Are Subarus Reliable?

Short answer: above average. Subarus are above average for reliability today, with standard all-wheel drive and top safety scores — but the brand’s record is era-dependent. Older EJ-series engines (through roughly 2011) were notorious for head-gasket failures, the 2011–2015 FB engines drew an oil-consumption class action, and early CVTs (2010–2015) earned an extended warranty. From roughly 2016 on, the record cleans up substantially, and the Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek are dependable high-mileage cars.

Updated 2026-07-02 · NHTSA federal records + industry dependability studies

What the federal record shows for Subaru

NHTSA's database holds 49,113 technical service bulletin records across 23 Subaru models, model years 2005–2026. TSBs are the factory's own documentation of known issues and their fixes. The most-documented models by volume: OUTBACK (7,127), LEGACY (7,022), FORESTER (6,685), IMPREZA (6,462), WRX (4,619).

Read TSB volume carefully: manufacturers differ enormously in how granularly they file bulletins, so the count reflects documentation practice as much as problem rate. It is not a reliability ranking on its own — use it to see which models have the deepest known-issue paper trail to check against a specific VIN.

What Subaru gets right

  • Symmetrical AWD system is robust and shared across the lineup
  • Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek routinely appear in longest-kept-car data
  • Simple naturally-aspirated engines in most volume models

The real Subaru problem areas

Head gaskets (EJ engines, through ~2011)

The classic Subaru failure: external coolant/oil leaks on 2.5L EJ engines, typically at 100–150k miles. Fixed by design in the FA/FB engine generations.

Oil consumption (FB engines, 2011–2015)

Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek engines from these years burned oil at rates that produced a class-action settlement and revised piston rings.

Early Lineartronic CVT (2010–2015)

Shudder, hesitation, and failures led Subaru to extend CVT warranties to 10 years/100k on affected models. Later CVTs have a much better record.

Which Subaru models are most reliable?

Strong records

  • • Outback and Forester (2017+)
  • • Crosstrek (2018+, one of the segment’s best records)

Research before buying

  • • 2011–2015 FB-engine cars (oil consumption — check consumption-test history)
  • • 2019 Ascent first-year (transmission replacements)
  • • Pre-2012 EJ-engine cars (head gaskets)

How do I check a specific Subaru before buying?

Brand averages don't buy cars — VINs do. A generation-level problem (like the ones above) either applies to the specific vehicle in front of you or it doesn't, and the federal record answers that by VIN: open recalls and whether they were completed, owner complaints filed for that exact model year, and the service bulletins the factory issued for it.

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FAQ

Are Subarus reliable?

Subarus are above average for reliability today, with standard all-wheel drive and top safety scores — but the brand’s record is era-dependent. Older EJ-series engines (through roughly 2011) were notorious for head-gasket failures, the 2011–2015 FB engines drew an oil-consumption class action, and early CVTs (2010–2015) earned an extended warranty. From roughly 2016 on, the record cleans up substantially, and the Outback, Forester, and Crosstrek are dependable high-mileage cars.

Are Subarus expensive to maintain?

Costs are moderate; boxer-engine access makes some jobs pricier (spark plugs, head gaskets), and AWD requires matched tires.

How long do Subarus last?

200,000+ miles is common on post-2016 models; many older EJ cars got there too — after a head-gasket job.

Which Subaru models are most reliable?

The strongest reliability records in the Subaru lineup belong to: Outback and Forester (2017+); Crosstrek (2018+, one of the segment’s best records). The models worth extra research before buying: 2011–2015 FB-engine cars (oil consumption — check consumption-test history); 2019 Ascent first-year (transmission replacements); Pre-2012 EJ-engine cars (head gaskets).

How do I check a specific used Subaru before buying?

Run the VIN. Every Subaru VIN carries a federal paper trail: open recalls, owner complaints filed with NHTSA, and technical service bulletins for its exact model year. CarWhere's $9.99 Full VIN Report packages all three with a market price check — it shows whether the specific truck or car you're looking at has the known problems for its generation, and whether the recall work was done.

Reliability by brand

Sources checked

Retrieved 2026-07-02.

Assessments combine NHTSA federal records (recalls, complaints, technical service bulletins) with published industry dependability studies and documented class-action/warranty-extension history. Problem areas describe generation-level patterns, not guarantees about any individual vehicle. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Are Subarus Reliable?," carwhere.com/reliability/subaru, updated 2026-07-02. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere.