Compare the2022 Subaru LegacyVS 2021 BMW 3 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Legacy have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Legacy are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Legacy are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Legacy. But it costs extra on the 3 Series Sedan.

Both the Legacy and the 3 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Legacy its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 62 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 3 Series Sedan is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Legacy 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 81 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 4 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The Legacy XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (260 vs. 255) than the 330i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Legacy lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Legacy uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 3 Series Sedan requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Legacy has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan (18.5 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Legacy has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Legacy has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 3 Series Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the 3 Series Sedan don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 3 Series Sedan.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Legacy’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan xDrive’s (36.8 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Legacy Sport is quieter than the 330i (68 vs. 69 dB).

The Legacy has .7 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

The front step up height for the Legacy is 3 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan (13.5” vs. 16.5”). The Legacy’s rear step up height is 2.3 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan’s (14” vs. 16.3”).

The Legacy has a much larger trunk than the 3 Series Sedan (15.1 vs. 13 cubic feet).

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Legacy’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Legacy Base). The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Legacy Touring XT keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Insurance will cost less for the Legacy owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Legacy with a number “1” insurance rate while the 3 Series Sedan is rated higher at a number “3” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the 3 Series Sedan because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the 3 Series Sedan, including $400 less for a water pump, $659 less for a muffler, $89 less for front brake pads, $187 less for a starter, $283 less for fuel injection, $258 less for front struts, $596 less for a timing belt/chain and $430 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Legacy and the BMW 3 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.