2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2019 Toyota Prius

The 2019 Toyota Prius was not known for its looks. Its design, which had evolved to be even more extroverted by the fourth generation, was often seen as a detriment rather than an asset. Despite its unconventional appearance, the Prius offered a practical solution for daily driving with a range of trim levels and an optional all-wheel-drive system. The interior, while unusual, centralized all controls and featured a mix of modern and dated elements. The gloss black trim, however, was a dust magnet, which could be a nuisance for meticulous owners.

In contrast, the 2020 Subaru Legacy had a more pragmatic and sensible design. While it was handsome, it struggled to stand out among competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy's front end appeared smaller, often leading to confusion with the compact Subaru Impreza. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many controls were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple adjustments. The Legacy's interior was spacious, with ample head- and legroom, and included thoughtful touches like rear USB ports and in-door cupholders.

The 2019 Toyota Prius combined a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor to produce 121 horsepower. The optional AWD-e system added a 5-kilowatt rear electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery, powering the rear wheels up to 43 mph. The AWD-e system reduced fuel economy slightly, with the AWD-e model achieving 50 mpg compared to the standard front-drive model's 52 mpg. The Prius featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and offered a smooth, quiet ride, especially in urban environments. The car's aerodynamic design and modest tires contributed to its quiet operation, though road noise was more noticeable on the freeway.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options. The base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims came with a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a CVT that included a manual mode and paddle shifters. The Legacy's base engine provided adequate power for city driving but struggled at highway speeds. For those needing more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality, making it a pleasure to drive. The base engine achieved an impressive 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine managed 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2019 Toyota Prius offered comfortable seating for four adults, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and a high seating position for the front passenger. The rear seats provided good thigh support and legroom, though they lacked air conditioning vents. The Prius's SofTex leatherette upholstery could trap sweat, making it uncomfortable on hot days. As a 5-door hatchback, the Prius boasted a spacious trunk with up to 27.4 cubic feet of luggage space, expandable to 65.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The AWD-e model had slightly less cargo space.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy, while not as spacious as a crossover, offered solid trunk space at 15.1 cubic feet. The backseat was surprisingly roomy, with ample head- and legroom, even for taller passengers. The rear seats included in-door cupholders, a fold-down center armrest with additional cupholders, and rear USB ports. The front seats were supportive, and the cabin featured deep door pockets for storage. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it difficult to plug in USB cables.

The 2019 Toyota Prius's most impressive infotainment system was reserved for the Limited trim, featuring an 11.6-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a premium JBL sound system. The XLE AWD-e test car had a standard 6.1-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and a CD player. The infotainment system lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which was a significant drawback. The Advanced Technology Package included a head-up display and adaptive headlights but fell short of expectations.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured the Starlink infotainment system with an 11.6-inch touchscreen. While the icons were large and easy to read, the system required multiple steps for simple adjustments, such as changing the climate controls or heated seats. The portrait orientation of the screen also scrunched Apple CarPlay into a third of the display. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues. Despite these drawbacks, the system was responsive and free of lag.

The 2019 Toyota Prius came with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The LE trim added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking assist. The Prius received a 5-star rating from the federal government and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy included the EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features, such as forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. EyeSight also featured an alert for when the car in front started moving, helping to prevent traffic backups. Standard safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system.