Compare the2023 Lexus ESVS 2023 Subaru Legacy

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Lexus ES has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Legacy doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The ES has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Legacy doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The ES offers an optional Panoramic View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Legacy only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The ES has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Legacy’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the ES has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Legacy and its not available on the Base.

Both the ES and the Legacy 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 and rearview cameras.

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

	ES	Legacy
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	120	158
Neck Injury Risk	24%	26%
Neck Stress	239 lbs.	281 lbs.
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	57 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	33%	43%

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 Lexus ES is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

	ES	Legacy
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	160 lbs.	216 lbs.
Hip Force	264 lbs.	335 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	541 lbs.	581 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	570 lbs.	681 lbs.

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

Warranty

The ES comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Legacy’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the ES 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Legacy. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Legacy ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The ES’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Legacy’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

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 Lexus ES Hybrid’s reliability 12 points higher than the Legacy and the Lexus ES is rated 17 points higher than the Legacy.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 7th.

Engine

The ES has more powerful engines than the Legacy:

	Horsepower	Torque
ES 250 AWD 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	203 HP	184 lbs.-ft.
ES 300h 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid	215 HP
ES 350 3.5 DOHC V6	302 HP	267 lbs.-ft.
Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	182 HP	176 lbs.-ft.
Legacy Sport/XT 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	260 HP	277 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the ES 300h 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	ES	Legacy
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.6 MPH	86.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the ES gets better mileage than the Legacy:

			MPG
ES
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/44 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
Legacy
	AWD	2.4 turbo flat-4	23 city/31 hwy

The ES can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The Legacy can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the ES Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Legacy doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus ES higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Subaru Legacy (3 to 7). This means the ES produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Legacy every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The ES stops shorter than the Legacy:

	ES	Legacy
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the ES’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Legacy (235/45R18 vs. 225/55R17).

The ES F Sport’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 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 ES F Sport has standard 19-inch wheels. The Legacy’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The ES 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 ES has 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 ES’ wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the Legacy (113 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

Chassis

The ES F Sport uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Legacy doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the ES offers cargo security. The Legacy’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the ES’ power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Legacy doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The ES 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 45% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The ES’ 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 ES offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning 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 ES and the Legacy have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the ES 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 ES’ 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.

If the windows are left open on the ES the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Legacy can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The ES’ optional 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.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the ES and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the ES Ultra Luxury to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Legacy doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The ES’ 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 ES 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 ES and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the ES 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.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

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

The Lexus ES outsold the Subaru Legacy by 85% during 2022.

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