2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2020 Subaru WRX

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, almost reminiscent of a Subaru Impreza. Despite Subaru's attempt to go mainstream with the Legacy, the design felt more like a sedan version of the Outback. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many features were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple tasks like adjusting climate controls. The base trim was well-equipped, but the Premium trim, which we drove, offered additional features like 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a power moonroof. Higher trims added more luxury and performance features, with the range-topping Touring XT featuring a turbocharged engine and full Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2020 Subaru WRX, on the other hand, was a performance variant that had evolved into its own model. It featured a wider stance, a lower front splitter, and a rear deck spoiler, making it the most aggressively styled vehicle in Subaru's lineup. The WRX had a simple sedan layout that provided excellent sightlines and visibility. The cabin was practical, with a straightforward dash layout and plenty of storage compartments. The WRX offered ample first-row seating space and adequate rear-seat space for a compact car. However, its 12 cubic feet of cargo space was low compared to other compact sedans. The WRX's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a 6.5-inch or 7-inch touchscreen that included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system was easy to navigate and didn't overdo the tech, unlike the Legacy's more complicated setup.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy came with two engine options. The base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims featured 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) that had a manual mode and paddle shifters. The Legacy's powertrain was responsive, making it suitable for city driving, but it struggled to reach highway speeds without making a lot of noise. For those needing more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims offered a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. This engine also used a CVT with a manual mode. The Legacy's chassis was impressive, with precise cornering and refined ride quality. However, the auto stop-start system was jarring, and its fuel economy was 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined for the base engine, dropping to 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined for the turbocharged engine.

The 2020 Subaru WRX was equipped with a turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter boxer-four engine, producing 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Power was sent to symmetrical all-wheel drive through a standard six-speed manual transmission, with an optional CVT available. The manual transmission provided a more engaging driving experience, with precise feedback and a smooth clutch pedal. The CVT featured Subaru’s SI-DRIVE with multiple drive modes and paddle shifters with simulated gears. The AWD systems differed based on transmission choice, with the manual offering a continuous AWD system and the CVT using an electronically-controlled hydraulic transfer clutch. The WRX's power delivery was fantastic, with minimal turbo lag and precise steering. The WRX STI variant featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer-four engine, producing 310 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque, along with Brembo brakes and a stiffer suspension for even sharper handling. However, the WRX's ride was stiff, and road and wind noise were noticeable.

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 even taller passengers comfortably. The front seats were supportive, and the cabin featured deep door pockets and a fold-down center armrest with cupholders. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it difficult to plug in cables.

The 2020 Subaru WRX had a simple sedan layout that provided excellent visibility. The cabin was practical, with a straightforward dash layout and plenty of storage compartments. The WRX offered ample first-row seating space and adequate rear-seat space for a compact car. However, its 12 cubic feet of cargo space was low compared to other compact sedans. The WRX's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a 6.5-inch or 7-inch touchscreen that included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system was easy to navigate and didn't overdo the tech, unlike the Legacy's more complicated setup.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. However, many features were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple tasks like adjusting climate controls. The system's portrait orientation also scrunched Apple CarPlay into a third of the screen. While the icons were large and easy to read, and the system didn't have lag-time or bugs, the overall user experience was frustrating. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues, making it difficult to avoid the Legacy's poor system.

The 2020 Subaru WRX came standard with a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and was available with a 7-inch touchscreen. The Starlink infotainment system was easy to use and included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system was straightforward to navigate and didn't overcomplicate the tech. The WRX also featured a digital display in the instrument panel and a digital information screen atop the dash, providing key driver information in multiple locations.

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 Subaru WRX came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a TPMS. It was available with the EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic emergency braking. The WRX earned top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).