Subaru Legacy vs Outback

Whether you’re driving a Subaru Legacy or Outback, you can expect that you’re driving a vehicle engineered with precision and integrity. Your preferences will be the deciding factor between these two models, because no choice will make you compromise safety, quality, or integrity.

Comparing the Legacy and Outback Design

While both the Subaru Legacy and Outback are excellent vehicles, they each were designed with separate purposes and intentions. A measurement comparison shows that both models have the same width of 5 feet and 11.7 inches, and the Outback is 6 inches taller and two inches longer than the Legacy. With three extra inches of clearance space, the Outback is more suited for off-road routes and harsh weather conditions. Inside, you’ll find plenty of cargo space by folding the rear seats down, providing up to 71.3 cubic feet of space in the Outback compared to 14.7 cubic feet in the Legacy.

Performance Comparison for Legacy and Outback

Every component of the Subaru model lineup is backed up with decades of research and innovation, making every curve in the exterior design to every piece of the reinvented Subaru Boxer engine purposeful. Both the Legacy and the Outback come standard with a 2.5 liter flat four boxer engine, capable of 173 horsepower and 174 lbs.-ft. of torque. A powerful engine rests under the hood of both vehicles, whether it’s the sedan look of the Legacy or the wagon/SUV style of the Outback. Both offer a trim with a 3.6-liter engine that performs at 256 horsepower and 247 lbs-ft of torque. In addition, both the Subaru Legacy and Outback come with a six speed manual transmission, and an available upgrade to an automatic Continuously Variable Transmission. With a CVT equipped engine, the Legacy reaches 27 mpg combined fuel economy, and the CVT equipped Outback gets only a slightly lower 26 mpg combined.

Available Features

Between the Legacy and the Outback, there’s a wide array of options and trims to choose from to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle needs. The Legacy offers five trims including the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Sport, 2.5i Limited, and 3.6R Limited. The base level Legacy proves itself with substantial power accessories, automatic headlights, air conditioning, and cruise control. Upgrade to the Premium and get heated outside mirrors, an eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, leather steering wheel and shift knob. Choose the Sport for 18 inch alloy wheels, fog lights, sunroof, simulated carbon fiber interior, and an optional rearview camera. At the top level, the Limited trim adds dual zone climate control and leather upholstery for pure luxurious comfort, provides rear seat air vents, and your music or favorite broadcast will sound its best with the nine-speaker system. The Outback offers four trim levels: the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited, and 3.6R Limited. It’s off to a good start with the base model’s roof rails, power accessories, cruise control, and reclining rear seats. With the 2.5i Premium, get an upgrade to heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, heated front seats, and power driver seat. Choose the 2.5i Limited, and you also get dual zone climate control, wood trim, leather, and nine-speaker sound for impressive music or broadcast quality.

Safety

Every time you buy from Subaru, you can expect top level safety standards at every trim level. With your family in mind, both the Legacy and the Outback include stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. The optional EyeSight system uses adaptive cruise control, which senses slower vehicles and warns you to avoid a collision, and uses advanced cameras to identify blind spot obstacles and to detect unintentional lane departure or sway warning.