The Verdict
Worst problem area
Visibility & Lighting
Visibility & Lighting leads by volume: 67 of 121 complaints (55%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 123 in 2019 to 121 in 2020.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 121
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $2,100–$2,300
- Combined MPG
- 27–30
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 Large Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,150–2,700 | 2,150–2,700 | 2,100–2,300 | 2,100–2,300 | 2,100–2,300 | |
| Combined MPG | 23–29 | 23–29 | 27–30 | 27–30 | 27–30 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 20–25 / 28–34 | 20–25 / 28–34 | 24–27 / 32–35 | 24–27 / 32–35 | 24–27 / 32–35 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 311–387 | 311–387 | 295–330 | 295–330 | 295–330 | |
| Complaints filed | 117 | 123 | 121 | 32 | 34 | |
| Recalls issued | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2020 Subaru Legacy have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Subaru Legacy?
Visibility & Lighting: 67 of 121 NHTSA complaints (55%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Subaru Legacy get?
EPA rates it 27–30 MPG combined across 2 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Subaru Legacy?
EPA estimates $2,100–$2,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (2)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AV-S8) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars | 27 mpg (high) | 35 mpg (high) | 30 mpg (high) | $2,100 (low) | 295 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (AV-S8) | 4 | 2.4L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Large Cars | 24 mpg (low) | 32 mpg (low) | 27 mpg (low) | $2,300 (high) | 330 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
- Consequence
- An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM); POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
- Consequence
- An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM); POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
- Consequence
- An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- Consequence
- Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Consequence
- The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.
- Consequence
- A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.