Everyone knows at least one car freak. These enthusiasts are regularly sought out by friends, family, and colleagues for advice about what vehicle to buy next, making car-crazy people critical to automakers. But to attract the attention of an enthusiast and benefit from years of trusted word-of-mouth recommendations, you’ve gotta build cars and trucks that are at least one – and preferably all three – of these things: fun, safe, and reliable.

Until the WRX arrived in 2002, Subaru was known for its near bulletproof reliability and was building a reputation for safety, but fun wasn’t on the North American menu. However, once this rally-ready road rocket landed in the U.S., a new generation of buyers, weaned on Sony PlayStation racing games featuring Subarus from around the globe, flooded into showrooms. The WRX has been a big hit and tremendous image builder for Subaru, good for plenty of free advertising from the enthusiast community, but now the question is: Where does the WRX buyer go when maturity and the demands of the real world shift preferences?

For 2005, Subaru provides an answer in the Legacy 2.5 GT sedan and station wagon, equipped with a turbocharged engine that provides the same rush of power as the WRX coupled with more interior space, added luxury amenities, and a softer ride quality. We spent a week driving a $30,000 Obsidian Black 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited, a worthy replacement for WRX owners when they’ve grown up, bought a black suit, and qualified for a mortgage. However, this capable but cramped sport sedan is possessed of a raw yet refined split personality that, while entertaining, frequently works against it in its quest to serve as an entry-luxury alternative to models from Audi, BMW, Infiniti, and others.