Compare the2023 Acura TLXVS 2023 Subaru Legacy

The Acura TLX 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 TLX Advance has a standard Surround View Camera System 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.

Both the TLX 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, 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 Acura TLX 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura TLX is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the TLX is 1.1% less likely to roll over than the Legacy.

The TLX 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.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the TLX 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.

Acura pays for scheduled maintenance on the TLX for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Acura will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Legacy.

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

The TLX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 90 more horsepower (272 vs. 182) and 104 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 176) than the Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The TLX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (272 vs. 260) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 277) than the Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The TLX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 95 more horsepower (355 vs. 260) and 77 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 277) than the Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl. 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 TLX Type S’ fuel efficiency. The Legacy doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The TLX 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.

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

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

The TLX stops much shorter than the Legacy:

For better traction, the TLX has larger standard tires than the Legacy (235/50R18 vs. 225/55R17). The TLX Type S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Legacy (255/35R20 vs. 225/55R17).

The TLX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Base/Premium’s standard 55 series tires. The TLX Type S’ tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the TLX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Legacy Base/Premium. The TLX Type S’ 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring.

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the TLX is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Legacy.

The TLX Type S handles at .97 G’s, while the Legacy Touring XT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The TLX Type S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.3 seconds quicker than the Legacy Sport (25 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The TLX 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.

The TLX has .3 inches more front hip room and .1 inches more front shoulder room than the Legacy.

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

The TLX 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 Acura service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 19% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

The TLX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Legacy doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The TLX Advance has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, 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 TLX’s 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 TLX 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. The driver of the Legacy can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The TLX’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 TLX Advance/Type S’ standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Consumer Reports rated the TLX’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Legacy’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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