2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2021 Chrysler 300

The 2020 Subaru Legacy presented a conundrum with its styling. It was a handsome car, but it struggled to stand out amidst competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy had plenty of sharp angles and details, but these elements made it feel smaller, almost compact, compared to its rivals. The front end, in particular, looked and felt diminutive, often leading to confusion with the Subaru Impreza. Despite Subaru's attempt to go mainstream with the Legacy, the design felt more like a sedan version of the Outback rather than a distinct model.

Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many features were buried within this digital interface, complicating simple controls like climate and radio adjustments. The base trim was well-equipped with remote keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity, dual 7-inch touchscreens, and Subaru EyeSight driver assistance features. The Premium trim added more amenities, including a power moonroof and the All-Weather Package. Higher trims like the Sport, Limited, Limited XT, and Touring XT offered additional features such as adaptive LED headlights, a turbocharged engine, and Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 retained its classic "three-box design" from its 2014 facelift, giving it a timeless and recognizable profile. The grille and headlights had evolved over the years, with the 2021 model featuring bi-xenon halogen projector lamps and LED driving lamps on lower trims. The Comfort Group on the Touring L and 300S trims added adaptive HID lamps. Wheel options ranged from 17-inch silver alloys on the base trim to 20-inch Black Noise wheels on the 300S, enhancing its tough, no-nonsense appearance.

Inside, the Chrysler 300 offered interior quality that rivaled more expensive cars. The base 300 Touring featured cloth upholstery and an eight-way power driver's seat, while the 300 Touring L and 300S came with standard Nappa leather upholstery. The 300S also included perforated inserts and accent stitching. Heated front seats were standard on the top two trims, with heated rear seats available as well. The 300's interior space and comfort made it a strong contender in the luxury sedan segment.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy's base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims were powered by 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 and suburban driving, but it struggled to reach highway speeds without significant noise. The Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a more powerful 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, also paired with a CVT.

The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality, making it a pleasure to drive. However, the auto stop-start system, designed to conserve fuel, was jarring and required multiple steps to disable through the infotainment system. The base engine achieved fuel economy ratings of 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine managed 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 offered a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in the 300 Touring and 300 Touring L trims, and 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet in the 300S. The 300S also had an optional 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with paddle shifters available on the 300S. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option.

The 300's driving experience varied by trim, with the base model feeling like a rental upgrade, while the AWD Touring L offered a traditional luxury experience. The V8-powered 300S provided a fun driving experience with its powerful Hemi engine, although it didn't match the higher-displacement powertrains of its Dodge Charger sibling.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for its class at 15.1 cubic feet, although it couldn't compete with crossovers like the Subaru Forester or Impreza hatchback. The backseat provided impressive head- and legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The front seats were supportive, with deep door pockets for storage. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it difficult to plug in cables.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 excelled in interior space, offering 41.8 inches of front legroom and 40.1 inches in the rear, surpassing competitors like the Lexus ES350 and Toyota Avalon. The 300's 106.3 cubic feet of passenger volume placed it in the EPA's "midsize" class, but it felt more spacious than rivals like the Genesis G70 and Lexus ES350. The trunk provided 16.3 cubic feet of cargo space, enough to accommodate four large suitcases.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. While the icons were large and easy to read, basic functions like adjusting heated seats and climate controls required multiple steps. The portrait orientation of the screen also scrunched Apple CarPlay into a third of the display. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues, making it difficult to avoid the Legacy's tech frustrations.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 retained its intuitive Uconnect 4C infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. The system offered excellent functionality, prominent knobs, and steering wheel-mounted controls. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard across the lineup. The $3,495 Popular Equipment Group added premium features like a 506-watt amp, nine Alpine speakers, GPS navigation, and a dual-pane sunroof.

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 display 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 2021 Chrysler 300 received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but scored "Marginal" in small overlap tests and "Poor" for headlights. NHTSA awarded the 300 a four-star overall crash test rating, with a five-star rating for combined side barrier and side pole crash tests. Standard safety features included active head restraints, airbags, traction and stability control, rain brake support, and hill start assist. Advanced safety features were available through packages, but only on higher trims.