Compare the2025 Toyota CamryVS 2025 Subaru Legacy

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

Safety

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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 Panoramic View Monitor 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 Camry 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Legacy’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Camry has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and optional Rear Cross-Traffic Braking on the XLE/XSE 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 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 and rearview cameras.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Camry is much safer than the Legacy:

	Camry	Legacy
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	POOR

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	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.02 in	1.14 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	669 lbs.	1026 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	112 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.91 in	1.34 in
Shoulder Force	312 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.14 in	1.18 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	915 lbs.	1227 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Toyota Camry has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Legacy was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Camry 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 Camry’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Camry is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Camry’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 rated the Camry first among midsize cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Legacy isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Camry’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 43 more horsepower (225 vs. 182) than the Legacy 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Camry (base engine) is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Camry	Legacy
Zero to 60 MPH	7 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	86.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Camry
	FWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/50 hwy
		SE/XLE/XSE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	48 city/47 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/49 hwy
		SE/XLE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/46 hwy
		XSE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/44 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 Camry’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Legacy doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Camry uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Legacy Sport/XT requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

The Camry stops much shorter than the Legacy:

	Camry	Legacy
70 to 0 MPH	182 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Camry SE/XLE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Legacy (235/45R18 vs. 225/55R17).

The Camry XSE’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 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 Camry XSE has standard 19-inch wheels. The Legacy’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Camry’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Legacy (111.2 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

The Camry SE handles at .85 G’s, while the Legacy Touring XT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Camry SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Legacy Sport (27 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Camry XSE AWD is quieter than the Legacy Sport (73 vs. 76 dB).

Ergonomics

The Camry XLE’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 Camry and the Legacy have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Camry 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 Camry’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 Camry 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 Camry has a standard Push Button Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Entry and Start costs extra on the Legacy and isn’t available on the Legacy Base.

The Camry’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 Camry XLE’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Camry’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.

Both the Camry and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Camry 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Camry 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.

Model Availability

The Camry is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Legacy doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The Toyota Camry outsold the Subaru Legacy by over 11 to one during 2023.

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