Are Subarus Reliable? Subaru Reliability by Model
Subaru reliability varies significantly by model year. Among the 4 Subaru models analyzed, the WRX has the fewest flagged years at 1, while the Forester has the most at 7. The sharpest single-year spike belongs to the Forester, whose worst year logged up to 4.6× its own median complaint rate. Because complaint totals are not adjusted for vehicle sales, this analysis identifies strong and weak years within each model — it does not rank Subaru models against one another.
Analysis by CarWhere Research · Updated August 28, 2026 · Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years · Download the dataset (CSV)
8,511 NHTSA complaints
model years flagged on federal data
every model carries at least one
Subaru problem areas by service-bulletin volume
The vehicle systems drawing the most federal service-bulletin (TSB) filings across the 4 Subaru models we analyze — a volume signal of where the manufacturer issues the most fix guidance. These are TSB counts by NHTSA component category, not owner-complaint counts.
Subaru reliability by model
| Model | Complaints | Years to avoid | Best years | Worst year vs. its avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Forester | 5,201 | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 | 2008 | 4.6× |
| Subaru Impreza | 1,788 | 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 | — | 2.7× |
| Subaru WRX | 413 | 2008 | 2020 | 1.8× |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 1,109 | 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024 | 2013 and 2022 | 3.8× |
Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA owner complaints), not adjusted for sales volume. A model year is flagged when its severity-weighted complaint rate is among the highest within that model's own history — never a comparison against other brands. Follow any model for its full year-by-year verdict. Full methodology.
Where Subaru owners report the most trouble
Subaru Forester: 7 model years flagged to avoid (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) — the worst logged up to 4.6× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
Subaru Crosstrek: 4 model years flagged to avoid (2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024) — the worst logged up to 3.8× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
Subaru Impreza: 6 model years flagged to avoid (2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019) — the worst logged up to 2.7× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
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FAQ
Are Subarus reliable?
Subaru reliability varies sharply by model year, not by badge. Among the 4 most-documented Subaru models, 4 carry at least one model year we flag to avoid on NHTSA complaint and recall data — the WRX has the fewest flagged years (1) and the Forester the most (7). These are raw federal complaint counts, not adjusted for how many vehicles Subaru sold, so they can't be read as a single cross-brand reliability score — use the per-model, per-year verdicts below.
Which Subaru model years should I avoid?
The Subaru models carrying the most flagged years are the Forester (7 flagged years: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020); the Impreza (6 flagged years: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019); the Crosstrek (4 flagged years: 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024). A flag means that model year's severity-weighted complaint rate is among the highest within that model's own history — it is not a comparison against other models or brands. See each model's page for the full year-by-year verdict.
Which Subaru models have the fewest flagged years?
Among Subaru models with enough federal complaint history to rate, the WRX carries the fewest flagged years (1). That is not a cross-model reliability ranking — complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — and a thin record is never counted as a clean one: model years with too little data rate "insufficient" instead.
How do I check a specific Subaru before buying?
Start with the free Subaru window sticker lookup at carwhere.com/window-sticker/subaru to confirm the exact trim and factory options, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year plus a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — the public NHTSA owner-complaints data and safety recall campaigns — across the 4 most-documented Subaru models and every model year on record for each. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered, so they cannot be read as a single cross-brand reliability ranking; each model year's verdict compares it only against the rest of that model's own history. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Suggested citation
CarWhere Research. "Subaru Reliability by Model & Year: NHTSA Complaint and Recall Analysis." Based on 8,511 NHTSA owner complaints across 4 Subaru models, model years 2008–2025. Updated August 28, 2026. https://www.carwhere.com/research/reliability/subaru
This dataset is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with attribution to CarWhere Research and a link to this page.
Download the dataset (CSV) — per-model complaint totals, flagged years and verdict counts for every brand we cover (version 2026-08-28).