2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Cadillac CT5

The 2020 Subaru Legacy presented a conundrum with its styling, balancing pragmatic sensibility with an attempt to stand out. While it was a handsome car, it struggled to make a bold impression compared to competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy's design featured sharp angles and details, but it often felt smaller, almost compact, especially at the front end. Inside, the Legacy aimed for a mainstream appeal with a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, though it buried many features within the digital interface, complicating simple controls. The Legacy offered six trims, with the Premium trim being a standout for its features like the All-Weather Package and a power moonroof, making it a recommended choice for buyers.

In contrast, the 2020 Cadillac CT5 drew inspiration from the Escala concept vehicle, embodying a sleek and elegant vision of Cadillac's future. The CT5's design was nearly flawless, with only minor quibbles like the chrome spear on the rear roof pillars. The test car, equipped with standard 18-inch wheels, maintained a balanced look. The CT5's interior was a significant improvement over its predecessor, the CTS, offering true midsize spaciousness and luxurious features like 18-way power-adjustable front seats with lumbar massage. However, the trunk space was limited at 11.9 cubic feet, though the interior storage was impressive with features like a smartphone tray and wireless charging.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine across its base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims, delivering 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive, providing a responsive driving experience, especially in city settings. However, the Legacy's powertrain showed some weaknesses when accelerating to highway speeds, requiring a push and generating noise. For those seeking more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality, though the auto stop-start system was jarring and required multiple steps to disable. The base engine achieved a commendable fuel economy of 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined.

The 2020 Cadillac CT5, on the other hand, offered a choice between an unrefined 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a more powerful twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. The latter, available on the Premium Luxury and standard on the CT5-V, delivered 335 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque in the Premium Luxury trim, and 360 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque in the CT5-V. The V6 engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, provided exhilarating acceleration and a satisfying engine note. However, the transmission's behavior in Sport mode could be unpredictable, affecting the driving experience. The CT5's suspension was tuned for comfort, absorbing road imperfections well, though the all-season tires limited its performance potential. The test car achieved an EPA rating of 21 mpg combined, with a real-world result of 20.1 mpg.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for a sedan at 15.1 cubic feet, though it couldn't compete with crossovers in the Subaru lineup. The backseat was surprisingly spacious, accommodating taller passengers with ample head- and legroom. The Legacy's interior featured supportive front seats, deep door pockets, and convenient rear USB ports. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it challenging to access the USB port.

In contrast, the 2020 Cadillac CT5 boasted a significantly improved cabin over the old CTS, thanks to a stretched wheelbase. The Premium Luxury Platinum's front seats offered 18-way power adjustment, including lumbar massage, and were upholstered in premium semi-aniline leather. The rear seat provided ample legroom and comfort, with air conditioning vents for rear passengers. Interior storage was impressive, with features like a smartphone tray with wireless charging and a large center console. However, the trunk space was limited to 11.9 cubic feet, with a non-flat floor and enclosed hinges.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system, but its interface was cumbersome, requiring multiple steps for simple adjustments like climate controls and heated seats. While the icons were large and easy to read, the portrait orientation of the screen scrunched Apple CarPlay, limiting its usability. The system was present in all trims except the base, which had its own set of issues with a dual-screen setup.

The 2020 Cadillac CT5's infotainment system, still called Cadillac User Experience (CUE), was a significant improvement over previous versions. It featured a 10.0-inch high-definition touchscreen with crisp graphics and an intuitive layout. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Near Field Communication for easy smartphone pairing. Optional upgrades included a navigation system and a 15-speaker Bose Performance Series sound system. The CT5 also offered a high-definition surround-view camera system, a rearview-camera mirror, and a head-up display, though the speed-limit data was occasionally inaccurate.

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. The system used a head-up light system for alerts, providing intuitive feedback to the driver. Additional safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

The 2020 Cadillac CT5 offered a sophisticated safety-technology package, though it required upgrading beyond the Luxury trim. The test car's safety features worked seamlessly, with subtle lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control that maintained a safe following distance. However, Super Cruise, Cadillac's hands-free driver-assist technology, was not available for the 2020 model. The CT5 earned five-star crash-test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not rated it at the time of review.