One of my loaners is a 1990 Legacy (first year) with 340k on the original engine and transmission. I got it for basically free from the original owner.
For the price, availability, reliability, and ease of replacement parts, the Legacy wins in every category.
The 3AT was absolute trash. The vast majority of the remaining EA chassis cars that still operate are manual transmissions. And regardless of what ANYONE says, the EA82 is a giant pile of unobtainable parts and is a nightmare to work on compared to the EJ22. And who doesn't want 60% more power and the same economy? The oil pump from a 2020 STI will fit a 1990 EJ22...... the EJ engine is Subaru's Small Block Chevy. Everything that came before is simply a museum artifact.
GD