Reliable Auto DB

2023 Subaru Legacy reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2023 Subaru Legacy has 10 complaints with NHTSA after 4 years, or 3 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Legacy years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Park/neutral start switch and Driveshaft.

2012 Subaru Legacy
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

10

Per year

3

Recalls

2

Years on the road

4

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (2 of 10), then Forward collision avoidance (2) and Electrical system (1). The most filings arrived in 2025 (5 of 10). Those filings include 2 that report a crash.

Next to 2022 and 2024

The 2022 Legacy has 32 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2024 has 17 complaints, 6 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2024.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2023 Subaru Legacy. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, park/neutral start switch 2023-11-09 · NHTSA campaign 23V755000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Recall Driveshaft 2023-09-21 · NHTSA campaign 23V647000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Remedy Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.

Complaints by component (10 total)

Air bags
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Electrical system
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22023120245202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Full screen ads inhibiting, stopping, and blockingfunctionality unless interacted with from a third party service that was forcibly installed by dealership/manufacturer"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-05-21
  • "All electronic instrument panels failed to power on upon ignition. Vehicle was drive-able, but all key information provided by instrument panel was not available: such as actual speed, gear selection, engine RPMs,…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-04-24
  • "While driving home after work on the interstate, I was quite startled to see a large popup on the vehicle's main screen; initially I thought it might be some sort of vehicle-problem, but it was a large advertisement for…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-05
  • "Voice command in my 2023 legacy is not working. I can not speak into system to say call a person already entered without taking hands off steering wheel. Already reported to dealer & to corporate Subaru & it is a known…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2025-09-18
  • "This issue started on the trip back from Nashville. Upon cold start in the morning the center console display won't start. This affected infotainment, climate, eyesight, cruise etc. The system didn't work during the…"
    Forward collision avoidance · filed 2025-03-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2023 Subaru Legacy 4 DR AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Legacy all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 27 35 30 MPG $2150
Legacy all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 23 31 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

7th generation (BW), 2020–present
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.5L; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 225/50R18, 225/55R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 22V-485 covers certain 2020-2021 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles: a Transmission Control Unit programming error may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is fully clamped, so the chain can slip or break and cause loss of drive; dealers reprogram the TCU, inspect for chain slip, and replace the transmission if damage is found. Recall 24V-227 covers certain 2020-2022 Legacy and Outback vehicles: a capacitor in the Occupant Detection System sensors may crack and short, preventing front passenger air bag deployment; dealers replace the ODS sensors. Both campaigns list Legacy and Outback under shared unit totals.

Compare

Previous year 2022 Subaru Legacy Next year 2024 Subaru Legacy See every Subaru Legacy model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Subaru Legacy reliable?

The 2023 Subaru Legacy has 10 complaints with NHTSA after 4 years, or 3 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Legacy years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Park/neutral start switch and Driveshaft.

What are common problems with a 2023 Subaru Legacy?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (2 of 10), then Forward collision avoidance (2) and Electrical system (1). The most filings arrived in 2025 (5 of 10). Those filings include 2 that report a crash.

Is the 2023 Subaru Legacy more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 Legacy has 32 complaints, 9 per year, and the 2024 has 17 complaints, 6 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2024.

Has the 2023 Subaru Legacy been recalled?

The 2023 Subaru Legacy has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2023 Subaru Legacy?

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2023 Subaru Legacy with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2023 Subaru Legacy get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2023 Subaru Legacy is 28 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Legacy use?

Recent Legacy 2.5L US manuals specify 0W-20 synthetic, with 5W-30 only when 0W-20 is unavailable.

What generation is the 2021 Subaru Legacy?

7th generation / BW (2020-on).

What tire sizes does a Subaru Legacy use?

Recent US generations commonly list 225/50R18 and 225/55R17 among trim options.