2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Hyundai Elantra

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 could be misleading at first glance. Subaru seemed to aim for a mainstream appeal with the Legacy, yet its design leaned more towards 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. The Legacy offered six trims, with the Premium trim being particularly recommended for its features like the All-Weather Package and 10-way power front seats.

In contrast, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra retained its bold restyle from 2019, maintaining a geometric-influenced appearance. The Elantra was available in six versions, with prices ranging from $19,300 to $24,150. The Limited trim, tested with the Ultimate Package, showcased a stylish design with angular headlights and chrome detailing. The interior received an upscale update with silver trim and leather upholstery, though some hard plastics remained. The Elantra offered comfortable accommodations for four adults, with a fifth person fitting for short trips. It included features like a dual-zone automatic climate control system and a trunk with 14.4 cubic feet of space, nearly matching some midsize sedans.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine in 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, providing a responsive driving experience. 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 offered a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis impressed with precise cornering and refined ride quality, though the auto stop-start system was jarring. 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 2020 Hyundai Elantra came with a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a new CVT, replacing the previous six-speed automatic. The Elantra Eco model featured a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with 128 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Elantra Sport trim offered a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, along with an independent rear suspension for improved handling. The Elantra's CVT, called the "Intelligent Variable Transmission," provided simulated gear shifts for a smooth driving experience. However, real-world fuel economy fell short of expectations, with the test car averaging 29.3 mpg. The Elantra's torsion beam axle rear suspension detracted from ride and handling, though the Sport trim's independent suspension offered a superior experience.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for its class at 15.1 cubic feet, though it couldn't compete with crossovers like the Forester. The Legacy surprised with ample 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 Hyundai Elantra was among the roomier compact cars, providing comfortable seating for four adults. The Limited trim included power driver's seat adjustment, leather upholstery, and a sliding center console armrest. All Elantras featured a dual-zone automatic climate control system with a Clean Air ionizer and automatic defogging. Interior storage was well-proportioned, and the trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space. A thoughtful touch was the interior grab handle inside the trunk lid, making it easy to close.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a large 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. However, many basic controls, like heated seats and climate settings, required multiple steps to access, complicating the user experience. The system's portrait orientation also limited Apple CarPlay's display, though an update may have improved this. The Legacy's tech was present in all trims except the base, which had a dual-screen setup with similar issues.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra came standard with a touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, and a USB port. The SE trim had a 5-inch screen, while the SEL and higher trims featured a 7-inch display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM. The Limited trim added wireless smartphone charging and a premium Infinity sound system. The Ultimate Package increased the screen size to 8 inches and included navigation and Blue Link services. The Elantra's infotainment system was user-friendly, with shortcut buttons and volume/tuning knobs, and the Infinity sound system impressed for a compact car.

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 offered 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 Hyundai Elantra featured Hyundai Smart Sense as standard, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a driver attention monitor. Starting with SEL trim, the Elantra included blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited and Sport trims had full LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation. The Ultimate Package added adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, and Safe Exit Assist. The Elantra earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS with full LED headlights and a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA.