Hyundai Venue vs Subaru Legacy: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Venue burns about $1,900 of fuel annually against $2,050 for the Subaru Legacy. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Hyundai Venue is the stronger commuter at 30 mpg city, while the Subaru Legacy pulls ahead on the interstate at 35 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Venue is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (1.6), the Subaru Legacy with 3 (SIDI, 2.5, 3.6). Across 9 recorded Hyundai Venue configurations and 16 for the Subaru Legacy, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Hyundai Venue is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Subaru Legacy with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Midsize Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Hyundai Venue emits 284 g/mile of CO2 versus 295 g/mile for the Subaru Legacy. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.