2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2019 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta presented a more upscale and dramatic appearance compared to its predecessor. It was slightly longer and wider, with a wheelbase that extended a bit more, giving it a more refined presence. The front end featured a wide, angular grille inspired by the VW Arteon sport sedan, which added a touch of flair to its design. Inside, the Jetta continued this angular design language, creating a cabin that was both spacious and functional. The interior offered a premium feel with comfortable seats, making it suitable for long drives. The Jetta came in several trims, with the base S trim surprisingly well-equipped, featuring 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, and a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In contrast, the 2020 Subaru Legacy had a more pragmatic design, focusing on sensibility rather than flashiness. While it was a handsome car, it struggled to stand out among competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy's front end appeared smaller, almost reminiscent of a compact Subaru Impreza. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but its functionality was hindered by the complexity of accessing basic controls. The Legacy offered six trims, with the Premium trim being a popular choice due to its features like 17-inch alloy wheels, a power moonroof, and heated seats. The Legacy's design aimed to balance practicality with a touch of mainstream appeal, though it could have benefited from a more distinctive exterior.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta was powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, producing 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Despite having slightly less horsepower than the previous model, the engine felt more responsive, thanks to its tuning and the new 8-speed automatic transmission. This transmission replaced the older 6-speed automatic, providing better power management and efficiency across various speeds. The Jetta's steering was well-weighted and precise, offering a smooth yet sporty driving experience. It handled both city and highway driving with ease, and its ride quality was refined, managing to be soft over rough roads. Fuel economy was impressive, with both manual and automatic transmissions returning 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options. The base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims featured a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a CVT that included a manual mode and paddle shifters. While the Legacy was quick off the line, it struggled to reach highway speeds without making significant noise. For those seeking more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims offered a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis provided precise cornering and a refined ride quality, but the auto stop-start system was jarring, affecting the overall driving experience. 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 Volkswagen Jetta offered comfortable front seats, even on long trips, with adequate rear-seat space despite a slight reduction in legroom. Trunk space decreased to 14.1 cubic feet from the previous 15.7 cubic feet, but it remained average for the class. The cabin layout was practical, with the touchscreen positioned above the climate vents for easier access. The shifter's placement allowed for a larger center tray, enhancing usability. The Jetta's interior design focused on blending touchscreen functions with real buttons and dials, prioritizing practicality.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy provided solid trunk space at 15.1 cubic feet, slightly better than the previous model. However, it couldn't compete with the cargo space of crossovers. The Legacy's backseat offered impressive head- and legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The front seats were supportive, with deep door pockets for storage. The center stack tray was small, making it challenging to access the USB port. Despite these minor inconveniences, the Legacy's interior was spacious and functional, with thoughtful features like rear USB ports and in-door cupholders.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta came equipped with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display featuring Volkswagen’s Car-Net App-Connect, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard. This allowed drivers to use navigation apps without needing the top-tier SEL Premium trim. The SEL and SEL Premium trims offered Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit, a customizable digital display that replaced the conventional instrument panel, providing a personalized driving experience.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. However, the system's complexity made simple tasks like adjusting heated seats or climate controls cumbersome, requiring multiple steps. While the icons were large and easy to read, the portrait orientation of the screen limited the display of Apple CarPlay. Despite these drawbacks, the system was responsive, with no lag-time or bugs. The Legacy's tech was present in all trims except the base, which had a dual-screen setup with similar issues.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta included a full array of front and side airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It also featured an automatic post-collision braking system. Driver-assist systems like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision avoidance were standard on higher trims and optional on the base S. The SEL and SEL Premium trims added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

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 used a head-up light system for alerts, providing intuitive notifications. The Legacy also included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system.