2020 Subaru Legacy vs 2021 Nissan Altima

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 sharp angles and details, but its design felt smaller and less bold. The front end, in particular, appeared compact, making it easy to mistake for a smaller Subaru model. 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 functions were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple tasks like adjusting climate controls. The base trim was well-equipped with features like remote keyless entry, Bluetooth, and dual 7-inch touchscreens. Higher trims added more luxury and convenience features, with the Premium trim being particularly recommended for its balance of features and value. The top trims, Limited XT and Touring XT, included a more powerful turbocharged engine and additional high-end features.

The 2021 Nissan Altima showcased a strong family identity with its bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, depending on the trim. The Altima's overall shape was attractive, with a sleek, aerodynamic profile and modern features like standard LED lighting. However, its stance appeared slightly old-fashioned due to the design choices around the wheels and dash-to-axle distance.

Inside, the Altima boasted exceptional fit and finish, with deep, lustrous paint and rich chrome details. The dashboard was uncluttered and intelligently laid out, featuring a standard 8-inch touchscreen display. The base Altima felt a bit stripped-down, but higher trims offered improved interior materials and additional features, making it a real example of getting what you pay for.

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 reach highway speeds without significant noise.

For those needing 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. This engine also used a CVT with a manual mode and paddle shifters. The Legacy's chassis offered precise cornering and refined ride quality, making it a pleasure to drive. However, the auto stop-start system was jarring, and its deactivation required navigating through the infotainment system. 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 2021 Nissan Altima featured two distinct powertrains. Most trims came with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available on most trims. Fuel economy for the FWD models was 28 mpg city, 39 highway, and 32 combined, while AWD models achieved 25 city, 35 highway, and 29 combined.

The standout powertrain was the VC-Turbo engine, available only in the Altima SR VC-Turbo trim. This 2.0-liter turbocharged engine used variable compression technology to deliver 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The VC-Turbo offered a lively performance and was paired with FWD, achieving 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined. The Altima's suspension and steering provided decent feedback and feel, with the VC-Turbo model offering a more engaging driving experience.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for a sedan 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, with deep door pockets for storage. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it difficult to plug in USB cables.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats, which were comfortable even on long drives. Upper trims offered power adjustment, memory positions, leather, and heating for the seats. The front cabin had ample storage, including a large glovebox, center console bin, and door pockets. The second row was roomy for two adults and could accommodate three for short rides. The trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of space, with the second row folding flat for additional cargo capacity.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy's tech was centered around an 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. While the screen was large and responsive, many functions were buried within menus, complicating simple tasks. The system's portrait orientation also scrunched Apple CarPlay, making it less user-friendly. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues, leaving no escape from the Legacy's tech frustrations.

The 2021 Nissan Altima included a range of standard tech features, such as Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, and more. The base model had a 7-inch touchscreen, while other trims featured an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen. Higher trims offered additional USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a Bose audio system. The Platinum trim included Nissan Door to Door Navigation and NissanConnect Services, providing a comprehensive suite of tech features.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy came standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. EyeSight also featured an alert for when the car in front started moving, helping to avoid traffic backups. Other standard safety features included airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on SV and above trims. This suite included automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available for highway driving assistance, and an Intelligent Around View Monitor was offered on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick + rating from the IIHS.