Compare the2025 Subaru LegacyVS 2024 Audi A4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 A4 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 A4 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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 A4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Legacy and the A4 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, all wheel drive, 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.

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 Audi A4:

	Legacy	A4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	164
Neck Injury Risk	26%	26%
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/249 lbs.	431/395 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	1 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	324/341 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 Audi A4:

	Legacy	A4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	172
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	216 lbs.	219 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	220	277
Hip Force	581 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	104	333
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	47 G’s

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

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Legacy 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Legacy has a standard 620-amp battery. The A4’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi 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 Audi With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 13 places higher in reliability than Audi.

Engine

The Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 59 more horsepower (260 vs. 201) and 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 236) than the A4 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

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 A4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Legacy gets better mileage than the A4:

			MPG
Legacy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/35 hwy
A4
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/35 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy

The Legacy has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the A4 (18.5 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Subaru Legacy as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Audi A4 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 A4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Legacy stops shorter than the A4:

	Legacy	A4
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is .3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the A4.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the A4’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

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 A4 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Legacy a Large car, while the A4 is rated a Compact.

The Legacy has 13.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 (105.5 vs. 92).

The Legacy has 2.1 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 3.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4.

Cargo Capacity

The Legacy has a much larger trunk than the A4 (15.1 vs. 12 cubic feet).

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 A4 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Legacy’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the A4’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The A4’s 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Legacy owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Legacy will cost $2935 to $8880 less than the A4 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the A4 because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the A4, including $355 less for a water pump, $423 less for a muffler, $60 less for front brake pads, $398 less for a starter, $147 less for fuel injection, $171 less for a fuel pump, $491 less for front struts, $104 less for a timing belt/chain and $105 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Legacy will be $19933 to $20363 less than for the Audi A4.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Legacy and the Audi A4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Legacy outsold the Audi A4/S4 by 88% during 2023.