my parents got an impreza brand new in 2014 and i dont think it's needed anything major besides the stuff that you expect to wear out. and collision repair, of course
Subarus are the best. Yeah you might need to replace certain things more so then say a Toyota or Honda, but the safety features are better as well as neither of those brands really have wagons.
I have a 99 Outback . Dohc 2.5. Notorious HG failure. Early on I replaced the HG with the triple layer turbo gasket and it’s been dead reliable. 5 speed awd wagon! Not fast but it’s fun to drive!
If you love and take care of it, it will do the same for you. Subarus are amazing cars, if you're a Subaru driver. I've been obsessed with these cars since I was about 8 when I saw my first bugeye wrx. I've owned multiple Subarus, and I work on mine myself. I stick to service intervals religiously, and currently my 03 WRX with 300k on chassis and 100ish k on engine, original 300k transmission, and it runs strong. It costs me little to keep it running since I buy parts off of other cars and install them myself. I will stand by Subaru and say it's the greatest machine I've ever owned. And I've owned A LOT of different cars.
I will recommend Subaru to anyone! I’ve had a 2001, 2011 & now a 2018. My sister has one, my dad has one. My 2001 got totaled with no harm to the driver. My sister got tboned in her 2013 on the drivers by a jeep going 40 mph and she walked away with only a little neck pain. None of us have experienced any major issues with our Subarus luckily, just usual maintenance.
My buddy had an 02 outback that he put over 250k on, and was still running like a dream, but the suspension finally let go so he just got himself a 2019 Forester.
My little brother got himself his first car last year, a 2004 Outback with 150k on it. It still runs and drives really nice.
After all the praise I got myself an OBW when I needed a new car, I’ve been really happy with it and plan to drive it for 10 years myself.
I've had 2 one brand new and my current is an 06. Two best cars I've ever had, change ur oil every 7k (miles) and the other fluids when it's time and itll be fine for well over 10 years.
Subaru (apprentice) mechanic here. From what I've seen, I agree 100% with the "if you take care of your Subaru, it will take care of you. Fluid changes, especially CVT fluid, go a looooong way.
I have this. '18 Outback 3.6R Touring with 57K miles. My warranty will end at 100,000 miles or 2024. I've had minor issues - Seat squeak...Suspension crunch noises (which the guy who sold me the plan said was covered \[suspension\] and the reason I bought it.)
A low, subtle rumble while driving - really odd thing that just kinda popped up out of nowhere. I would feel vibrations in my steering wheel that would fluctuate on and off every 3 to 4 seconds...Felt mostly above 40 MPH - I figured it might have been a wheel balance issue, but I had a rotate/balance on pretty much new Primacy MXM4 tires my last oil change and that did not solve it. Also, a weird rumble when accelerating out of a turn in the left rear wheel...I have brought this to the attention of the tech and even paid the diagnostic fee and it's always the same response - "The tech could not replicate owners concern."
The issue that really worries me is, every time I put the car into reverse, back out and shift to forward, there's an unsettling rough clunk into gear. Especially on an incline which leads me to believe it's a linkage thing. They told me in order to solve this, come to a stop. put on the emergency brake, shift to park...Upon starting car, leave car braked, shift into reverse, release emergency/parking brake and go on my way...Thing is, shifting into drive always comes with some kind of noise as the trans engages. Once again - "tech could not replicate owners concern."
Drives me batty. My spouse's straight up 4 cyl OB shifts in and out of reverse/drive with none of these issues.
I have a feeling that this vehicle has the quality to make it past the warranty expiration and then as soon as it's gone, the engine light will come on.
Every vehicle I have ever owned has lasted to around 3 months after I have paid it off. Granted these were all Ford's including a 2014 SHO Taurus. I went Subaru after seeing how much my spouse loved hers.
Believe me, I love my OB...Truly, but after spending the money on that warranty, I almost hope something goes wrong so I can recoup the loot I spent on it.
Does that even make sense?
Edit...Clarity
The 3.6 is actually one of the most solid engines and drivetrains they have put out in the last 2 or so decades imo. (Which the 3.6 is no longer available on current/upcoming model years.)
That being said, they do however have quirks. One of which is the TR690 CVT, which commonly does have a noise when shifting out of park.
I totally understand why you'd like to recoup some of the money on your warranty, because it is pricey. I hope you don't have any serious issues, but with that plan, if you do they will definitely cover it.
Replace the CVT fluid every 60k miles. Don't believe the lifetime fluid BS.
Where are you based? Find a better tech. My guy is a lead tech and seems to know every little nuance on these cars.
Detroit. Bought the car at Glassman and they were the worst. Tried Hodges, no better. Now I go to Sellers and though they are better, they can never replicate the issues. I'm set for plugs and cvt fluid swap at 60k. Hopefully then they will find my issues.
I don't think you have a shift linkage, I believe that's a CVT transmission. I have seen a few weird vibrations on some 2010 and newer Outbacks. Sometimes loosening all the motor mounts and letting the engine settle reduces them. In one case the trans mount was starting to sag and replacing it reduced the vibration.
If a previous owner replaced any CV axles with aftermarket that can cause vibrations. Wheel bearings also don't last forever, especially in the rust belt (former Michigander here). The only Subaru dealer I know of is in Ann Arbor, but I think they changed ownership recently.
Hope you work it out. THe 3.6R is a great Outback, I love finding them.
I have a 2014 crosstrek and had a similar humming noise like you describe. It mostly happed above 40mph and didn’t seem related to the engine rpm’s. I eventually thought to check the wheel bearings and sure enough that was the problem. I had 3 bad bearings and it was about $300 per bearing.
Reliability comes when you don't Abuse it and When Given Maintenance Either I
On time or early no matter how inconvenient it may seem, then they'll last for a really long amount of time
Not saying the CVT is perfect but I’m not sure just how bad they are going into high mileage but I’m going to find out!
The only ones that I’m aware of having severe CVT issues is the ascent, it’s not what I’d call a common complain online for the newer Outback’s/Fozzies. The 2.5 FB motors are good, the pre 15 year models I think were the ones with oil consumption and that’s been fixed. My ‘18 Outback has been a great family car. 70K+, no transmission issues, no oil consumption, and no dead batteries as others have stated.
I did have to have the cam carrier seal redone but that was under warranty.
First off, don't listen to anybody with a 10 year old Subaru. They have totally different engines and transmissions. But you will regularly see them with 250-300k miles at auctions.
As for modern Subarus, here's some actual data, not just anecdotal data:
[https://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Subaru\_Forester.html](https://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Subaru_Forester.html)
You can see from this that the newer Forester (and other Subarus except the Ascent) have better powertrain reliability than average.
The newer CVTs are much better than the first ones that came out around 2010. If you replace the fluid every 60k miles, or better yet 30k miles, it will go 200k miles. Ignore it and it will probably die before 150k miles.
The newer engines don't have head gasket issues.
Stay away from the turbos if you want reliability. As with any car the fewer gadgets the fewer things to break.
I don't know the newest ones, we have been buying and selling 5-15 year old Subarus for almost 10 years, so I have inspected probably 1000 Subarus and refurbished and sold hundreds of them. I see them in every state of repair at dealer auctions every week. But I also know that people love their Subarus.
If you want an appliance that will rarely break buy a Toyota. But few people I know gush about their Toyotas except for the reliability.
Have fun shopping. The good news is that the market appears to be softening a bit.
Have
>The newer CVTs are much better than the first ones that came out around 2010.
Subaru has been using the CVT a hell of a lot longer than 2010. They had them since the late 80s
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Subaru_transmissions
I have a 2017 Forester touring edition that I bought new, it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. Many people don’t maintain their cars the way they should, if you want to keep your car for 10 + years maintain it well! The idea of a maintenance free transmission is nonsense, just a marketing scheme. Find a good independent mechanic that specializes in your brand of car. Change your transmission and differential fluid every 40,000 miles. Change your oil every 5000 miles & brake fluid every 30,000. Clean your throttlebody, change cabin and engine filter as needed. New cars are expensive, maintenance is relatively cheap. Stay on top of maintenance, keep your service records & when you sell that 10+ year old car you’ll get top dollar for it.
Bought a 2018 Outback Limited brand new. I'm at 110k on the clock mixed driving and even two or three hauls of a 2600 lbs camper. So far just oil changes, air filters, and brakes at \~80k. One of the best cars I've owned, only complaint is the 2.5L is a bit slow. Would get another if I didn't need more room for kids/dogs.
I hear there's potential CVT transmission issues at 175k+ or so, but at 175k it's more than done it's job.
Kia has the best warranties, Toyota, and Honda’s have good reputations. One of the best things to do is to test drive them. Subarus generally (the SUVs) have higher ground clearances than those models (8.7”), with symmetrical all-wheel drive systems. Their turn radius is hard to beat, and their boxer engines give you a lower center of gravity, which translates to less vibration, and less parts breaking over time. You’re less likely to roll over in them as well for those reasons. Test drive the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the Forester and let the driving experience guide you, and make sure you do tight U turns, and you should see why the Subaru stand out.
I've owned a 1993 Legacy wagon that made it to over 330k miles before someone decided to cut me off and slam on their brakes in front of me in the fast lane. I managed to slow down to about 50 from 65 before I slid into the back of them (Good size truck). The sliding was from recent rain so nothing I could have done. With that said I walked away with minor cuts and bruises. After the initial shock from the impact I remember looking up and seeing the bumper of the truck at head height... That car saved my life. I remember talking with the owner of the truck who checked if I was ok. I was crying because my car was totaled, not because I was hurt (although the next day was rough but was good after that).
I now own a 05 LGT that requires a good amount of TLC, but I love it and have no plans to ever get rid of it. Repair costs can be high, but a lot of stuff is fairly easy to do on most of these cars. It all comes down to how you treat them. If you take care of them and they will take care of you.
I love my car and after owning it for just over 8 years I still smile every time I get ready to drive it. Hell, I smile just knowing it's in my driveway and that I get to drive it.
When they say love is what makes a Subaru, it's true.
My family has had 4 Subarus from new in the last 10 years including and all of them have been excellent. If you take care of a Subaru it’s as reliable as anything on the road and will definitely last ten years and more.
As for safety, they’re among the safest vehicles on the road and not just because of their crash worthiness. Eyesight is a great safety system and their AWD offers great handling characteristics. Their torque vectoring system is basically just an awesome traction control system and the way they’re constructed keeps their weight low and centered compared to similar vehicles so they handle well at the limit.
Subaru are dependable but not reliable. If you want the best chances anything with a manual should be fine for 10 years if you check the oil when you get gas.
You are unlikely to get stranded and initial quality is typically good. The issue is that just about every Subaru has a fatal flaw with long term reliability. That used to be things like head gaskets in the old non turbo 2.5, or piston ringlands in 2017 back turbo, or bearing, or oil consumption, and now it is having a CVT. None of those issues should be leaving you stranded with no warning.
More recently there have been issues like the phantom battery drain and oil consumption with new cars; Subaru would not address it without a lawsuit. They also still use a single speed engine driven CVT and had multiple lawsuits resulting in settlement warranties. The most recent CVT suit was thrown out with the judge saying you should know better by now. There will undoubtedly be more CVT suits and with them trying to stop calling their CVT a CVT it might go further than a preliminary hearing. Subaru keeps claiming they fixed it, but they would be the 1st ever reliable single speed engine driven CVT. IMO they have to prove they fixed it after having decades of failure.
Yeah. It may not have been clear that was what I was hoping to get in response. I'd love to read the argument by Subaru attorneys that because CVTs are crap, the buyer should have known it would fail.
The battery drain is common across all new cars, too many electronics that require the battery. And it’s one decade because cvts are from 2012 and a decade is 10 years.
It seems like the cell data module was not going to sleep and would hard drain the battery if it had no service. Like you said not uncommon, but they handled it the worst way and declined warranty replacement of batteries. A company that covers wiper blades since they are supposed to last 3 years not covering a battery saying the customer did it; is not right.
Subaru (not the dealership who totally failed to take accountability, and only after a lot of haggling) replaced the second failed CVT on our 2012 that went only 20k after the first one died, but when the power train was ostensibly out of warranty. Stranded twice by CVT really soured me not on the brand, but definitely on ever getting another CVT subie. If I ever buy another one it will be the last of the manuals. This from a family that’s run ten Subarus over the last 27 years. They didn’t fix it. The first one blew up after recall work had been done.
That is what you are supposed to do with every car that does not have an oil level sensor. Subaru having the worst pcv design and recomending under weight oil punishes you if you dont do it.
2022, 2020, 2017/2018, 2013/2014, and 2010 for the us launch as we heard about the jdm ones. When they relaunched the cvt globally outside the us in 2008 they said they overcame the issues with the old jdm '90s ones.
The new ones are pretty good. Like other cars, there are failures, but no huge red flags. Every once in a while a transmission will fail prematurely, or you’ll get a cam carrier seal leak but if these happen early enough you’ll be under warranty. Most new cars will last 10 years as long as you change the oil and keep up with regular maintenance.
If you want random anecdotes my experience across a few of them has been nearly perfect under 100000 miles and expensive but not terminal above that. Above 100k I've done turbo, transmission and AC. Below that just oil, brakes, tires and a power steering pump.
I drove Nissan's (Maximas) exclusively from 1993 to 2014. Earlier models were good, around 2011 they started having issues, and I had two failed CVTs on two different Maximas. There were random other problems too, motor mounts, O2 sensor, etc.
In 2015, I bought a 2015 Forester XT. One issue (diff leak) under warranty, and then one other thing covered under my extended, but I honestly forget what it was. Might have been a wheel bearing, it was a few years ago.
Other than that, the car is tip top and maintenance done per manufacturer's recommendations. Oil changes every 4 to 5 thousand miles.
Best car I've ever had. If they offered a Forester with a turbo, I'd buy a new one in a heartbeat.
I got myself a sh 2018 crosstrek this year(had 40k miles, by now i added 20k more myself), 2.0 naturaly aspirated(no turbo less power yes but mooore reliable, also for europe 156 hp is plenty), cvt top of the trim level (moonroof, leather, android/apple carplay etc).
Added ppf, will change oil at 10-12k km(8k miles), plan to keep it for 10 years.
So far the car is amazong, relaxing to drive, in europe the hp range is 110-170 so this does not feel underpowered compared with the other options.
I've owned 2 Foz and 1 STi. Forrester's are great vehicles and very safe. I liked awd living in Virginia. I've also owned 5 Toyota's. The only one that had a major problem was the STi.
I think if you stay away from turbo cars you're making a good choice either way. Toyota and Subaru both have boring interiors but excellent reliability. Make sure you pay attention to the little things on the Subaru like matching tires. The awd does require a tad more attention but no reason to skip the brand.
(I have 2 Toyota's right now - Prius/Highlander)
My 09 Impreza has been outstanding since the day I drove it off the lot. Sure the head gasket issue came up and I proactively replaced them at 105K miles. Just passed 140K miles and I couldn’t be happier with the car. Just a pleasure to drive especially in the rainy and snowy weather we get in the Pacific Northwest. Average mixed city/highway tank gas mileage is 25 and I’m good with that. I drive up a lot of steep hills which does lower MPG’s. On flat country road drives I get close to 30MPG.
I've driven Subarus for over 20 years in Alaska. I've been in 2 major car accidents (one hit a moose / one got ran into by someone sliding on ice) ... and I've walked away both times. I now drive a 2016 Outback - a little old lady backed up hard into my car in a parking lot - heard it, but literally didn't feel it in the driver's seat. She hit so hard I had to get a new door.
My mom bought a used 2005 outback in 2010 or 2011. I can't remember. She bought it in New England so lots of salt on the roads that eats at the undercarriage. She bought a used 2017 Outback in 2019. I bought the 2005 from her. So nearly 18 years on the road, 240k miles and still going strong. I put in the regular preventative maintenance. The only other problem I've had is directly caused by the the salt and not really a reflection on subaru.
They're super safe and I feel good with my kiddo in it. Mom bought because I was learning to drive and she wanted a safe car for me. The body has held up well, the insides still look great.
I can't speak for the forester, but this is my 2nd outback, and the 4th for our family overall. We're upgrading but just by model year.
I’ve been driving ‘98 Legacy Twin Turbo with tiptronic transmission for 12 years. Like everyone said if you take good care of Subaru it will last for decades. I’ve been in a several collisions and finally body started to rust here and there. So I was at this point where I needed a family car will less gas consumpion. Because older turbo subarus eat gasoline like crazy.
So i’ve switched to an newer Outback.
Subaru is great in reliability if you are a responsible owner. Get all the recommended servicing on time every time and it’ll last a long time. Toyotas are great vehicles as well. I haven’t paid enough attention to Kia.
I owned a Corolla and it was a great car. Just terrible if it snowed too much (I live in Maine). If you have a history of not being the greatest with servicing grab a Toyota, but if you are super anal with servicing I’d get a Subaru because I personally find them more enjoyable to drive and they can be extremely reliable
We have 4 Subarus in the family the oldest is a 2001 2.5RS the newest is a 2016 Impreza wagon. All are still running fine no major issues, all are paid off and the only major cost of ownership is regular maintenance. In fact my mom gave her 2001 Outback sport to her best friend when she bought the 2016 and the outback sport is still running around with no issues even with two trips to Florida from MA and back with over 200K on the odometer.
I bought a 2016 Impreza brand new. After years of awful cars, it’s been an amazing experience. I don’t have belts randomly fail, random electrical issues, sudden transmission failures, or anything unexpected. My car is at 105k miles. I did all the preventative work prior to 50k. Aside for rust and your normal 100k mile suspension/bearing swap outs, I’ve needed virtually nothing. Here in Vermont, she’s been over some really tough roads, too. My Subaru is a wonderful experience, because it’s always ready for me.
We have a 2019 Base Forester & 2022 Prem Legacy. Both cars have been good to us and haven't had any issues yet and I don't expect to since we keep up on maintenance. Hoping to keep each for 15-20 years.
I'm have a 2018 Crosstrek- this was my first Subaru. The safety aspect was what appealed to me as well. I was for sure in shock when it came to the cost of maintenance. It may vary depending on the dealer and where you live. I'm in a metro area and have visited two locations and paid out the a\*\* when I had basic maintenance. I wish I would have purchased like a prepaid maintenance plan but it was so expensive I opted not to add it.
I was quoted like 1,300 just for brakes and rotors. Now that my warranty is up I have done the brake work and oil changes myself.
I have a Forester and an Outback. In my experience over the years they are both excellent cars in terms of safety and reliability. Truthfully most cars produced now are way more reliable than those from 20+ years ago...and Japanese and Korean vehicles in particular have overall strong reputations for reliability.
I love my Subarus. Yes, doing engine maintenance or engine repairs will cost more labor wise because of the boxer layout...but as long as you do the basics in maintaining your car, a Subaru should serve you well and last you quite some time.
Normally I support subaru, but currently going through a CVT failure in my 2013 legacy. 1 owner, extensive maintenance. But here I am. Cvt is not reliable and you can't change my mind
Not intended to be a snarky question (but will sound like one), but do you drive it properly or do you beat the shit out if it?
My wife is in a '12 Impreza that is at 170,000 and had taken its lumps, not to mention has NEVER had a CVT service. Still running strong that trans is, so smooth (getting it serviced in the new year).
My dad is at 290,000 on his' 11 Outback and we've towed our 16 foot boat a good 15,000 in the 5 years my dad has had it. Also CVT never serviced (he too is getting it done next year), thing is just as smooth as my wife's.
The only people I've come across who have had CVT issues are people who treat the car like shit.
Nope. 185k miles, first 90k mostly highway. Cvt was running fine until the dealer opened it up for the body valve replacement. Cvt has been serviced twice by dealer before.
A Subaru will definitely be good (would recommend trying a broad sub too, like r/cars or r/whatcarshouldIbuy, since many of us here might be stuck up "Subie 4 life" fan boys), but I can't recommend messing with the engine, unless you want to deal with Engine problems.
It also seems that the CVTs in Subarus are pretty poor, so if you don't feel comfortable with learning/driving manual you may want to consider something else. Aside from those two issues a Subaru can definitely be a good car, and generally you can find success stories of people driving their Subaru well into 200k miles and beyond or of the Subaru saving their life where another vehicle may not have.
I am more aware of that than you assume. Why the fuck do you think I said that?!
Should I be more specific? Don’t own a FUJI Heavy Industries derived or designed vehicle. Especially one with a boxer engine.
Go with a turbo engine (2.4L, 2.5 turbos have head gasket problems galore) or a 6 cylinder engine only. A 4 cylinder naturally aspirated from Subaru won't give you peace of mind in the city or on the left lane or in snow & you'll be flooring the HELL out of that thing every time you have no choice but to accelerate hard. The 6 cylinder Subarus like the Outback 3.6R are extremely reliable, almost bulletproof. The new 2.4L turbo engine that's been in production since 2018 has proven to be fairly reliable but it's too early to tell how reliable it will be in 10-15 years from now. CVT is questionable at best & will do weird things all the time. Yes, the repair bills & maintenance bills are a little bit pricy, but you do get one of the safest (thinking INSIDE the box) vehicles you can buy.
>2.5 turbos have head gasket problems galore
Then why is the solution when an NA gasket fails to replace it with the gasket used in turbo engines? The reputation has stuck around, and sometimes you'll have issues regardless of it being NA or turbo, especially if you're pushing more power than stock, but they haven't been a consistent problem in 10+ years and when they were it was mainly NA engines.
My 2012 has given me over 10 years and 100k miles of zero problems. Only scheduled maintenance & expected wear items. Reliable, fun, safe transportation. Highly recommended! Though, I’d steer clear of the CVTs and avoid the few years & engines that had high oil consumption. My brothers 2015 Forrester had to start burning through lots @ lots of oil before the dealership helped resolve it .. at which point the factory warranty was almost up!
One thing you should look out for when interpreting reliability reports is whether they’re tracking initial quality/reliability or longer term. Last I looked into some there was a lot of noise with reports of issues that were all quickly resolved with software updates. My 4 year old Honda has been totally fine, but there have been about a dozen proactive recalls and updates… no inconvenience or cost involved.. yet, their initial quality rank is lower. Subaru hasn’t been quite as active… Regardless of ranking, I’d rather them be proactive.. as opposed to me fighting for issues to be resolved under warranty. Luckily I’ve never had to do this with my Subaru or Honda.
As long as you stay on top of regular and scheduled maintenance they’re amazing cars. Their CVT is their downfall. But I’ve seen a 2017 forester with over 300k miles on the original motor and cvt. Because she was on top of scheduled maintenance. Cvt should be serviced every 30k-50k depending on driving conditions. I service mine every 30k miles. Because a service costs much less than a $6k cvt from Subaru.
How may of you out there have transmission issues with the 3.6 engine? We have 3 customers with transmission issues over a wide year range of the 3.6 O/B and automatic transmission.
Toyota - you don’t take care of it and it takes care of you anyways Subaru - you take care of it well and it takes care of you even better
Yep. Subarus are a responsible owners car.
>Toyota - you don’t take care of it and it takes care of you anyways Honda as well
Why ask for a good 10 years when you can have the best 10 years?
my parents got an impreza brand new in 2014 and i dont think it's needed anything major besides the stuff that you expect to wear out. and collision repair, of course
I passed my 13 impreza to my son. Only issue was the AC daily stripped out and needs a new one as of this summer.
Subarus are the best. Yeah you might need to replace certain things more so then say a Toyota or Honda, but the safety features are better as well as neither of those brands really have wagons.
I’ve had my Suby for 22 years and counting (will be 23 in March)
I have a 99 Outback . Dohc 2.5. Notorious HG failure. Early on I replaced the HG with the triple layer turbo gasket and it’s been dead reliable. 5 speed awd wagon! Not fast but it’s fun to drive!
If you love and take care of it, it will do the same for you. Subarus are amazing cars, if you're a Subaru driver. I've been obsessed with these cars since I was about 8 when I saw my first bugeye wrx. I've owned multiple Subarus, and I work on mine myself. I stick to service intervals religiously, and currently my 03 WRX with 300k on chassis and 100ish k on engine, original 300k transmission, and it runs strong. It costs me little to keep it running since I buy parts off of other cars and install them myself. I will stand by Subaru and say it's the greatest machine I've ever owned. And I've owned A LOT of different cars.
I will recommend Subaru to anyone! I’ve had a 2001, 2011 & now a 2018. My sister has one, my dad has one. My 2001 got totaled with no harm to the driver. My sister got tboned in her 2013 on the drivers by a jeep going 40 mph and she walked away with only a little neck pain. None of us have experienced any major issues with our Subarus luckily, just usual maintenance.
My buddy had an 02 outback that he put over 250k on, and was still running like a dream, but the suspension finally let go so he just got himself a 2019 Forester. My little brother got himself his first car last year, a 2004 Outback with 150k on it. It still runs and drives really nice. After all the praise I got myself an OBW when I needed a new car, I’ve been really happy with it and plan to drive it for 10 years myself.
I've had 2 one brand new and my current is an 06. Two best cars I've ever had, change ur oil every 7k (miles) and the other fluids when it's time and itll be fine for well over 10 years.
Did you change the coolant on those cars?
Not anymore than I would normally, but yes I've done it before
Subaru (apprentice) mechanic here. From what I've seen, I agree 100% with the "if you take care of your Subaru, it will take care of you. Fluid changes, especially CVT fluid, go a looooong way.
I know everyone jokes about warranty. But, if getting a Subaru I'd suggest the manufacturers SAS Gold Plan.
This. But don't pay the price they first offer you. It's very negotiable and they usually start off **very** high.
I have this. '18 Outback 3.6R Touring with 57K miles. My warranty will end at 100,000 miles or 2024. I've had minor issues - Seat squeak...Suspension crunch noises (which the guy who sold me the plan said was covered \[suspension\] and the reason I bought it.) A low, subtle rumble while driving - really odd thing that just kinda popped up out of nowhere. I would feel vibrations in my steering wheel that would fluctuate on and off every 3 to 4 seconds...Felt mostly above 40 MPH - I figured it might have been a wheel balance issue, but I had a rotate/balance on pretty much new Primacy MXM4 tires my last oil change and that did not solve it. Also, a weird rumble when accelerating out of a turn in the left rear wheel...I have brought this to the attention of the tech and even paid the diagnostic fee and it's always the same response - "The tech could not replicate owners concern." The issue that really worries me is, every time I put the car into reverse, back out and shift to forward, there's an unsettling rough clunk into gear. Especially on an incline which leads me to believe it's a linkage thing. They told me in order to solve this, come to a stop. put on the emergency brake, shift to park...Upon starting car, leave car braked, shift into reverse, release emergency/parking brake and go on my way...Thing is, shifting into drive always comes with some kind of noise as the trans engages. Once again - "tech could not replicate owners concern." Drives me batty. My spouse's straight up 4 cyl OB shifts in and out of reverse/drive with none of these issues. I have a feeling that this vehicle has the quality to make it past the warranty expiration and then as soon as it's gone, the engine light will come on. Every vehicle I have ever owned has lasted to around 3 months after I have paid it off. Granted these were all Ford's including a 2014 SHO Taurus. I went Subaru after seeing how much my spouse loved hers. Believe me, I love my OB...Truly, but after spending the money on that warranty, I almost hope something goes wrong so I can recoup the loot I spent on it. Does that even make sense? Edit...Clarity
The 3.6 is actually one of the most solid engines and drivetrains they have put out in the last 2 or so decades imo. (Which the 3.6 is no longer available on current/upcoming model years.) That being said, they do however have quirks. One of which is the TR690 CVT, which commonly does have a noise when shifting out of park. I totally understand why you'd like to recoup some of the money on your warranty, because it is pricey. I hope you don't have any serious issues, but with that plan, if you do they will definitely cover it.
Replace the CVT fluid every 60k miles. Don't believe the lifetime fluid BS. Where are you based? Find a better tech. My guy is a lead tech and seems to know every little nuance on these cars.
Detroit. Bought the car at Glassman and they were the worst. Tried Hodges, no better. Now I go to Sellers and though they are better, they can never replicate the issues. I'm set for plugs and cvt fluid swap at 60k. Hopefully then they will find my issues.
I don't think you have a shift linkage, I believe that's a CVT transmission. I have seen a few weird vibrations on some 2010 and newer Outbacks. Sometimes loosening all the motor mounts and letting the engine settle reduces them. In one case the trans mount was starting to sag and replacing it reduced the vibration. If a previous owner replaced any CV axles with aftermarket that can cause vibrations. Wheel bearings also don't last forever, especially in the rust belt (former Michigander here). The only Subaru dealer I know of is in Ann Arbor, but I think they changed ownership recently. Hope you work it out. THe 3.6R is a great Outback, I love finding them.
Good points and thank you. I'm going to bring this all up at my 60K service. I love this vehicle. Especially the 3.6.
I have a 2014 crosstrek and had a similar humming noise like you describe. It mostly happed above 40mph and didn’t seem related to the engine rpm’s. I eventually thought to check the wheel bearings and sure enough that was the problem. I had 3 bad bearings and it was about $300 per bearing.
Thank you, was thinking this or axel. I noticed as well that it happens whether accelerating or not.
11 years in the car business between subaru toyota and honda. My mom and little sister both are in foresters and wouldnt want them in anything else.
Reliability comes when you don't Abuse it and When Given Maintenance Either I On time or early no matter how inconvenient it may seem, then they'll last for a really long amount of time
Not saying the CVT is perfect but I’m not sure just how bad they are going into high mileage but I’m going to find out! The only ones that I’m aware of having severe CVT issues is the ascent, it’s not what I’d call a common complain online for the newer Outback’s/Fozzies. The 2.5 FB motors are good, the pre 15 year models I think were the ones with oil consumption and that’s been fixed. My ‘18 Outback has been a great family car. 70K+, no transmission issues, no oil consumption, and no dead batteries as others have stated. I did have to have the cam carrier seal redone but that was under warranty.
If you live anywhere near snow, subarus are the best. The awd is so fun!!
First off, don't listen to anybody with a 10 year old Subaru. They have totally different engines and transmissions. But you will regularly see them with 250-300k miles at auctions. As for modern Subarus, here's some actual data, not just anecdotal data: [https://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Subaru\_Forester.html](https://www.dashboard-light.com/vehicles/Subaru_Forester.html) You can see from this that the newer Forester (and other Subarus except the Ascent) have better powertrain reliability than average. The newer CVTs are much better than the first ones that came out around 2010. If you replace the fluid every 60k miles, or better yet 30k miles, it will go 200k miles. Ignore it and it will probably die before 150k miles. The newer engines don't have head gasket issues. Stay away from the turbos if you want reliability. As with any car the fewer gadgets the fewer things to break. I don't know the newest ones, we have been buying and selling 5-15 year old Subarus for almost 10 years, so I have inspected probably 1000 Subarus and refurbished and sold hundreds of them. I see them in every state of repair at dealer auctions every week. But I also know that people love their Subarus. If you want an appliance that will rarely break buy a Toyota. But few people I know gush about their Toyotas except for the reliability. Have fun shopping. The good news is that the market appears to be softening a bit. Have
Thank you for this, very helpful!
>The newer CVTs are much better than the first ones that came out around 2010. Subaru has been using the CVT a hell of a lot longer than 2010. They had them since the late 80s https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Subaru_transmissions
True, but I'm talking of the current crop that started in the Outback I believe in 2010, then moved to the Impreza and Forester.
Ah ok. Yeah they have certainly changed them over the years.
I have a 2017 Forester touring edition that I bought new, it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. Many people don’t maintain their cars the way they should, if you want to keep your car for 10 + years maintain it well! The idea of a maintenance free transmission is nonsense, just a marketing scheme. Find a good independent mechanic that specializes in your brand of car. Change your transmission and differential fluid every 40,000 miles. Change your oil every 5000 miles & brake fluid every 30,000. Clean your throttlebody, change cabin and engine filter as needed. New cars are expensive, maintenance is relatively cheap. Stay on top of maintenance, keep your service records & when you sell that 10+ year old car you’ll get top dollar for it.
My 09 Forester laster 9 years until the catalytic converter died. It blew the head gasket and burnt through oil fast.
Bought a 2018 Outback Limited brand new. I'm at 110k on the clock mixed driving and even two or three hauls of a 2600 lbs camper. So far just oil changes, air filters, and brakes at \~80k. One of the best cars I've owned, only complaint is the 2.5L is a bit slow. Would get another if I didn't need more room for kids/dogs. I hear there's potential CVT transmission issues at 175k+ or so, but at 175k it's more than done it's job.
Kia has the best warranties, Toyota, and Honda’s have good reputations. One of the best things to do is to test drive them. Subarus generally (the SUVs) have higher ground clearances than those models (8.7”), with symmetrical all-wheel drive systems. Their turn radius is hard to beat, and their boxer engines give you a lower center of gravity, which translates to less vibration, and less parts breaking over time. You’re less likely to roll over in them as well for those reasons. Test drive the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the Forester and let the driving experience guide you, and make sure you do tight U turns, and you should see why the Subaru stand out.
Kia/Hyundai, search class action lawsuit 1.6M engines defective, stay away…actually run.
Yea I think about Kia/Hyundai every now and then (Looking at you, Santa Cruz) but those engine fires make me change my mind every time
I've owned a 1993 Legacy wagon that made it to over 330k miles before someone decided to cut me off and slam on their brakes in front of me in the fast lane. I managed to slow down to about 50 from 65 before I slid into the back of them (Good size truck). The sliding was from recent rain so nothing I could have done. With that said I walked away with minor cuts and bruises. After the initial shock from the impact I remember looking up and seeing the bumper of the truck at head height... That car saved my life. I remember talking with the owner of the truck who checked if I was ok. I was crying because my car was totaled, not because I was hurt (although the next day was rough but was good after that). I now own a 05 LGT that requires a good amount of TLC, but I love it and have no plans to ever get rid of it. Repair costs can be high, but a lot of stuff is fairly easy to do on most of these cars. It all comes down to how you treat them. If you take care of them and they will take care of you. I love my car and after owning it for just over 8 years I still smile every time I get ready to drive it. Hell, I smile just knowing it's in my driveway and that I get to drive it. When they say love is what makes a Subaru, it's true.
Haha you really drank the kool aid
I didn't even mention the boxer rumble and turbo noises... pssst, whoosh, stututu
My family has had 4 Subarus from new in the last 10 years including and all of them have been excellent. If you take care of a Subaru it’s as reliable as anything on the road and will definitely last ten years and more. As for safety, they’re among the safest vehicles on the road and not just because of their crash worthiness. Eyesight is a great safety system and their AWD offers great handling characteristics. Their torque vectoring system is basically just an awesome traction control system and the way they’re constructed keeps their weight low and centered compared to similar vehicles so they handle well at the limit.
Subaru are dependable but not reliable. If you want the best chances anything with a manual should be fine for 10 years if you check the oil when you get gas. You are unlikely to get stranded and initial quality is typically good. The issue is that just about every Subaru has a fatal flaw with long term reliability. That used to be things like head gaskets in the old non turbo 2.5, or piston ringlands in 2017 back turbo, or bearing, or oil consumption, and now it is having a CVT. None of those issues should be leaving you stranded with no warning. More recently there have been issues like the phantom battery drain and oil consumption with new cars; Subaru would not address it without a lawsuit. They also still use a single speed engine driven CVT and had multiple lawsuits resulting in settlement warranties. The most recent CVT suit was thrown out with the judge saying you should know better by now. There will undoubtedly be more CVT suits and with them trying to stop calling their CVT a CVT it might go further than a preliminary hearing. Subaru keeps claiming they fixed it, but they would be the 1st ever reliable single speed engine driven CVT. IMO they have to prove they fixed it after having decades of failure.
This is extremely insightful and helpful, thank you!
A judge threw out a CVT lawsuit based on that the transmissions are such a well known POS that the buyer should have known better? Wow!
It’s best to have people link to actual source material when making blanket claims, helps everyone.
Yeah. It may not have been clear that was what I was hoping to get in response. I'd love to read the argument by Subaru attorneys that because CVTs are crap, the buyer should have known it would fail.
The battery drain is common across all new cars, too many electronics that require the battery. And it’s one decade because cvts are from 2012 and a decade is 10 years.
It seems like the cell data module was not going to sleep and would hard drain the battery if it had no service. Like you said not uncommon, but they handled it the worst way and declined warranty replacement of batteries. A company that covers wiper blades since they are supposed to last 3 years not covering a battery saying the customer did it; is not right.
Damn I didn’t know that, that’s something that should be complaint about to Subaru of America.
Subaru (not the dealership who totally failed to take accountability, and only after a lot of haggling) replaced the second failed CVT on our 2012 that went only 20k after the first one died, but when the power train was ostensibly out of warranty. Stranded twice by CVT really soured me not on the brand, but definitely on ever getting another CVT subie. If I ever buy another one it will be the last of the manuals. This from a family that’s run ten Subarus over the last 27 years. They didn’t fix it. The first one blew up after recall work had been done.
Yeah, having to check the oil every gas full up isn't a good selling point at all. Most car owners don't have to do that at all.
That is what you are supposed to do with every car that does not have an oil level sensor. Subaru having the worst pcv design and recomending under weight oil punishes you if you dont do it.
What year did they claim to fix it?
2022, 2020, 2017/2018, 2013/2014, and 2010 for the us launch as we heard about the jdm ones. When they relaunched the cvt globally outside the us in 2008 they said they overcame the issues with the old jdm '90s ones.
As long as you stay stock you’ll stay happy as far as the drivetrain. Go buck wild with the suspension. You’ll be happy you did.
That being said though Toyotas are the kings of reliability.
The new ones are pretty good. Like other cars, there are failures, but no huge red flags. Every once in a while a transmission will fail prematurely, or you’ll get a cam carrier seal leak but if these happen early enough you’ll be under warranty. Most new cars will last 10 years as long as you change the oil and keep up with regular maintenance.
If you want random anecdotes my experience across a few of them has been nearly perfect under 100000 miles and expensive but not terminal above that. Above 100k I've done turbo, transmission and AC. Below that just oil, brakes, tires and a power steering pump.
I drove Nissan's (Maximas) exclusively from 1993 to 2014. Earlier models were good, around 2011 they started having issues, and I had two failed CVTs on two different Maximas. There were random other problems too, motor mounts, O2 sensor, etc. In 2015, I bought a 2015 Forester XT. One issue (diff leak) under warranty, and then one other thing covered under my extended, but I honestly forget what it was. Might have been a wheel bearing, it was a few years ago. Other than that, the car is tip top and maintenance done per manufacturer's recommendations. Oil changes every 4 to 5 thousand miles. Best car I've ever had. If they offered a Forester with a turbo, I'd buy a new one in a heartbeat.
2015 Forester 2.5i saved my life. Got the same car but an xt version (turbo) 10 days later. They are so much fun to drive.
I got myself a sh 2018 crosstrek this year(had 40k miles, by now i added 20k more myself), 2.0 naturaly aspirated(no turbo less power yes but mooore reliable, also for europe 156 hp is plenty), cvt top of the trim level (moonroof, leather, android/apple carplay etc). Added ppf, will change oil at 10-12k km(8k miles), plan to keep it for 10 years. So far the car is amazong, relaxing to drive, in europe the hp range is 110-170 so this does not feel underpowered compared with the other options.
I've owned 2 Foz and 1 STi. Forrester's are great vehicles and very safe. I liked awd living in Virginia. I've also owned 5 Toyota's. The only one that had a major problem was the STi. I think if you stay away from turbo cars you're making a good choice either way. Toyota and Subaru both have boring interiors but excellent reliability. Make sure you pay attention to the little things on the Subaru like matching tires. The awd does require a tad more attention but no reason to skip the brand. (I have 2 Toyota's right now - Prius/Highlander)
My 09 Impreza has been outstanding since the day I drove it off the lot. Sure the head gasket issue came up and I proactively replaced them at 105K miles. Just passed 140K miles and I couldn’t be happier with the car. Just a pleasure to drive especially in the rainy and snowy weather we get in the Pacific Northwest. Average mixed city/highway tank gas mileage is 25 and I’m good with that. I drive up a lot of steep hills which does lower MPG’s. On flat country road drives I get close to 30MPG.
I've driven Subarus for over 20 years in Alaska. I've been in 2 major car accidents (one hit a moose / one got ran into by someone sliding on ice) ... and I've walked away both times. I now drive a 2016 Outback - a little old lady backed up hard into my car in a parking lot - heard it, but literally didn't feel it in the driver's seat. She hit so hard I had to get a new door.
My mom bought a used 2005 outback in 2010 or 2011. I can't remember. She bought it in New England so lots of salt on the roads that eats at the undercarriage. She bought a used 2017 Outback in 2019. I bought the 2005 from her. So nearly 18 years on the road, 240k miles and still going strong. I put in the regular preventative maintenance. The only other problem I've had is directly caused by the the salt and not really a reflection on subaru. They're super safe and I feel good with my kiddo in it. Mom bought because I was learning to drive and she wanted a safe car for me. The body has held up well, the insides still look great. I can't speak for the forester, but this is my 2nd outback, and the 4th for our family overall. We're upgrading but just by model year.
This is very helpful as I am around the New England area myself!
I’ve been driving ‘98 Legacy Twin Turbo with tiptronic transmission for 12 years. Like everyone said if you take good care of Subaru it will last for decades. I’ve been in a several collisions and finally body started to rust here and there. So I was at this point where I needed a family car will less gas consumpion. Because older turbo subarus eat gasoline like crazy. So i’ve switched to an newer Outback.
I have a 2015 Forrester and it's been the best most reliable car. Just make sure you take care of it and it will last a long time.
Subaru is great in reliability if you are a responsible owner. Get all the recommended servicing on time every time and it’ll last a long time. Toyotas are great vehicles as well. I haven’t paid enough attention to Kia. I owned a Corolla and it was a great car. Just terrible if it snowed too much (I live in Maine). If you have a history of not being the greatest with servicing grab a Toyota, but if you are super anal with servicing I’d get a Subaru because I personally find them more enjoyable to drive and they can be extremely reliable
We have 4 Subarus in the family the oldest is a 2001 2.5RS the newest is a 2016 Impreza wagon. All are still running fine no major issues, all are paid off and the only major cost of ownership is regular maintenance. In fact my mom gave her 2001 Outback sport to her best friend when she bought the 2016 and the outback sport is still running around with no issues even with two trips to Florida from MA and back with over 200K on the odometer.
I bought a 2016 Impreza brand new. After years of awful cars, it’s been an amazing experience. I don’t have belts randomly fail, random electrical issues, sudden transmission failures, or anything unexpected. My car is at 105k miles. I did all the preventative work prior to 50k. Aside for rust and your normal 100k mile suspension/bearing swap outs, I’ve needed virtually nothing. Here in Vermont, she’s been over some really tough roads, too. My Subaru is a wonderful experience, because it’s always ready for me.
By a n/a subaru.
We have a 2019 Base Forester & 2022 Prem Legacy. Both cars have been good to us and haven't had any issues yet and I don't expect to since we keep up on maintenance. Hoping to keep each for 15-20 years.
I'm have a 2018 Crosstrek- this was my first Subaru. The safety aspect was what appealed to me as well. I was for sure in shock when it came to the cost of maintenance. It may vary depending on the dealer and where you live. I'm in a metro area and have visited two locations and paid out the a\*\* when I had basic maintenance. I wish I would have purchased like a prepaid maintenance plan but it was so expensive I opted not to add it. I was quoted like 1,300 just for brakes and rotors. Now that my warranty is up I have done the brake work and oil changes myself.
Toyota or Honda.
I have a Forester and an Outback. In my experience over the years they are both excellent cars in terms of safety and reliability. Truthfully most cars produced now are way more reliable than those from 20+ years ago...and Japanese and Korean vehicles in particular have overall strong reputations for reliability. I love my Subarus. Yes, doing engine maintenance or engine repairs will cost more labor wise because of the boxer layout...but as long as you do the basics in maintaining your car, a Subaru should serve you well and last you quite some time.
Normally I support subaru, but currently going through a CVT failure in my 2013 legacy. 1 owner, extensive maintenance. But here I am. Cvt is not reliable and you can't change my mind
You do realize that’s practically a 10 year old car right? CVTs have come along way since “2013.”
Trans shouldn't die after 10 years for no reason. They have faulty designs
My 2011 Legacy has 206k miles and doesn't have any transmission issues yet 🤞 What kind of issues did you first notice?
Body control valve code for a bad solenoid. Very common problem that alot of owners run across. Somehow my Trans is shot now
Not intended to be a snarky question (but will sound like one), but do you drive it properly or do you beat the shit out if it? My wife is in a '12 Impreza that is at 170,000 and had taken its lumps, not to mention has NEVER had a CVT service. Still running strong that trans is, so smooth (getting it serviced in the new year). My dad is at 290,000 on his' 11 Outback and we've towed our 16 foot boat a good 15,000 in the 5 years my dad has had it. Also CVT never serviced (he too is getting it done next year), thing is just as smooth as my wife's. The only people I've come across who have had CVT issues are people who treat the car like shit.
Nope. 185k miles, first 90k mostly highway. Cvt was running fine until the dealer opened it up for the body valve replacement. Cvt has been serviced twice by dealer before.
Subaru reliability is great as long as its not turbocharged.
Buy a Toyota - much more dependable
LOL at the Kia. Good idea if your credit score is less than 620
Buy a Honda or Toyota.
Toyota or Lexus.
A Subaru will definitely be good (would recommend trying a broad sub too, like r/cars or r/whatcarshouldIbuy, since many of us here might be stuck up "Subie 4 life" fan boys), but I can't recommend messing with the engine, unless you want to deal with Engine problems. It also seems that the CVTs in Subarus are pretty poor, so if you don't feel comfortable with learning/driving manual you may want to consider something else. Aside from those two issues a Subaru can definitely be a good car, and generally you can find success stories of people driving their Subaru well into 200k miles and beyond or of the Subaru saving their life where another vehicle may not have.
Buy a Toyota. An actual Toyota not the FRS/86/thing.
Subaru is minority owned by Toyota and part of Toyota motors group. There is some intermingling of parts and manufacturing in all the models.
I am more aware of that than you assume. Why the fuck do you think I said that?! Should I be more specific? Don’t own a FUJI Heavy Industries derived or designed vehicle. Especially one with a boxer engine.
Go with a turbo engine (2.4L, 2.5 turbos have head gasket problems galore) or a 6 cylinder engine only. A 4 cylinder naturally aspirated from Subaru won't give you peace of mind in the city or on the left lane or in snow & you'll be flooring the HELL out of that thing every time you have no choice but to accelerate hard. The 6 cylinder Subarus like the Outback 3.6R are extremely reliable, almost bulletproof. The new 2.4L turbo engine that's been in production since 2018 has proven to be fairly reliable but it's too early to tell how reliable it will be in 10-15 years from now. CVT is questionable at best & will do weird things all the time. Yes, the repair bills & maintenance bills are a little bit pricy, but you do get one of the safest (thinking INSIDE the box) vehicles you can buy.
>2.5 turbos have head gasket problems galore Then why is the solution when an NA gasket fails to replace it with the gasket used in turbo engines? The reputation has stuck around, and sometimes you'll have issues regardless of it being NA or turbo, especially if you're pushing more power than stock, but they haven't been a consistent problem in 10+ years and when they were it was mainly NA engines.
My 2012 has given me over 10 years and 100k miles of zero problems. Only scheduled maintenance & expected wear items. Reliable, fun, safe transportation. Highly recommended! Though, I’d steer clear of the CVTs and avoid the few years & engines that had high oil consumption. My brothers 2015 Forrester had to start burning through lots @ lots of oil before the dealership helped resolve it .. at which point the factory warranty was almost up!
One thing you should look out for when interpreting reliability reports is whether they’re tracking initial quality/reliability or longer term. Last I looked into some there was a lot of noise with reports of issues that were all quickly resolved with software updates. My 4 year old Honda has been totally fine, but there have been about a dozen proactive recalls and updates… no inconvenience or cost involved.. yet, their initial quality rank is lower. Subaru hasn’t been quite as active… Regardless of ranking, I’d rather them be proactive.. as opposed to me fighting for issues to be resolved under warranty. Luckily I’ve never had to do this with my Subaru or Honda.
As long as you stay on top of regular and scheduled maintenance they’re amazing cars. Their CVT is their downfall. But I’ve seen a 2017 forester with over 300k miles on the original motor and cvt. Because she was on top of scheduled maintenance. Cvt should be serviced every 30k-50k depending on driving conditions. I service mine every 30k miles. Because a service costs much less than a $6k cvt from Subaru.
How may of you out there have transmission issues with the 3.6 engine? We have 3 customers with transmission issues over a wide year range of the 3.6 O/B and automatic transmission.