The Toyota Camry 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 Camry has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Legacy doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.
The Camry XLE/XSE offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera 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 Camry and Legacy offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Camry XLE/XSE has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Legacy’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.
Compared to metal, the Camry’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 Camry 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 and available blind spot warning systems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Camry is safer than the Subaru Legacy:
|
Camry |
Legacy |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
140 |
158 |
Neck Injury Risk |
20% |
26% |
Neck Stress |
262 lbs. |
281 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
13 lbs. |
57 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
21% |
43% |
Neck Stress |
136 lbs. |
147 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
45 lbs. |
51 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 Toyota Camry is safer than the Subaru Legacy:
|
Camry |
Legacy |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Movement |
.7 inches |
.7 inches |
Abdominal Force |
136 lbs. |
216 lbs. |
Hip Force |
296 lbs. |
335 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Spine Acceleration |
48 G’s |
62 G’s |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
14 inches |
14 inches |
Spine Acceleration |
35 G’s |
38 G’s |
Hip Force |
622 lbs. |
681 lbs. |
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 Toyota Camry is safer than the Legacy:
|
Camry |
Legacy |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Compression |
67 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.1 in |
1.14 in |
Shoulder Force |
290 lbs. |
379 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.18 in |
1.42 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
9 MPH |
10 MPH |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
937 lbs. |
1026 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
185 |
269 |
Neck Tension |
45 lbs. |
67 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
112 lbs. |
178 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Deflection |
.79 in |
1.34 in |
Shoulder Force |
201 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.06 in |
1.18 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
7 MPH |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Pelvis Force |
1049 lbs. |
1227 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Camry its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Legacy is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.