2021 Dodge Charger vs 2021 Subaru Legacy

The 2021 Dodge Charger, in its seventh generation, continued to captivate buyers with its array of variants, including the top-tier SRT Hellcat Redeye. Despite the minimal surface differentiation between models, the Charger maintained its "brotherhood of muscle" appeal. The widebody styling, available on some models, added an athletic stance, complemented by options like the functional performance hood. The Charger offered a plethora of tire, wheel, brake, and exterior color options, with standard halogen projector headlights and optional HID projector lights. However, the design had remained largely unchanged for a decade, making it hard to determine the model's age.

Inside, the Charger had seen updates over the years, but comfort and convenience features were still lacking. The fit and finish had improved, yet the gauge cluster and climate controls revealed the model's age. The interior featured a fair amount of hard plastic and rubberized surfaces, with cloth seats standard on most trims and Nappa leather on higher trims. While the Charger offered power-adjustable seats and optional heated and ventilated seats, the higher-priced models lacked the premium accommodations and technology expected at their price point.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy, often overlooked in the midsize-sedan market, competed with popular models like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Available in six trim levels, the Legacy carried over much of the Subaru Outback's body and mechanics into a sedan form. For 2021, Subaru added standard low-beam and high-beam steering-responsive LED headlights and high-beam assist. The Legacy's design was not particularly stylish but stayed true to Subaru's branding, with high-gloss stainless steel moldings adding a touch of flash.

Seventeen-inch steel wheels were standard, with options for alloy and machine-finished wheels. The Legacy offered power-folding mirrors, a power moonroof, and an All-Weather Package. The interior featured a blend of high-quality materials and piano black plastic, with cloth upholstery standard and leather available. The cabin's style was functional and on-trend, with options like Nappa leather upholstery and chrome interior door handles. However, the tester had some fit-and-finish issues, particularly with the leather in the door corners.

The 2021 Dodge Charger excelled in performance, offering a range of engines to suit different needs. The SXT, SXT AWD, GT, and GT AWD models were powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering up to 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. The Charger R/T featured a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine with 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque, providing a 1,000-pound towing capacity. The Charger Scat Pack models had a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine, producing 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.

The Charger SRT Hellcat boasted a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine with 717 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line SRT Hellcat Redeye had a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI high-output V8 engine, delivering 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque. Despite its power, the Redeye's powertrain was manageable and versatile, though it was the least fuel-efficient, with an EPA-estimated 12 mpg in the city, 21 mpg on the highway, and 15 mpg combined. All Charger models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with no manual option available. The Charger offered a connected driving experience, with configurable drive modes and Performance Pages for SRT models.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque for the Limited XT and Touring XT grades. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Legacy's AWD system was standard, providing stability over rough terrain. The 2.5-liter engine achieved an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined, while the turbo engine earned 24 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined.

The Legacy's steering was well-balanced at low speeds but became challenging to keep between lanes on the highway without lane-centering technology. The AWD system kept the car planted, and the ride was comfortable, though the turbo engine exhibited some lag.

The 2021 Dodge Charger, a four-door, five-passenger sedan, balanced speed and power with family-friendly features. The interior technology was dated but functional, with instrument clusters varying by model. The steering wheel was user-friendly, with paddle shifters on all but the base model. The Charger offered a spacious trunk with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat for additional storage. Cargo space was average compared to other large cars.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy improved comfort with a sound-insulation windshield and better seat positioning. The Legacy Base model had manually adjustable front seats, while other trims featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and either a four-way manually-adjustable or eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. The five-seater provided ample back seat room for adults, with extra legroom from the 2020 redesign. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel were available. The Legacy had 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, which was less than some competitors due to the extra legroom in the second row.

The 2021 Dodge Charger came with basic standard features, including push-button start, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, a six-speaker audio system, four USB ports, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, keyless entry, and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen. Available features included a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, upgraded audio systems, HD Radio, navigation, and a WiFi hotspot. The Uconnect infotainment system was user-friendly but had some deeply buried functions and lacked the latest version available in other Dodge models.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy featured dual 7-inch infotainment and climate/vehicle system/safety feature control displays on the base model. Higher trims had an 11.6-inch infotainment screen with on-screen buttons for various functions. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 12-volt power outlet, two USB ports, a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack, automatic climate control, and a 4.2-inch meter display. Upmarket trims added more USB ports, Subaru Starlink Connected Services, navigation, a 180-degree front-view monitor, Sirius XM Traffic, keyless entry, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and an auto-dimming rearview compass mirror with Homelink. The 11.6-inch screen had an unsophisticated appearance but was easy to navigate.

The 2021 Dodge Charger received a four-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The structurally-similar 2020 model received mostly "Good" crashworthiness ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) but "Poor" marks for headlights. Standard safety features included brake assist, electronic stability control, hill start assist, rear park assist, rain brake support, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic headlights were available on some models.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy earned top scores in every category from the IIHS, including crashworthiness, crash-avoidance tech, and LATCH system ease of use, and was named a Top Safety Pick. The NHTSA gave the Legacy a five-star overall rating. The Legacy came standard with Subaru EyeSight technology, which included adaptive cruise control with lane centering, pre-collision automatic emergency braking and throttle management, and vehicle lane departure and sway warning. Additional safety features included reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring. The EyeSight system was easy to use but could be annoying with its alerts, which could be adjusted or turned off via the infotainment system. The Legacy came with a three-year/36,000-mile new car limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.