Subaru Legacy Reliability
4,128 NHTSA complaints (1987–2025). Complaint rate: 130.0 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2010–2011 Subaru Legacy. The 2021–2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Subaru Legacy Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 339 | 2.4% |
| AIR BAGS | 291 | 20.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 282 | 5.0% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 273 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE | 213 | 4.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 209 | 2.9% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 188 | 25.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 137 | 10.9% |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 107 | 73.8% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 103 | 5.8% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | — | 103 | 4 | 2 | View 1990View→ |
| 1991 | — | 121 | 6 | — | View 1991View→ |
| 1992GOOD | — | 66 | 8 | — | View 1992View→ |
| 1993 | — | 90 | 9 | 1 | View 1993View→ |
| 1994GOOD | — | 67 | 7 | 5 | View 1994View→ |
| 1995AVOID | — | 230 | 39 | 7 | View 1995View→ |
| 1996 | — | 161 | 32 | 4 | View 1996View→ |
| 1997AVOID | — | 179 | 22 | 2 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998 | — | 155 | 22 | 2 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999 | — | 119 | 28 | 1 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000 | — | 119 | 10 | 4 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001 | — | 90 | 12 | 2 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002GOOD | — | 71 | 5 | 1 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003GOOD | — | 69 | 5 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004GOOD | — | 55 | 5 | — | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | — | 247 | 22 | 7 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | — | 135 | 11 | 1 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | — | 45 | 1 | 8 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008 | — | 83 | 3 | 1 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009 | — | 75 | 4 | 1 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010AVOID | — | 218 | 18 | 3 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011AVOID | — | 234 | 11 | 4 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012 | — | 117 | 9 | — | View 2012View→ |
| 2013 | — | 84 | 8 | — | View 2013View→ |
| 2014 | — | 73 | 8 | 4 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015AVOID | — | 232 | 32 | 5 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016AVOID | — | 188 | 12 | — | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | — | 140 | 13 | 2 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018 | — | 155 | 14 | 3 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019 | — | 140 | 6 | 1 | View 2019View→ |
| 2020 | — | 140 | 1 | 2 | View 2020View→ |
| 2021GOOD | — | 42 | 0 | — | View 2021View→ |
| 2022GOOD | — | 39 | 1 | 1 | View 2022View→ |
| 2023GOOD | — | 10 | 2 | — | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | — | 23 | 0 | 1 | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | — | 10 | 0 | — | View 2025View→ |
See also: Subaru Legacyaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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