2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Lexus ES

The 2020 Subaru Legacy presented a conundrum with its styling. It was a handsome car, but it struggled to stand out among competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy had sharp angles and details, but its design felt smaller and less bold. The front end, in particular, looked compact, making it easy to mistake for a smaller Subaru model. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many controls were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple tasks like adjusting the climate or radio settings. The base trim came well-equipped, but the Premium trim, which we drove, added several desirable features, including a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a power moonroof.

In contrast, the 2020 Lexus ES had evolved from its "boring" label in the early 2010s to a more aggressive and stylish design by 2020. The large spindle grille, which initially felt out of place, now meshed well with the car's larger proportions. The rear design was more subdued, with thin taillamps and a pronounced kink at the back of the side windows. Inside, the ES boasted a luxurious cabin with soft-touch materials and a large infotainment screen integrated into the dash. The ES 350 F Sport trim, which we drove, featured unique exterior and interior accents, including a black mesh grille, 19-inch alloy wheels, and aluminum trim accents.

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 continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Legacy's powertrain was responsive, making it suitable for city driving, but it struggled to deliver strong highway performance. For those seeking more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, generating 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality, but the auto stop-start system was jarring and complicated to disable. Fuel economy for the base engine was impressive at 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine achieved 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2020 Lexus ES came equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 302 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. This combination allowed the ES to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 131 mph. The ES provided confident acceleration and a comfortable, refined ride, thanks to its Dynamic Control Shocks. The F Sport trim offered an optional Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) with adjustable dampers and additional drive modes, including Sport+. The ES's steering was light but precise, and the paddle shifters added a touch of sportiness to the driving experience. While not a high-performance machine, the ES delivered a balanced and enjoyable ride.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for its class at 15.1 cubic feet, though it couldn't compete with crossovers. The backseat provided impressive head- and legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The front seats were supportive, and the cabin featured deep door pockets and a center stack tray for storage. However, the infotainment system's complexity detracted from the overall user experience.

The 2020 Lexus ES featured a spacious cabin with ample head- and legroom in both rows. The front seats could slide back significantly without compromising rear-seat legroom. The front doors had deep pockets, and the center console offered multiple storage options. The ES provided 16.7 cubic feet of trunk space, which was mid-pack for the midsize luxury segment. However, the rear seats did not fold down, limiting cargo flexibility.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy's technology centered around the Starlink infotainment system with an 11.6-inch touchscreen. While the screen was large and responsive, many basic controls were buried within menus, complicating their use. The system's portrait orientation also limited the display area for Apple CarPlay. Despite these drawbacks, the system featured large icons and real dials for volume and tuning.

The 2020 Lexus ES utilized the Lexus Remote Touch system, controlled by a touch-sensitive pad in the center console. The system featured an 8-inch or optional 12.3-inch display, with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Remote Touch pad was intuitive, and the system included hard buttons for quick navigation. The ES also offered a 10-speaker premium audio system, with an optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson stereo and a head-up display.

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 and included a helpful feature that alerted drivers when the car in front started moving. Other standard safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

The 2020 Lexus ES featured the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which included forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, dynamic radar cruise control, and automatic high beams. The system also offered pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, and lane-tracing assist for semi-autonomous driving. Additional safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, stability control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.