Subaru Legacy vs Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

It’s something we’ve said almost exhaustively on this site: Crossovers are king, and the age of sedans owning the road has waned. But you can’t fault us for reporting what’s happening out there, and if you bought your first car more than a decade ago, this may still be news to you. Their combination of cargo space, passenger space, and added ride height—with a seemingly minimal penalty when it comes to fuel economy—contributed largely to the proliferation of SUVs over the past 10 years.

But what of the humble sedan? And what is an automaker to do when one of its best-selling segments becomes passé?

If that automaker is Subaru, the play is to lean into the niche. For the 4-door, 5-passenger Legacy, that means a focus on practicality, efficiency, and safety. The Legacy has long been a pragmatic choice thanks to its standard all-wheel-drive (AWD), fuel-efficient engines, and easy-to-use interiors.

The 2020 Legacy can still boast AWD and strong mileage, but Subaru has made some major changes inside its midsize sedan in an attempt to go more mainstream and grab a larger slice of the shriveling sedan market. Some of the technology Subaru added has been great, but one major change to the dash of the new Legacy makes us ask what Subaru is thinking.

When the original Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid debuted in 2014, it was by no means early to the hybrid game. But most hybrids were sedans, and few automakers had attempted a hybrid crossover. As Subaru’s first-ever production hybrid, sold from 2014 to 2016, it signaled Subaru's interest in the green-car market.

After a nearly three-year hiatus, the Crosstrek hybrid is back, now as a plug-in hybrid. However, it has some stiff competition. The compact crossover segment has exploded, and brought us some unique green cars for eco-friendly shoppers on a budget. You could get the RAV4 Hybrid back in 2015, but now there’s also the Kia Niro, Hyundai Ioniq, and Prius Prime (which was introduced in 2016) all offering plug-in capability and some modest utility. The new Crosstrek Hybrid has the latest infotainment and driver-assistance features, but will that be enough to ensure its relevance in this affordable green-car landscape?