Subaru WRX — the 10 years we've written up
2015–2024, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 6 of the 10 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 10 Subaru WRX model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Subaru built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Subaru WRX by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
Six-speed manual: shifter slipping past the 6th-gear gate toward reverse, and a gear breaking under load — $3,000–$6,000 for a transmission rebuild or replacement outside warranty
Front driveshaft outer race can crack and break — loss of drive or rollaway (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Factory RTV sealant breaking off inside the oil pan and clogging the oil pickup screen — $300–$800 to drop the pan and clean the pickup; $8,000–$12,000 for a replacement engine if it starves
EJ25 ringland failure on modified or tracked engines — $4,000–$12,000 short block rebuild or replacement
Battery drains after a day parked; telematics module blamed by an independent shop — $200–$400 for a battery; $150–$600 to trace and fix the drain
Rod bearing and piston failure on the FA20DIT, typically between 60,000 and 80,000 miles — $5,000–$12,000 for a short block or replacement engine
Spun rod bearing or thrown rod on the FA20DIT — the largest cluster, with five-figure bills — $5,000–$12,000 for a short block or a new engine
FA20DIT engine failure — spun bearings or cracked piston ringlands, often with no warning — $5,000–$9,000 for a short block or replacement engine
Turbo air intake duct cracks and can stall the engine — recalled, and owners say the new duct cracks too — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $150–$400 for a replacement duct or intercooler coupler outside it
Abuse / modification / tuning — Not a repair — an ownership-cost warning, not a mechanical fault
4 of these 10 have no high-severity issue in our write-up. That means we didn't find an expensive recurring fault — not that one cannot exist on the specific vehicle you're looking at.
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Subaru WRX in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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