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Hyundai Sonata vs Subaru Legacy: reliability compared

From 2006 to 2025, owners filed an average of 717 complaints per model year about the Hyundai Sonata and 83 about the Subaru Legacy.

Side by side

Hyundai SonataSubaru Legacy
Model years compared2006-20252006-2025
Owner complaints14,3451,664
Complaints per model year71783
Recalls4850
Years to avoid20062011201220132015201720112015
Best years201020182020200720212022
Most common problemEngineElectrical
Crash ratingNo dataNo data
Fuel economy27-32 mpg combined (2025)26-30 mpg combined (2025)

A car that sells more collects more complaints, so the fairest test is the number of years to avoid, which compares each year with a typical year of the same car.

Complaints per model year

2006 Hyundai Sonata: 1,0472006 Subaru Legacy: 8720062007 Hyundai Sonata: 6962007 Subaru Legacy: 332008 Hyundai Sonata: 4252008 Subaru Legacy: 6520082009 Hyundai Sonata: 4602009 Subaru Legacy: 652010 Hyundai Sonata: 3452010 Subaru Legacy: 15120102011 Hyundai Sonata: 3,3802011 Subaru Legacy: 1672012 Hyundai Sonata: 1,5592012 Subaru Legacy: 9020122013 Hyundai Sonata: 1,9212013 Subaru Legacy: 662014 Hyundai Sonata: 7502014 Subaru Legacy: 5320142015 Hyundai Sonata: 1,1572015 Subaru Legacy: 1602016 Hyundai Sonata: 7302016 Subaru Legacy: 14720162017 Hyundai Sonata: 7692017 Subaru Legacy: 1192018 Hyundai Sonata: 3752018 Subaru Legacy: 11820182019 Hyundai Sonata: 1622019 Subaru Legacy: 1232020 Hyundai Sonata: 1832020 Subaru Legacy: 12120202021 Hyundai Sonata: 1352021 Subaru Legacy: 322022 Hyundai Sonata: 982022 Subaru Legacy: 3420222023 Hyundai Sonata: 882023 Subaru Legacy: 102024 Hyundai Sonata: 482024 Subaru Legacy: 1720242025 Hyundai Sonata: 172025 Subaru Legacy: 6
Hyundai SonataSubaru Legacy

Problems compared

SonataLegacy
Engine4,914218
Steering2,28281
Electrical1,823309
Airbags1,697210
Brakes1,109121
Fuel system99673
Visibility600300
Transmission924211

Questions about the Hyundai Sonata vs Subaru Legacy

Which is more reliable, the Hyundai Sonata or the Subaru Legacy?

Between 2006 and 2025, the Hyundai Sonata has 6 years to avoid and the Subaru Legacy 2. The Subaru Legacy has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Subaru Legacy drew fewer complaints per model year (83 vs 717), though sales volume affects that number.

Which has more recalls, the Hyundai Sonata or the Subaru Legacy?

From 2006 to 2025, the Hyundai Sonata was covered by 48 recalls and the Subaru Legacy by 50.

What years of the Hyundai Sonata and Subaru Legacy should you avoid?

Hyundai Sonata: 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017. Subaru Legacy: 2011 and 2015.

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