Compare the2023 Subaru LegacyVS 2021 Mazda 6

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

Safety

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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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear 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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Legacy has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Mazda 6 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Legacy has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Mazda 6 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Legacy and the Mazda 6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Legacy is safer than the Mazda 6:

	Legacy	Mazda 6
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	241	249
Neck Injury Risk	43%	53%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	107 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	335/150 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Legacy is safer than the Mazda 6:

	Legacy	Mazda 6
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	154
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	216 lbs.	256 lbs.
Hip Force	335 lbs.	437 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	220	356
Spine Acceleration	62 G’s	64 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	104	271

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 16 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Legacy has larger alternators than the Mazda 6:

	Legacy	6
Standard Alternator	150 amps	100 amps
Optional Alternator	190 amps	150 amps

Engine

The Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 73 more horsepower (260 vs. 187) and 91 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 186) than the Mazda 6’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda 6 4 cyl.:

	Legacy	6
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.9 sec	9.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.9 sec	17.2 sec

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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Legacy gets better mileage than the Mazda 6:

			MPG
Legacy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/35 hwy
Mazda 6
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/35 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Legacy’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Mazda 6 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Legacy uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Mazda 6 Grand Touring/Signature/Carbon Edition requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Legacy has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mazda 6 (18.5 vs. 16.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Legacy’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Mazda 6:

	Legacy	6
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11.7 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	10.9 inches

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 Mazda 6 are solid, not vented.

The Legacy stops much shorter than the Mazda 6:

	Legacy	Mazda 6
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Mazda 6.

The Legacy’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (58% to 42%) than the Mazda 6’s (60% to 40%). This gives the Legacy more stable handling and braking.

The Legacy Sport handles at .84 G’s, while the Mazda 6 Signature pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Legacy Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Mazda 6 Touring (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Legacy Sport is quieter than the Mazda 6 Grand Touring:

	Legacy	6
At idle	40 dB	42 dB
Full-Throttle	76 dB	80 dB
70 MPH Cruising	68 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Legacy a Large car, while the Mazda 6 is rated a Mid-size.

The Legacy has 5.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 6 (105.5 vs. 99.8).

The Legacy has 1 inch more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mazda 6.

Cargo Capacity

The Legacy has a larger trunk than the Mazda 6 (15.1 vs. 14.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Legacy easier. The Legacy’s trunk lift-over height is 26.8 inches, while the Mazda 6’s liftover is 28.3 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Legacy. The Mazda 6 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 Mazda 6. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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 Mazda 6 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Legacy’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Mazda 6’s power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

When the Legacy Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Mazda 6’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Subaru Legacy (except Base) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Mazda 6 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the Mazda 6 because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the Mazda 6, including $98 less for a muffler, $17 less for front brake pads, $345 less for fuel injection, $108 less for a fuel pump and $205 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Legacy as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2021 issue and they ranked the Subaru Legacy Limited two places higher than the Mazda 6 Carbon Edition.

The Subaru Legacy outsold the Mazda 6 by 40% during the 2021 model year.