2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Dodge Charger

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, which was evident when comparing its front end to the Subaru Impreza. Despite Subaru's efforts to go mainstream, the Legacy's design was more akin to a sedan version of the Outback. Inside, the Legacy boasted a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many features were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple controls like climate and radio. The Legacy offered six trims, with the Premium trim being particularly recommended for its features, including the All-Weather Package and a clever windshield wiper de-icer.

In contrast, the 2020 Dodge Charger embraced its muscle car heritage with a modern twist. The Charger maintained its menacing headlights and gaping grille, which were key to its identity since its 2015 facelift. The cabin honored a retro theme, blending vintage-looking bezels with modern digital displays. The Charger's rear-wheel-drive platform contributed to a cockpit-like feel for the driver and front passenger. Trim levels included SXT, GT, R/T, and Hellcat, each offering distinct features. The SXT came with 17-inch alloy wheels and a 7-inch touchscreen, while the GT added 20-inch wheels and a larger 8.4-inch infotainment screen. The R/T and GT shared visual cues, but the GT boasted a V8 engine. The Hellcat featured the largest engine, leather upholstery, and advanced safety features, with a widebody kit available for the R/T Scat Pack and Hellcat.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine for its base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Legacy's powertrain was responsive, making it suitable for city driving, but it required effort to reach highway speeds. For those seeking 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 provided precise cornering and refined ride quality, though the auto stop-start system was jarring. The base engine achieved a fuel economy of 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine offered 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2020 Dodge Charger provided a range of powertrain options. The SXT and GT trims featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 292 horsepower in the SXT and 300 horsepower in the GT. Both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, with AWD available as an option. The R/T trim boasted a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, delivering 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque, along with an upgraded performance suspension and active exhaust. The R/T Scat Pack offered a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, producing 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, with Brembo high-performance brakes and launch assist. The Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody featured a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, generating 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The Charger excelled in performance, with adaptive suspension and Brembo brakes enhancing its cornering capabilities. The Performance Pages system provided detailed information and customization options for the driving experience.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for its class, with 15.1 cubic feet, though it couldn't compete with crossovers like the Forester or Impreza hatchback. The Legacy surprised with its backseat head- and legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The backseat featured in-door cupholders, a fold-down center armrest with additional cupholders, and rear USB ports. The front seats were supportive, with deep door pockets for storage. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it challenging to access the USB port.

The 2020 Dodge Charger stood out with its spacious interior, offering ample legroom even with the seats slid back. The driver and front passenger enjoyed well-bolstered bucket seats and generous head- and legroom. The Charger featured helpful trays and cup holders in the doors, along with a large trunk providing 16.5 cubic feet of space. The 60/40 split-fold rear bench allowed for additional storage, making the Charger a practical choice for those needing extra cargo capacity.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. However, the system's complexity was a drawback, requiring multiple steps for simple tasks like adjusting heated seats or climate controls. While the icons were large and easy to read, the portrait orientation of the screen limited the display of Apple CarPlay. The system was present in all trims except the base, which had a dual-screen setup with similar issues.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with higher trims featuring an 8.4-inch screen. Both screens ran FCA's Uconnect system, known for its simplicity and ease of use. The system included Bluetooth, USB connectivity, satellite radio, HD radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The logical menu layout allowed for quick navigation, with docked icons always present for easy access to different functions. The digital display screen in the instrument panel provided additional information and was operated via a directional pad on the steering wheel.

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. EyeSight also included an alert for when the car in front started moving, helping to prevent traffic backups. Other standard safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

The 2020 Dodge Charger offered standard safety features such as front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and rear parking sensors. Available safety features included forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. The Charger earned a Superior rating for its crash prevention technology from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though these features were optional.