2020 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2020 Subaru Legacy

The 2020 Subaru Legacy presented a conundrum with its styling. It was a handsome car, but it struggled to stand out among competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Legacy had plenty of sharp angles and details, but these elements made it feel smaller, almost compact, like the Subaru Impreza. The front-end design was pragmatic, aligning with Subaru's attempt to go mainstream, but it lacked the boldness to make a significant impression. Inside, the Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen, but many features were buried within the digital interface, complicating simple controls like climate and radio. The base trim was well-equipped, but the Premium trim, which we drove, offered additional features like 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a power moonroof. Higher trims added more luxury and performance features, culminating in the Touring XT with a turbocharged engine and Nappa leather upholstery.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, on the other hand, maintained a consistent look with the rest of the Accord lineup, with only subtle "Hybrid" badges and aerodynamic 17-inch aluminum wheels distinguishing it. This approach was smart, avoiding the odd design cues that often plague hybrid versions of mainstream vehicles. The Accord Hybrid was available in four trims: Hybrid, Hybrid EX, Hybrid EX-L, and Hybrid Touring. Prices started at $25,620, with the Hybrid EX recommended for its balance of features and price. The interior featured leather seats, simulated matte-finish wood trim, and a spacious backseat with exceptional thigh support and rear air-conditioning vents. The trunk was also generous, with 16.7 cubic feet of space, enough to fit four full-size suitcases and more.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options. The base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims came with a 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Legacy was quick off the line, making it suitable for city driving, but it struggled to reach highway speeds without significant noise. For those needing more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. This engine also used a CVT with a manual mode and paddle shifters. The Legacy's chassis was impressive, offering precise cornering and refined ride quality. Fuel economy for the base engine was 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined, while the turbocharged engine achieved 24 city, 32 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid excelled in fuel efficiency, with an EPA estimate of 48 mpg in combined driving. During testing, it achieved 42.6 mpg in default Economy mode and 44.1 mpg in city and suburban driving. The Accord Hybrid's powertrain combined a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a two-motor hybrid system, producing 212 combined horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. Despite a 200-pound weight penalty, the Accord Hybrid was quick, especially in Sport mode, which made it more responsive. The electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) could be noisy under hard acceleration, but the fuel economy made it a worthwhile trade-off. The Accord Hybrid's handling was predictable and flat-cornering, though it could lose composure on undulating pavement.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy offered solid trunk space for a sedan at 15.1 cubic feet, though it couldn't compete with crossovers. The backseat was surprisingly spacious, with ample head- and legroom even for taller passengers. The front seats were supportive, and the cabin featured deep door pockets and a fold-down center armrest with cupholders. However, the center stack's tray was small, making it difficult to plug in USB cables.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid did not compromise on passenger space or trunk room. It featured a massive backseat with exceptional thigh support, rear air-conditioning vents, and available USB charging ports. The front seats were comfortable, though the lack of height adjustment for the front passenger seat could be an issue for some. The trunk was generous at 16.7 cubic feet, capable of holding four full-size suitcases and more. The Accord Hybrid also offered a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback for added utility.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy featured a massive 11.6-inch touchscreen with the Starlink infotainment system. While the icons were large and easy to read, the system buried many features within menus, complicating simple tasks like adjusting the heated seats or climate controls. The portrait orientation of the screen also scrunched Apple CarPlay into a third of the display. The base trim had a dual-screen setup with similar issues, making it difficult to avoid the system's drawbacks.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, starting with EX trim, offered a robust Display Audio infotainment system. It featured large power and volume knobs, shortcut buttons, and a flush-mounted display with clear graphics. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, and quick-charge USB ports. Higher trims added a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a WiFi hotspot. HondaLink services included in-car delivery of Amazon packages, a Find My Car function, and remote locking and unlocking. The Touring trim also featured a head-up display (HUD) visible with polarized sunglasses.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy came standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. EyeSight also featured an alert for when the car in front started moving, helping to avoid traffic backups. Other standard safety features included front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid included Honda Sensing, a collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. The system was smoother and more refined than previous iterations. All Accord Hybrids also had automatic high-beam headlights, a multi-angle reversing camera, and SmartVent front side airbags. EX trim and higher added a blind-spot-warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Accord received top safety ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA.