Subaru WRX: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Subaru WRX: 11 model years scored from 289 NHTSA owner complaints and 15 recall campaigns. Worst year 2017, best year 2016.
Subaru WRX: which years to avoid
Across 11 scored model years the Subaru WRX ranges from 81/100 in 2017 to 91/100 in 2020 — a 10-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (14 of them).
Safest years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2016 (score 89). Worst: 2017 (score 81, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91 | BUY | $4,368 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 84 | BUY | $4,494 | 13 | 0 |
| 2023 | 90 | BUY | $4,660 | 8 | 1 |
| 2022 | 82 | BUY | $4,868 | 25 | 1 |
| 2021 | 91 | BUY | $4,939 | 13 | 1 |
| 2020 | 91 | BUY | $5,084 | 17 | 1 |
| 2019 | 84 | BUY | $5,251 | 30 | 2 |
| 2018 | 81 | BUY | $5,310 | 42 | 2 |
| 2017 | 81 | BUY | $5,462 | 53 | 1 |
| 2016 | 89 | BUY | $5,454 | 34 | 3 |
| 2015 | 82 | BUY | $5,619 | 52 | 3 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the WRX, through the years →
WRX sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the WRX on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Subaru WRX
Across every WRX model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine87 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System65 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Power Train55 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other43 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Steering15 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Fuel/Propulsion System15 complaints across all WRX years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Subaru WRX years to buy?
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 91/100, on 17 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Subaru WRX years should I avoid?
The 2017 is the weakest year we score, at 81/100 (BUY), on 53 complaints and 1 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Subaru WRX problem?
87 of the complaints filed against the WRX across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04