Compare the2023 Genesis G70VS 2022 Subaru Legacy

The G70 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Legacy doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The G70 3.3T Sport Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Legacy only offers a rear monitor.

The G70 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Legacy’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the G70 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Legacy and isn't available on the not available.

Both the G70 and the Legacy have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The G70 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The Legacy’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the G70 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Legacy. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Legacy ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The G70’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Legacy’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Genesis pays for scheduled maintenance on the G70 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Genesis will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Legacy.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the G70 has a standard 800-amp battery. The Legacy’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the G70 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the G70’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Legacy’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G70 second among compact premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Legacy isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 35 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 71 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 3 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

The G70 2.0T’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 70 more horsepower (252 vs. 182) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 176) than the Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The G70 3.3T’s standard 3.3 turbo V6 produces 105 more horsepower (365 vs. 260) and 99 lbs.-ft. more torque (376 vs. 277) than the Legacy XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the G70 2.0T 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

The G70’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Legacy doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the G70’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Legacy:

The G70 stops much shorter than the Legacy:

For better traction and acceleration, the G70 has larger rear tires than the Legacy (255/35R19 vs. 225/55R17).

The G70’s 225/40R19 front and 255/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Base/Premium’s standard 55 series tires. The G70’s tires are lower profile than the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the G70 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Legacy Base/Premium. The Legacy’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The G70 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Legacy’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the G70’s wheelbase is 3.3 inches longer than on the Legacy (111.6 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

The G70’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the Legacy’s (58% to 42%). This gives the G70 more stable handling and braking.

The G70 handles at .94 G’s, while the Legacy Touring XT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The G70 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.4 seconds quicker than the Legacy Sport (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The G70 is 6.2 inches shorter than the Legacy, making the G70 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the G70 is quieter than the Legacy Sport:

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the G70’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The G70 Advanced/3.3T Sport Prestige also has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Legacy doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The G70 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Legacy uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The G70 3.3T/Sport Prestige’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Legacy doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The G70 3.3T Sport Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Legacy doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the G70 and the Legacy have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the G70 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Legacy prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The G70’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Legacy’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The G70 3.3T/Sport Prestige’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Legacy’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the G70’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Legacy’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The G70’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

The G70 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

Both the G70 and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the G70 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Legacy doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The G70 is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Legacy doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The G70 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2019. The Legacy has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

Motor Trend selected the G70 as their 2019 Car of the Year. The Legacy has never been chosen.