SR
    SubaruReview

    Owner Reviews Archive

    Long-form ownership reports from people who've actually lived with these cars — not press fleets, not 30-minute test drives. Sorted by model, with the maintenance receipts attached.

    Subaru WRX (1)Subaru STI (1)Subaru Outback (1)Subaru Forester (1)Subaru Legacy GT (1)Subaru Crosstrek (1)Subaru BRZ (1)

    Subaru WRX

    Review #294 Would buy again

    FA20DIT pulls hard, but plan on a maintenance sprint at 60k

    2018 Subaru WRX Premium 6MT · 84,000 mi · 5 years, daily-driven

    Pros

    • Stage 1 tune transformed the part-throttle response
    • AWD made winter commuting trivial
    • Resale held shockingly well

    Cons

    • Rev-hang is real on stock tune
    • RTV oil-pan seepage at 62k — caught it before it starved a bearing
    • Insurance costs more than the payment

    Bought it certified pre-owned with 21k miles. The first three years were uneventful — synthetic oil every 5k, OEM filter, 93 octane only. At 62k I noticed weeping along the oil-pan seam; pulled it, cleaned the RTV with brake clean, re-sealed with ThreeBond 1217H per the WRX Problems Guide. No issues since. Stage 1 tune at COBB Pro Tuner network, kept the stock TMIC. Dyno verified 268 → 308 whp.

    Subaru STI

    Review #11 Would buy again

    The DCCD makes this car. Don't sleep on the driver's-diff models.

    2017 Subaru STI Limited · 47,000 mi · 3 years, weekend + track

    Pros

    • EJ257 still feels event-grade
    • DCCD locked 30% on forest roads = surreal grip
    • Brembo brakes shame the WRX

    Cons

    • Premium fuel + 19 mpg highway
    • Ringland anxiety is constant — I run a tune that pulls timing
    • Suspension is brutal on broken pavement

    Track-day curious owner. The STI's chassis tells you everything — turn-in is instant, mid-corner adjustability is via throttle alone. I run Motul 300V, change every 3k or every two track days. Plug gap at 0.024in, one step colder. Compression test at 45k: 165/162/164/161 — healthy.

    Subaru Outback

    Review #1155 Would buy again

    FA24DIT in a wagon body is the truck most people actually need

    2020 Subaru Outback Onyx XT · 62,000 mi · 4 years, family hauler

    Pros

    • 260 hp moves a loaded Outback effortlessly
    • EyeSight is genuinely useful in stop-and-go
    • Roof-rack capacity beats most crossovers

    Cons

    • Infotainment freezes ~once a month — unplug battery to reset
    • CVT shudder appeared at 48k, dealer reflash fixed it
    • RTV oil-pan issue migrated from FA20 — watch the seam

    Replaced a 2014 Forester. The XT trim is the move — non-turbo Outbacks feel underpowered with the family aboard. CVTF-II service at 30k and 60k. I keep the Starlink trial expired; don't need the connected services.

    Subaru Forester

    Review #148 Would buy again

    FB25 NA Forester is the unkillable Subaru most people forget about

    2019 Subaru Forester Sport · 71,000 mi · 5 years

    Pros

    • Fuel economy actually matches EPA (28 combined)
    • Visibility is best-in-class
    • Zero electrical gremlins in 5 years

    Cons

    • Acceleration is honest 0–60 in 9 seconds
    • CVT drone on long uphills
    • Oil consumption — 1 quart per 3,500 mi, within Subaru spec but annoying

    Boring in the best way. Snow tires on steel wheels Nov–April. Cabin air filter every 15k (people forget this). Brake fluid flush at 60k — Subaru calls for it and most dealers skip it.

    Subaru Legacy GT

    Review #386 Would buy again

    The stealth wagon that made me a Subaru lifer

    2007 Subaru Legacy GT Spec.B 6MT · 138,000 mi · 9 years

    Pros

    • EJ255 + 6MT + Bilsteins from the factory
    • Looks like a base Legacy, runs with M3s
    • Long-roof cargo with sedan handling

    Cons

    • Banjo bolt oil-pickup restriction is a known killer — get the upgraded pickup
    • Headgaskets eventually leaked at 110k
    • Parts support thinning out

    Bought used in 2017 with 70k. Rebuilt the engine at 115k with closed-deck block, ARP studs, upgraded oil pickup (the famous fix). Tuned on E85, 320 whp, daily-drivable. The Spec.B is the unicorn — 500 made, hand-assembled suspension. If you find one for under $15k, buy it.

    Subaru Crosstrek

    Review #751 Wouldn't buy again

    Capable but slow. The Crosstrek is for the lifestyle, not the drive.

    2021 Subaru Crosstrek Limited · 39,000 mi · 3 years

    Pros

    • AWD + 8.7in clearance handles real trails
    • Sub-$28k as-tested in 2021
    • Tiny footprint, easy parking

    Cons

    • 152 hp is genuinely inadequate on the highway
    • CVT is at full lockup constantly merging
    • Infotainment is the same buggy unit as the Outback

    I bought this expecting a tall Impreza. It's slower than that. If you spend most of your time off-pavement — fire roads, trailheads, snow — it's brilliant. If you commute on freeways, get the Wilderness or skip to a Forester XT-equivalent.

    Subaru BRZ

    Review #1361 Would buy again

    Gen-2 BRZ fixed the only real complaint about gen-1: midrange torque

    2022 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT · 28,000 mi · 2 years, weekend + autocross

    Pros

    • FA24 NA pulls cleanly to 7,500 rpm
    • Steering feel is the best you can buy under $40k
    • Aftermarket support is enormous

    Cons

    • No AWD — the only non-AWD on this list, intentionally
    • Stock tires (Michelin Primacy) are economy garbage; first thing to swap
    • Cabin gets loud above 75 mph

    Daily-driven in the dry months, garaged for winter. Track tires on a separate set of wheels (Pilot Sport 4S). 5W-30 every 5k, brake fluid Motul RBF600 every season. Zero issues — the FA24 in a 2,800 lb chassis is the platonic ideal.

    Looking for something deeper?

    Ready to buy or refresh your current build?

    Pull the WRX Problems Guide to schedule your maintenance sprint, then jump to the forthcoming Legacy GT and Outback hubs for adjacent research.

    WRX Problems GuideBrowse All Model Hubs

    Next up: Legacy GT + Outback hubs, followed by WRX media upgrades — check back as new guides drop.