Compare the2023 Subaru LegacyVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
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 Volkswagen Jetta 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 Jetta 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 Jetta doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Jetta doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The Legacy’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Jetta.

The Legacy’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Jetta doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Legacy and the Jetta 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Subaru Legacy weighs 502 to 872 pounds more than the Volkswagen Jetta. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 Volkswagen Jetta:

	Legacy	Jetta
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	247
Neck Injury Risk	26%	31.7%
Neck Stress	281 lbs.	354 lbs.
Neck Compression	57 lbs.	58 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	241	315
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	147 lbs.	152 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	141 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	308/63 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 Volkswagen Jetta:

	Legacy	Jetta
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	101
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	220	306
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	104	239

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Legacy is safer than the Jetta:

	Legacy	Jetta
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	71	226
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.42 in	1.85 in
Torso Deflection Rate	10 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	269	274
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.34 in	1.97 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Legacy, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 3% less likely to roll over than the Jetta, which received a four-star rating.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Legacy the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Legacy 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Jetta. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Jetta ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Legacy’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Jetta’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Legacy’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Jetta’s camshafts. If the Jetta’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Legacy has a 620-amp battery. The Jetta only offers a standard 480-amp battery.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. With 39 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 16 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 24 more horsepower (182 vs. 158) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 102 more horsepower (260 vs. 158) and 93 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 184) than the Jetta’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 Jetta doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

Regardless of its engine, the Legacy’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Volkswagen only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Jetta Automatic.

The Legacy has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (18.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Subaru Legacy comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Jetta.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Legacy	Jetta
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	10.7 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 Jetta are solid, not vented.

The Legacy stops much shorter than the Jetta:

	Legacy	Jetta
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Legacy has larger tires than the Jetta (225/55R17 vs. 205/60R16).

The Legacy Base/Premium’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Jetta S’ standard 60 series tires. The Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Jetta Sport/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Legacy Base/Premium has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Jetta S. The Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Jetta Sport/SE/SEL.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Legacy has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Volkswagen Jetta has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Legacy has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Legacy flat and controlled during cornering. The Jetta’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Legacy’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Jetta (108.3 inches vs. 105.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than on the Jetta.

The Legacy Limited handles at .85 G’s, while the Jetta SEL pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

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

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Legacy a Large car, while the Jetta is rated a Compact.

The Legacy has 10.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Jetta (105.5 vs. 94.7).

The Legacy has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta.

The front step up height for the Legacy is 2.3 inches lower than the Jetta (13.5” vs. 15.8”). The Legacy’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the Jetta’s (14” vs. 16”).

Cargo Capacity

The Legacy has a larger trunk than the Jetta (15.1 vs. 14.1 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 Jetta’s liftover is 28.7 inches.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Legacy’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Jetta’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Legacy. The Jetta 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 Jetta. 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 Jetta doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Car-Net 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 Jetta’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

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 Jetta’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Jetta offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Legacy and the Jetta 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 Jetta doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Legacy owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Legacy with a number “1” insurance rate while the Jetta is rated higher at a number “3” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the Jetta because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the Jetta, including $325 less for a water pump, $479 less for a muffler, $248 less for a starter, $222 less for fuel injection, $124 less for a fuel pump, $80 less for front struts and $249 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

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