2022 Honda Civic vs 2021 Subaru Legacy

The 2021 Subaru Legacy was often overlooked in the midsize-sedan market, competing with popular models like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Available in six trim levels, the Legacy carried over much of the styling and mechanics from the Subaru Outback wagon. It featured standard low-beam and high-beam steering-responsive LED headlights and high-beam assist. While not particularly stylish, the Legacy's design stayed true to Subaru's branding, offering a safe and assuring look. The car came with 17-inch steel wheels as standard, with options to upgrade to 17-inch alloy or 18-inch wheels. Exterior trim elements varied by grade, and power-folding outside mirrors, a power moonroof, and an All-Weather Package were available.

Inside, the Legacy had a subdued interior with high-quality materials and piano black plastic. Cloth upholstery was standard, with leather available at an extra cost. The cabin blended form and function, offering options like Nappa leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and chrome interior door handles. The tester, a Legacy Limited XT, had some fit-and-finish issues, but overall, the interior was on-trend and appropriate for its price point.

The 2022 Honda Civic was offered in familiar LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trim levels, with prices starting at $21,700. The Civic Touring, priced at $29,690, featured a new paint color, Morning Mist Blue. The redesigned 2022 model resembled the larger Accord sedan and had a more conservative appearance compared to the previous year's model. The interior aimed for simplicity, with a minimalistic approach to controls and layout. A metal honeycomb mesh spanned the dashboard, hiding the air vents elegantly. The materials, especially in the Touring trim, reflected a maturity that the previous Civic lacked.

The Civic's interior featured redesigned front seats with better support, a power driver's seat, and excellent thigh support for the front passenger. However, the Civic sat low to the ground, making entry and exit difficult for some. The back seat offered more legroom than most in the segment, but the backrest angle might have felt too reclined for some. The Civic lacked air conditioning vents for rear passengers and had a new center console with less storage space. Trunk volume was generous at 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with Touring trim, and a split-folding backseat added utility.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, and a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Legacy's all-wheel drive (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 2022 Honda Civic offered two engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque for the LX and Sport trims, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque for the EX and Touring trims. Both engines were paired with a CVT, with different CVTs for each engine. The Civic's Sport and Touring trims included a Sport transmission mode, enhancing responsiveness. The Civic's handling was enjoyable, with improved structural rigidity and steering feel. However, the Civic Touring returned 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop, falling short of the EPA's estimate of 34 mpg.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy featured improved comfort with a sound-insulation windshield and better seat positioning. The Base model had manually adjustable front seats, while other trims offered a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and either a four-way or eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. The Legacy provided ample back seat room for adults, with additional legroom from the 2020 redesign. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel were available. However, the Legacy's trunk space was limited to 15.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 Honda Civic's redesigned front seats offered better support, with the Touring trim featuring a power driver's seat. The Civic sat low to the ground, making entry and exit challenging for some. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, but the backrest angle might have felt too reclined for some. The Civic lacked air conditioning vents for rear passengers and had a new center console with less storage space. Trunk volume was 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with Touring trim, and a split-folding backseat added utility.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy came with dual 7-inch infotainment and climate/vehicle system/safety feature control displays on the base model. Higher trims featured an 11.6-inch infotainment screen with on-screen buttons for various controls. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 12-volt power outlet, two USB ports, and a 4.2-inch meter display. Upmarket trims added more power outlets, USB ports, Subaru Starlink Connected Services, navigation, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and more. The 11.6-inch infotainment screen had an unsophisticated appearance, but menus were easy to navigate.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim offering a 10-inch display panel. The Civic's infotainment technology included a standard 7-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Touring trim offered a 9-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, HD radio, satellite radio, and a navigation system. The Touring trim also featured a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system, providing a richer audio experience.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy earned top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA). The Legacy came standard with Subaru EyeSight technology, including adaptive cruise control, pre-collision automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and more. The EyeSight system could be annoying with its beeps and flashing, but it was easy to adjust the alerts through the infotainment system.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured an upgraded Honda Sensing collection of advanced driver assistance systems, including Traffic Jam Assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic also had a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert on the EX and Touring trims. The Civic's underlying vehicle architecture was stronger, with new front airbag designs and rear side-impact airbags. A standard rear-seat reminder system was also included.