 2004–2009. The CBA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check CBA-BL5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,330–1,400 kg | 5 | 14 km/L40 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2009 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,440–1,520 kg | 5 | 11.4–13 km/L32–37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2007–2009 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,320–1,470 kg | 5 | 13–14 km/L37–40 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2006–2009 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 6-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,470–1,520 kg | 5 | 11–11.4 km/L31–32 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2007–2009 |
TA-BL5
Listed 2004–2007. The TA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means certified to Japan’s 2000 emissions rules, 25% below their limits. Check TA-BL5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,360–1,430 kg | — | 13 km/L37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2007 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,420–1,510 kg | — | 12–13 km/L34–37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2006 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,340–1,480 kg | — | 12–13.4 km/L34–38 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004–2007 |
UA-BL5
Listed 2004. The UA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means certified to Japan’s 2000 emissions rules, 75% below their limits. Check UA-BL5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,330–1,380 kg | — | 14 km/L40 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2004 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
Check a BL5 before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start BL5-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Other Subaru Legacy model codes
Questions
What engine does the BL5 have?
MLIT lists the Subaru Legacy / Exiga BL5 with EJ20 1,994 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the BL5 get?
Officially between 11 and 14 km/L (about 31–40 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the BL5?
Between 1,320 and 1,520 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is ABA-BL5 the same as BL5?
Yes. ABA-BL5 is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and BL5 is the model code. The chassis number starts with BL5-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Subaru model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.