Compare the2023 Subaru LegacyVS 2023 Acura Integra

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Legacy has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Integra doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Legacy has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Integra doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Legacy and the Integra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, 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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Legacy its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Integra is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Acura.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 1 place higher in reliability than Acura.

Engine

The Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 60 more horsepower (260 vs. 200) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 192) than the Integra’s 1.5 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 Integra doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

The Legacy has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Integra (18.5 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

The Legacy’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Integra are solid, not vented.

The Legacy stops shorter than the Integra:

	Legacy	Integra
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Legacy has larger tires than the Integra (225/55R17 vs. 215/50R17).

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than on the Integra.

The Legacy’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (58% to 42%) than the Integra’s (60% to 40%). This gives the Legacy more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Integra’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Legacy 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Integra doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Legacy Sport is quieter than the Integra A-Spec Technology (68 vs. 71 dB).

Passenger Space

The Legacy has 9.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Integra (105.5 vs. 95.8).

The Legacy has 1.8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 5.9 inches more rear hip room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Integra.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Legacy. The Integra doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Legacy is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Integra. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Legacy Limited/Touring’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 Integra’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Integra doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Legacy’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Integra’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Legacy has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Integra doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Legacy’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Integra has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Legacy and the Integra offer available heated front seats. The Legacy Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Integra.

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 Integra doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Legacy’s optional (except Base/Premium/Sport) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Integra doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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

With standard voice command, the Legacy offers the driver hands free control of the radio, climate controls and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Integra doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Legacy and the Acura Integra, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Legacy outsold the Acura Integra by 74% during 2022.