GarageCalc What the data says
Electrical system accounts for about 39% of this year's Subaru WRX complaints. That is a moderate concentration; worth knowing, but complaints are spread across several areas.
The 2019 model year contributes 5 complaints (28%). Older vehicles dominate, consistent with age-related wear rather than a new defect.
Not enough 2025 complaints to compute a year-over-year trend (17 in the same window last year). Year-over-year movement is the most useful signal here: a model's sales are roughly stable from one year to the next, so a sharp rise means the per-vehicle complaint rate genuinely moved, not just that the model is popular.
How to read this
Raw complaint totals track how many Subaru WRXs are on the road as much as they track quality, so a high count on a best-seller is partly a volume story. Complaints are also self-reported: they capture what owners chose to file, not a controlled survey. Use these numbers to know where to look during a pre-purchase inspection and which recalls to check, not as a verdict on their own. Compare any car instantly in the Car Complaint Checker, or read the full 2026 study for the market-wide picture and methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Subaru WRX reliable?
Complaint counts alone cannot answer that, because they track how many are on the road as much as build quality. What the 2026 data shows: 18 NHTSA complaints so far (rank 295 of 765 models), too few 2025 complaints for a trend, with electrical system the most-cited area. Treat it as a starting point and cross-check recalls and a pre-purchase inspection for the specific vehicle.
What is the most common Subaru WRX complaint?
Electrical system: 7 of the 18 complaints filed in 2026 cite it (about 39%). That is a moderate concentration; worth knowing, but complaints are spread across several areas.
Which Subaru WRX model year has the most complaints?
The 2019 model year, with 5 of this year's 18 complaints (about 28%). Older vehicles dominate, consistent with age-related wear rather than a new defect.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, complaints received 2026-01-01..2026-08-24, compared with 2025-01-01..2025-08-24 (same window). Counted once per complaint ID, vehicles only. Aggregated data is available under CC BY 4.0 with a link to GarageCalc.