Compare the2025 Subaru LegacyVS 2024 BMW 3 Series Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
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 BMW 3 Series Sedan 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 BMW 3 Series Sedan 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 3 Series Sedan.

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 3 Series Sedan.

Both the Legacy and the 3 Series Sedan 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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 BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Legacy	3 Series Sedan
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars

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 BMW 3 Series Sedan:

	Legacy	3 Series Sedan
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	107
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.8 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	220	305
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	104	270
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 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 BMW covers the 3 Series Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 3 Series Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 83 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Legacy’s warranty.

Reliability

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 BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 3 places higher in reliability than BMW.

Engine

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 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Legacy gets better mileage than the 3 Series Sedan running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Legacy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/35 hwy
3 Series Sedan
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/32 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Legacy uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on Legacy Sport/XT for maximum performance). The 3 Series Sedan requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Legacy has 7.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan 330e’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Legacy has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the 3 Series Sedan’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 15.6 gallons).

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 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a CVT.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Legacy is 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 3 Series Sedan.

For better maneuverability, the Legacy’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the 3 Series Sedan’s (36.8 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Legacy Sport is quieter than the 330i (73 vs. 74 dB).

Passenger Space

The Legacy has .7 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the 3 Series Sedan.

The front step up height for the Legacy is 3 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan (13.5” vs. 16.5”). The Legacy’s rear step up height is 2.3 inches lower than the 3 Series Sedan’s (14” vs. 16.3”).

Cargo Capacity

The Legacy has a much larger trunk than the 3 Series Sedan (15.1 vs. 13 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 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Legacy Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 3 Series Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Legacy owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Legacy will cost $1795 to $9250 less than the 3 Series Sedan over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Legacy is less expensive to operate than the 3 Series Sedan because typical repairs cost much less on the Legacy than the 3 Series Sedan, including $400 less for a water pump, $659 less for a muffler, $89 less for front brake pads, $187 less for a starter, $283 less for fuel injection, $258 less for front struts, $596 less for a timing belt/chain and $430 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 $18952 to $28577 less than for the BMW 3 Series Sedan.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Legacy and the BMW 3 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.