Compare the2024 Subaru LegacyVS 2023 Chrysler 300

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Chrysler 300 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 300 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 300 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Legacy. But it costs extra on the 300.

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 300.

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 300 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Legacy and the 300 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Subaru Legacy is safer than the Chrysler 300:

	Legacy	300
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	31%
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/249 lbs.	617/568 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.9 inches
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	113 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	504/415 lbs.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Subaru Legacy is safer than the 300:

	Legacy	300
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	131	222
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	25 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.4/.7 kN	3.7/3 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.59/.48	1.21/.58
Tibia forces R/L	2.5/2.5 kN	3/4.7 kN

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 Chrysler 300:

	Legacy	300
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	50	236
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	216 lbs.	315 lbs.
Hip Force	335 lbs.	433 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches
HIC	104	302
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	681 lbs.	910 lbs.

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 Legacy, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the 300, 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 55 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 300 is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Legacy have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the 300.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chrysler 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 Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler With 14 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Chrysler.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Legacy Sport/XT 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the 300S 3.6 DOHC V6:

	Legacy	300
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	6.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	14.9 sec

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 300 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Legacy gets better mileage than the 300:

			MPG
Legacy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/35 hwy
		2.4 turbo flat-4	23 city/31 hwy
300
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/30 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	16 city/25 hwy
		6.4 OHV V8	15 city/24 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/27 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Legacy’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The 300 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Legacy uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 300C requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Legacy higher (3 to 7 out of 10) than the Chrysler 300 (1 to 5). This means the Legacy produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 300 every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Subaru Legacy as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Chrysler 300 is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Transmission

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 300 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Legacy’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the 300 are solid, not vented.

The Legacy stops shorter than the 300:

	Legacy	300
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Legacy has larger tires than the 300 (225/55R17 vs. 215/65R17).

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 300 Touring’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Legacy Sport handles at .84 G’s, while the 300 pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the 300’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

Chassis

The Subaru Legacy may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 600 pounds less than the Chrysler 300.

The Legacy is 7.5 inches shorter than the 300, making the Legacy easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Legacy 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The 300 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Legacy Sport is quieter than the 300S:

	Legacy	300
Full-Throttle	76 dB	80 dB
70 MPH Cruising	68 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

The Legacy has .8 inches more front headroom and 1 inch more front legroom than the 300.

Cargo Capacity

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 300’s liftover is 30.1 inches.

Ergonomics

The Legacy’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The 300’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Legacy Limited/Sport/Touring’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 300’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or 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 300 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its SiriusXM Guardian can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Legacy’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The 300’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Legacy’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the 300’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen. The Legacy’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the 300’s optional xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

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 300’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the 300 because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the 300, including $1545 less for a muffler, $44 less for front brake pads, $5 less for fuel injection, $1 less for a fuel pump, $549 less for front struts, $129 less for a timing belt/chain and $753 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Legacy and the Chrysler 300, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Legacy outsold the Chrysler 300 by 60% during 2022.

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