Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru WRX, and it carries 1 recall. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 9 | 17% |
| Engine | 7 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 13% |
| Air bags | 3 | 6% |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 6% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 6% |
| Steering | 2 | 4% |
| Power train | 1 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 2% |
| Back over prevention | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Experienced catastrophic engine failure with no known cause. The car had been inspected and had an oil change 3,000 miles prior to the incident. Thankfully, I had already exited the thruway and was on a quiet backroad bu
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Car all the sudden stall/ lock up tires at high way speeds due to sudden no warning engine failure causing a massive safety concern My car locked up during a normal drive up a slowly passing a semi when my car died no
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Hit a deer. Airbags did not deploy, however I have reasonable suspicion to believe my head hit the A pillar during impact.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Going about 55mph, I struck a deer head on. It struck towards the center, but more so on the passenger side. During the impact, no airbags deployed, however, based off IIHS videos, it seems likely that they should have.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Likely secondary air injection pump and/or its related relays, CEL P2444 came on 3 separate times. November 2024, brought it in to get replaced under warranty, came on again the day after picking her up in December 2024
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The current issues with my recently purchased used vehicle are as follows: Clutch, odometer tampering, steering rack, 2 axle leaks, electrical issues, inspection issues. I tried to see if the dealership that I bought th
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru WRX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V522000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that while reversing, the backup lights intermittently failed to illuminat
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while reversing, the reverse back up switch was activated; however, the reverse lights and the back over prevention camera feature failed to activate as designe
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Subaru WRX. 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 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-8
| Reliability raw | 79 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 71 | good |
| Depreciation | 93 | excellent |
| Performance | 62 | average |
| Efficiency | 40 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 9 of them (17%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 79/100 (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 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2017 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. 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.