Reliable Auto DB

2018 Subaru WRX reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Subaru WRX has 42 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 6 per year. That is more complaints per year than most WRX years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Switch and Fuel pump.

2015 Subaru WRX
Photo by Zytonits, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
Complaints

42

Per year

6

Recalls

2

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 42), then Electrical system (10) and Steering (7). Those filings include 5 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 WRX has 53 complaints, 5 per year, and the 2019 has 30 complaints, 3 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

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 2018 Subaru WRX. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall exterior lighting, backup lights, switch 2022-07-21 · NHTSA campaign 22V522000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
Recall Fuel pump 2021-07-29 · NHTSA campaign 21V587000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

Complaints by component (42 total)

Engine
11
Electrical system
10
Steering
7
Fuel and propulsion system
6
Powertrain
6
Visibility and wipers
4
Air bags
3
Wheels
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Service brakes
1
Structure
1
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Crash-flagged

5

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12017420186201962020420214202222023820244202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Refused to change the rear catalyst due to a modification. I said I would return it back to the original factory tune and they said it was impossible and refused to do it. The tune physically wouldn’t stop them from…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-01
  • "Subaru Orange Coast and Ocean Subaru of Fullerton refused to work on my recall due to my car has aftermarket parts not related to the recall. The dealership is very keen in extorting money to the naïve customers instead…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-06
  • "2/17/2026 Mileage 96,000 Subaru case number Case # 260217-2101937 Vehicle intermittently indicates reverse gear while driving forward at speed. Backup camera activates and reverse lights illuminate while in forward…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-02-17
  • "Oil changes always done, no modifications to vehicle. Driving down road lights all come one and car starts smoking. Rod broke and put hole in engine."
    Engine · filed 2025-08-26
  • "Shortly after purchase (within 1 month), a strong raw gasoline vapor odor began entering the passenger cabin, strongest near the driver’s side rear seat and rear wheel well area. The odor intensifies at idle and after…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-08-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Subaru WRX 4 DR AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

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
WRX 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $3450
WRX 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3800
WRX 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 17 22 19 MPG $4200
WRX STI Type RA 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $4450

Specs and fitment

VA generation, 2015–2021
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-30 synthetic (FA20 turbo) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 245/40R18, 245/35R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V522000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse. Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Subaru WRX Next year 2019 Subaru WRX See every Subaru WRX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Subaru WRX reliable?

The 2018 Subaru WRX has 42 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 6 per year. That is more complaints per year than most WRX years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Switch and Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2018 Subaru WRX?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 42), then Electrical system (10) and Steering (7). Those filings include 5 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Subaru WRX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 WRX has 53 complaints, 5 per year, and the 2019 has 30 complaints, 3 per year. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Subaru WRX been recalled?

The 2018 Subaru WRX 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 2018 Subaru WRX?

Owners have filed 42 complaints about the 2018 Subaru WRX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Subaru WRX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Subaru WRX is 20.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Subaru WRX take?

VA (2015-2021 FA20 turbo) and VB (2022+ FA24 turbo) US models commonly use 5W-30 synthetic (about 5.1 qt VA; about 5.4 qt VB with filter).

Does NHTSA recall 22V522000 cover the Subaru WRX?

It covers certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles: the backup light switch may corrode and prevent the reverse lamps from illuminating; dealers replace the switch.

What generation is a 2020 Subaru WRX?

VA generation (2015-2021). The VB redesign starts in 2022.