Compare the2023 Nissan MaximaVS 2023 Subaru Legacy

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The Nissan Maxima 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 Maxima SR/Platinum has a standard Around View® Monitor 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 Maxima 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Legacy’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Maxima 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.

Compared to metal, the Maxima’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 Maxima 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 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 Nissan Maxima is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

	Maxima	Legacy
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25%	26%
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	57 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	43%
Neck Stress	124 lbs.	147 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 Nissan Maxima is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

	Maxima	Legacy
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	349 lbs.	581 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	480 lbs.	681 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are over 69 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Maxima’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 24 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 Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Subaru With 21 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Subaru.

Engine

The Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 118 more horsepower (300 vs. 182) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (261 vs. 176) than the Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 40 more horsepower (300 vs. 260) than the Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Maxima is faster than the Subaru Legacy:

	Maxima	Legacy 2.5i	Legacy Sport/XT
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	8.3 sec	6.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.2 sec	16.4 sec	14.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	100.5 MPH	86.7 MPH	94.5 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Maxima	Legacy
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.13 inches	11.8 inches

The Maxima stops shorter than the Legacy:

	Maxima	Legacy
70 to 0 MPH	168 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Maxima has larger tires than the Legacy (245/45R18 vs. 225/55R17).

The Maxima SV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Base/Premium’s standard 55 series tires. The Maxima SR/Platinum’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Maxima SV has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Legacy Base/Premium. The Maxima SR/Platinum’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring.

The Maxima has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Legacy doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Maxima offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Legacy; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Maxima 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.

The Maxima SR handles at .86 G’s, while the Legacy Touring XT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Maxima SR executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Legacy Sport (26.6 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Maxima has an electronically controlled liquid-filled main engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Legacy uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Maxima SR/Platinum 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, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Maxima offers cargo security. The Legacy’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

Servicing Ease

The Maxima 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.

Ergonomics

The Maxima Platinum’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 Maxima’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Legacy does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the front windows are left open on the Maxima the driver can close them 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. The driver of the Legacy can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Maxima’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 Maxima Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

A power rear sunshade is standard in the Maxima Platinum to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Legacy doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

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

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Maxima is less expensive to operate than the Legacy because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Maxima than the Legacy, including $43 less for a starter and $96 less for front struts.