Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru WRX, and it carries 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 23% |
| Engine | 6 | 20% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 7% |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that the driver's-side rear rim spoke was cracked in two pieces. The contact stated that new tires were installed on the vehicle. The contact replaced the tire with
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
The cam carriers for my vehicle are leaking oil. This is an incredible common, seemingly almost guaranteed, issue with these vehicles from Subaru at the 75-90k mile mark. The carrier are dripping oil, so worse than seepi
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
fuel pump cut off intermeeting mager loss off power tech at subaru refuse to repair car has 72000 miles on well manetane
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I'm driving down the road and unexpectedly the power steering completely goes out and the car is almost impossible to steer. When I shut the car off it usually resets sometimes for only a couple seconds, sometimes longer
NHTSA complaint: Steering
At 77,000 miles, my vehicle suffered a major failure where the #2 connecting rod and piston were destroyed, requiring a short block replacement. This repair was performed by Autonation West Subaru in Golden, Colorado and
NHTSA complaint: Engine
There is what looks to be water spots inside the radio screen causing the radio to malfunction. After reading online this is happening to many cars my same year and the website mentioned a recall for this issue. I have l
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
With 61,700 miles on the car the engine lost a rod bearing going around a sharp corner on and off ramp of interstate highway. If failure had caused block to crack or break it would have put oil down on the highway and wo
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Mid-Drive the Airbag (SRS) light came on indicating here was a fault in the system. After some diagnostic testing it was determined that there was a fault in the Occupant detection system causing the vehicle to not activ
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 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 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Sub
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 | 84 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 71 | good |
| Depreciation | 91 | excellent |
| Performance | 62 | average |
| Efficiency | 39 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 7 of them (23%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 84/100 (excellent) 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 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2019 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 75/100. 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.