Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Subaru Legacy, and it carries 9 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 9 | 27% |
| Engine | 4 | 12% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 6% |
| Structure | 2 | 6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 6% |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 3% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Brake line failed unexpectedly and catastrophically while driving 2007 Subaru Legacy. Vehicle would have been covered per recall [XXX]; however, it was registered in Virginia so was not 'included' in the recall despite b
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The dash pad has deteriorated, become sticky and shinny. My daughter owns a Mazda 3 with a similar problem, Mazda had a recall and the dash pad was replaced by the dealer. This is a safety issue because the shinny finish
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY AND STREET, THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING HEAVILY AND CAUSING THE OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. THE PISTONS WILL SEIZE. THE RODS WILL BREAK AND A BLOWN ENGINE WILL OCCUR.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
I HAVE RECEIVED OVER 40 NOTICES REGARDING MY 2007 SUBARU LEGACY THAT I HAVE NOT OWNED SINCE 2015. THE CAR IS SITTING IN A JUNK YARD AND I HAVE CALLED THE NUMBER ON THESE NOTICES ROUGHLY 15 TIMES AND EACH TIME I AM TOLD S
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSING WHILE ACCELERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. FIRE CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CV SHAFT BOOT, WIRE HARNESS AND TRANSMISSION. CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
SUBARU USA AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON SPECIFIC SUBARU'S THAT IDENTIFIES THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL FAIL WITHOUT NOTICE. THE BRAKE LINES ON MY VEHICLE THAT FALL UNDER THE RE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
CAR SHUDDERS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. SUBARU HAS OTHER MODELS ON RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. NOTICED IT AT FIRST WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT SPACE
NHTSA complaint: Steering
UNLOCKED DOORS SUDDENLY WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. VEHICLE IS PARKED, TRYING TO ENTER CANT OPEN DOOR. IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT NO ONE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ENTER OR EXIT PASSENGERS. ON A SUBARU FORUM I WAS
NHTSA complaint: Structure
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2007 Subaru Legacy. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa,
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may c
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbi
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may c
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawai
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer
| Reliability raw | 66 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 79 | good |
| Depreciation | 72 | good |
| Performance | 60 | average |
| Efficiency | 41 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 9 of them (27%). There are 9 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 66/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2007 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.