Compare the2025 Toyota CrownVS 2025 Subaru Legacy

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Crown 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 Crown 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 Crown (except XLE/Nightshade) 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.

The Crown has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Legacy’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Crown has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake on the Limited/Platinum/Nightshade automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Legacy and its not available on the Base and the Legacy’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Crown 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

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 Crown is safer than the Legacy:

	Crown	Legacy
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.14 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	220	269
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	1.02 in	1.34 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	402 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1227 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Toyota Crown achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Legacy last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Crown for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Legacy.

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

Reliability

The battery on the Crown is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Crown’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Legacy’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 6th.

Engine

The Crown’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 54 more horsepower (236 vs. 182) than the Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Crown Platinum’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 80 more horsepower (340 vs. 260) and 123 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 277) than the Legacy Sport/XT’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Crown 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Crown	Legacy
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	8.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	5.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	86 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Crown
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/41 hwy
		2.4 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	29 city/32 hwy
Legacy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/35 hwy
		2.4 turbo flat-4	23 city/31 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Crown’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Legacy doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Crown	Legacy
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	11.8 inches

The Crown stops shorter than the Legacy:

	Crown	Legacy
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Crown’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crown has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Legacy Base/Premium. The Crown’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Legacy Sport/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The Crown offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Legacy’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Crown’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the Legacy (112.2 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

The Crown Platinum handles at .83 G’s, while the Legacy Sport pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Crown Platinum executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Legacy Sport (27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Crown Platinum’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Legacy’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

Chassis

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

	Crown	Legacy
At idle	38 dB	40 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	68 dB

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Crown offers cargo security. The Legacy’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Crown Platinum’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Legacy doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Ergonomics

The Crown’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Legacy doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Crown and the Legacy have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Crown is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Legacy prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Crown’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 Legacy’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Crown the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Legacy can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Crown’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Entry and Start is an extra cost option on the Legacy and doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door. Keyless Entry and Start is not available on the Legacy Base.

The Crown’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Legacy’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Crown Limited/Platinum/Nightshade’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

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

The Crown’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

The Crown has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Legacy.

The Crown has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

Both the Crown and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Crown has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Legacy doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Toyota Crown has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Subaru charges extra for Homelink® on the Legacy.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Crown has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Legacy and isn’t available on the Legacy Base.

The Crown Platinum’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Legacy doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

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