Used 2021 Subaru Legacy for Sale nearRichmond, VA

How much does the 2021 Subaru Legacy cost?

Prices have softened 7.50% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 547 listings available, which suggests a healthy amount of inventory for you to compare.

Is the 2021 Subaru Legacy a good car?

Yes — the 2021 Subaru Legacy earns a 5/5 user rating and an 8.3/10 expert rating. The model scores 9/10 across Cost effectiveness and Safety.

The Legacy stands out for standard all-wheel drive, comfortable seats, and standard advanced safety features, which make it especially appealing if you want a practical sedan for poor weather and everyday use. It also brings budget-friendly pricing and fuel efficiency to the table, so it fits well if you value confidence and low-stress commuting over flash.

The trade-offs are clear: styling is uninspired, performance is sluggish, and the interior materials can feel cheap. Even so, the Legacy’s practical character and strong safety focus make it a sensible choice if you want a mainstream sedan with extra traction and a comfort-first setup.

There are 32.2% good or great deals in the market, which gives you some room to shop selectively.

Is the 2021 Subaru Legacy reliable?

Owners rate it 5/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The Legacy’s reliability story is built around its practical design, standard all-wheel drive, and strong safety orientation. It also pairs a fuel-efficient setup with a straightforward ownership experience, which helps it make sense as a daily driver.

Its safety tech is easy to use, and the car’s performance content points to a well-balanced, confidence-inspiring drivetrain for normal driving. The main ownership risk for used buyers is that fit-and-finish concerns and the intrusive safety alerts can affect day-to-day satisfaction more than mechanical confidence.

What should I look for when buying a used 2021 Subaru Legacy?

Accident-free inventory is solid at 79.3% — always verify the vehicle history report.

You should still run a history report on any car you’re considering and prioritize a pre-purchase inspection if the listing looks unusually cheap. Focus on overall condition, especially signs of wear in the cabin and any evidence that the safety systems have been overly intrusive or disabled.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The Base trim has dual 7-inch displays, while Premium and higher trims get the larger 11.6-inch infotainment screen and more upscale equipment. Higher trims also add features like navigation, a premium audio system, and more convenience gear, so the lower trims are the ones where you’ll feel the biggest feature gap.
• Powertrain: Base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, while Limited XT and Touring XT add a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft. The standard engine is efficient, and the turbo is the better pick if you want stronger passing and highway merging.
• Safety package: Subaru EyeSight is standard and includes adaptive cruise control with lane centering, pre-collision automatic emergency braking and throttle management, and vehicle lane departure and sway warning. EyeSight Assist Monitor is also included, while reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring are available.
• Infotainment: Base models use dual 7-inch displays, and Premium and above get an 11.6-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and higher trims can add navigation, Subaru Starlink Connected Services, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system.
• Fuel efficiency: The 2.5-liter engine returns an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. The turbocharged engine gets 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined.

Which 2021 Subaru Legacy trim should I buy?

The 2021 Subaru Legacy is offered in 6 trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Limited XT, and Touring XT.

Here's the short version:

• Base: This is the value play if you want standard all-wheel drive, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the core safety tech without paying for extras. It’s the trim that makes the Legacy’s basic formula most affordable.
• Premium: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it adds the 11.6-inch infotainment screen and a more complete feature set without jumping into luxury pricing. If you want the Legacy to feel more modern inside, this is the trim to target.
• Sport: Choose this if you want a little more visual flair and wheel upgrade potential while staying with the standard engine. It adds some personality without changing the Legacy’s practical mission.
• Limited: This is the right step up if you want more comfort and convenience features, plus a more upscale cabin experience. It’s a good fit if you plan to keep the car longer and want a more polished daily driver.
• Limited XT: Pick this if you want the stronger turbocharged engine and a more effortless highway feel. It’s the better choice for buyers who care more about passing power than maximum fuel economy.
• Touring XT: This is the top-end choice if you want the turbo engine plus the most upscale equipment in the lineup. It suits you best if you want the most complete Legacy experience and are willing to pay for it.

Subaru EyeSight is standard across the lineup, while reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring remain available rather than standard.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2021 Subaru Legacy?

This is a moderate market for selective buyers, so you can shop carefully and still find worthwhile listings.

• Deal availability: 32.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 547 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 7.50% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 79.3% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $19,523, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Subaru Legacy's resale value?

The current average of $19,524 sits slightly below last year's $21,107.

That price movement suggests the Legacy has become more accessible for used buyers, which can help support demand if you decide to sell later. A softer market today can also mean you may not recover as much as a seller as you would have a year ago, especially if your car has average mileage or visible wear.

Even so, the Legacy’s standard all-wheel drive and strong safety reputation help it stay relevant with shoppers who want a practical sedan. If you keep the car in clean condition and maintain it well, those traits can help preserve buyer interest over time.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 5/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2021 Subaru Legacy safe?

The 2021 Legacy earned the top scores in every category from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including crashworthiness, crash-avoidance tech, and LATCH system ease of use. The 2021 Legacy was also named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) gave the Legacy a five-star overall rating.

It earns a 9/10 safety score from our experts.

Subaru EyeSight comes standard and includes adaptive cruise control with lane centering, pre-collision automatic emergency braking and throttle management, and vehicle lane departure and sway warning. EyeSight Assist Monitor is also included, and buyers can add reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring.

One caveat is that the safety system can be noisy and overly persistent, with frequent beeps and flashing that may get annoying in daily use.

Should I buy a 2021 Subaru Legacy or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2021 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2021 if:

• 32.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is solid at 79.3% — always verify the vehicle history report.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 7.50% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 5/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2021 model keeps standard all-wheel drive, strong safety content, and a practical comfort-first setup.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $17,349, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $19,524 average.
• It leans into practicality, efficiency, and standard AWD.

The bottom line: If you want the stronger overall package, the 2021 is the better pick because it combines standard AWD, strong safety, and a more favorable current market position. If your priority is spending less up front, the 2020 is the smarter value play, especially if you’re comfortable giving up some of the 2021’s market freshness.

How does the 2021 Subaru Legacy compare to the 2021 Toyota Camry?

Expert Pros & Cons (per CarGurus review team)

2021 Subaru Legacy:

• Pros: Standard all-wheel drive, Comfortable, Standard advanced safety features.
• Cons: Uninspired styling, Sluggish performance, Interior materials feel cheap.

2021 Toyota Camry:

• Pros: Comfortable, Spacious, TRD trim adds extra performance and style.
• Cons: Outdated technology, Underwhelming base engine.

Our experts score the 2021 Subaru Legacy 8.3/10 and the 2021 Toyota Camry 7.8/10. The Legacy is the better fit if you want standard all-wheel drive and a stronger safety focus. The Camry counters with more power in its base engine, a roomier feel, and a broader market presence, but it also carries more dated tech and a less compelling entry-level setup.

Read our full side-by-side expert comparison here.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from October 21, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.