Compare the2024 Subaru LegacyVS 2023 Cadillac CT4

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 Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Legacy are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Legacy. But it costs extra on the CT4.

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 CT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Legacy and the CT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 55 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CT4 has not been tested, yet.

There are over 12 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

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 Legacy’s reliability 20 points higher than the CT4.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 10 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (260 vs. 237) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 258) than the CT4’s standard 2.0 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 CT4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Legacy gets better mileage than the CT4:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Legacy uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CT4 with the 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Legacy has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the CT4 (18.5 vs. 17 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Legacy has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks The fuel filler door is not lockable on the CT4. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 CT4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Legacy’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the CT4:

The Legacy has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CT4; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the CT4 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the CT4.

The Legacy Limited handles at .85 G’s, while the CT4 Premium Luxury AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the CT4’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Legacy’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the CT4 AWD’s (36.8 feet vs. 38 feet).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Legacy a Large car, while the CT4 is rated a Compact.

The Legacy has 15.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CT4 (105.5 vs. 90).

The Legacy has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 6.1 inches more rear legroom, 2.3 inches more rear hip room and 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4.

The front step up height for the Legacy is 3 inches lower than the CT4 (13.5” vs. 16.5”). The Legacy’s rear step up height is 3 inches lower than the CT4’s (14” vs. 17”).

The Legacy has a much larger trunk than the CT4 (15.1 vs. 10.7 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 CT4’s liftover is 30 inches.

The Legacy Limited/Sport/Touring’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The CT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 CT4 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Legacy’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Both the Legacy and the CT4 offer available heated front seats. The Legacy Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CT4.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Legacy, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac CT4 isn't recommended.

The Subaru Legacy outsold the Cadillac CT4 by over two to one during 2022.