2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2019 BMW 3 Series

The 2019 BMW 3 Series showcased an evolutionary design, staying true to its roots without any radical transformations. It maintained a compact footprint, making it easy to park and maneuver. The most noticeable change was the slicing off of the rear doors' Hoffmeister kink, replaced by a piece of black trim. The front retained its recognizable BMW essence with hard-edged half-circle LED running lamps and widened kidney grilles. The tail featured simplified and squashed-down LED lights, giving it a clean and modern look. Inside, the 3 Series kept its driver-focused layout with a digital instrument panel and an optional wireless charging pad. However, the interior materials, particularly the door toppers and dash, felt coarse compared to previous models.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy, while handsome, struggled to stand out with its pragmatic design. It had sharp angles and details but lacked the boldness of competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The front end appeared small, almost compact, which could be mistaken for a Subaru Impreza. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many controls were buried within the digital interface, making simple adjustments cumbersome. The base trim came well-equipped with features like remote keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity, and Subaru EyeSight. Higher trims added more luxury and tech features, with the Touring XT offering full Nappa leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series, particularly the 330i xDrive, was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, delivering 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine was praised for its smoothness and torque, although it had more turbo lag at low speeds. The M340i variant offered a twin-turbo 6-cylinder engine with 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, nearing M3 performance levels. The 8-speed automatic transmission provided perfect shifts and intuitive programming. The M Sport package added a lower and firmer suspension, staggered summer tires, and variable-ratio steering, enhancing the driving experience. Fuel economy for the 330i xDrive was rated at 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 28 combined.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy's base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims were equipped with a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a manual mode and paddle shifters. The Legacy's powertrain was responsive in city driving but struggled to deliver strong highway performance. The Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine with 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality. Fuel economy for the base engine was 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine achieved 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series offered a spacious backseat with improved legroom and a 17-cubic-foot trunk, providing ample luggage space. Visibility was good in all directions, and the seats were firm yet supportive for long trips. The infotainment system, head-up display, and instrument clusters were intuitive and easy to operate. The main screen was a touchscreen with various swiping gestures, and the climate controls included a third zone for rear passengers. USB-C ports were also available.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy had a solid trunk space of 15.1 cubic feet, which was better than the 2019 model but still lagged behind crossovers and hatchbacks. The backseat offered impressive head- and legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The front seats were supportive, and the cabin featured deep door pockets and rear USB ports. However, the center stack tray was small, making it difficult to plug in cables.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series featured extensive technology, but many functions required subscription fees, including Apple CarPlay. The iDrive system was customizable and updated over the air, with features like cloud-based voice recognition and remote camera viewing. Gesture control allowed for volume adjustments and other functions, though it was sometimes unreliable. The Driving Assistance Professional Package offered advanced features like automatic steering around curves and infrared cameras to monitor driver attention.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy's 11.6-inch Starlink infotainment system required multiple steps for simple adjustments, making it less user-friendly. The system's portrait orientation scrunched Apple CarPlay into a third of the screen, which was frustrating. While the icons were large and easy to read, the overall experience was overshadowed by the cumbersome interface. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues, leaving no escape from the Legacy's poor system.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top ratings in all crash tests and high marks for its optional laser headlights and standard forward emergency braking. Pedestrian detection was standard, and optional features included blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and semi-autonomous Traffic Jam Assist.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy came standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. EyeSight also featured an alert for when the car in front starts moving, helping to avoid traffic backups. Other standard safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).