Compare the2023 Chrysler 300VS 2023 Subaru Legacy

The 300 offers optional ParkSense to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Legacy doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Compared to metal, the 300’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Legacy has a metal gas tank.

Both the 300 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chrysler 300 is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

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, results indicate that the Chrysler 300 is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

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

There are almost 4 times as many Chrysler dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 300’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the 300 has a standard 160-amp alternator. The Legacy’s standard 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the 300 has a standard 730-amp battery. The Legacy’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The battery on the 300 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 300’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Legacy’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 300’s reliability 20 points higher than the Legacy.

The 300 has more powerful engines than the Legacy:

As tested in Car and Driver the Chrysler 300 V6 is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the 300 V8’s fuel efficiency. The Legacy doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The 300 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Legacy doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the 300’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Legacy:

The 300 stops much shorter than the Legacy:

For better traction, the 300’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Legacy (245/45R20 vs. 225/55R17).

The 300’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 300 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Legacy’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The 300 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.

The 300 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Legacy doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 300’s wheelbase is 11.7 inches longer than on the Legacy (120 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 300 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .4 inches wider in the rear than on the Legacy.

The 300’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Legacy’s (58% to 42%). This gives the 300 more stable handling and braking.

The 300S handles at .85 G’s, while the Legacy Touring XT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The 300S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Legacy Sport (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the 300S is quieter than the Legacy Sport (39 vs. 40 dB).

The 300 has .7 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Legacy.

The 300 has a much larger trunk than the Legacy (16.3 vs. 15.1 cubic feet).

The 300 has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Legacy has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Mitigation on the 300 uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Legacy doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The 300 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 300 (except Base)’s optional 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 power windows standard on both the 300 and the Legacy have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 300 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.

On a hot day the 300’s driver can lower the front windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Legacy can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 300’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Legacy’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The 300’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the 300 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Legacy doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the 300 S/Touring L to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Legacy doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The 300’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 300 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 300 and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the 300 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 300 is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Legacy doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 300 is less expensive to operate than the Legacy because it costs $564 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 300 than the Legacy, including $8 less for a water pump and $219 less for a starter.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chrysler 300 and the Subaru Legacy, based on reliability, safety and performance.