In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Sonata achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Subaru Legacy has not been tested.
The Sonata 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 Sonata has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist 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.
Compared to metal, the Sonata’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Legacy has a metal gas tank.
Both the Sonata 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, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Subaru Legacy:
|
Sonata |
Legacy |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.5 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
33% |
43% |
Neck Stress |
98 lbs. |
147 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
29/21 lbs. |
161/137 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
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 Sonata is much safer than the Legacy:
|
Sonata |
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 |
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Subaru Legacy:
|
Sonata |
Legacy |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Spine Acceleration |
60 G’s |
62 G’s |
Hip Force |
223 lbs. |
581 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Spine Acceleration |
38 G’s |
38 G’s |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
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 Hyundai Sonata is safer than the Legacy:
|
Sonata |
Legacy |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Compression |
-89 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
669 lbs. |
1026 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
95 |
269 |
Neck Compression |
-156 lbs. |
178 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Deflection |
.98 in |
1.34 in |
Shoulder Force |
312 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.02 in |
1.18 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
7 MPH |
7 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Pelvis Force |
469 lbs. |
1227 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Hyundai Sonata (Built after November 2024) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 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 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.