Reliable Auto DB

2020 Subaru WRX reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2020 Subaru WRX holds 17 complaints after 7 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most WRX years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Switch.

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

17

Per year

3

Recalls

1

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 17), then Engine (3) and Visibility and wipers (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 WRX has 30 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 13 complaints, 1 per year. The 2020 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

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 2020 Subaru WRX. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

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.

Complaints by component (17 total)

Electrical system
5
Engine
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Powertrain
2
Seat belts
2
Service brakes
2
Air bags
1
Back-over prevention
1
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Wheels
1
Show 2 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12019220203202142022120232202442025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while the transmission was shifted into neutral (N), the instrument panel displayed that the transmission was shifted in reverse (R), and the rearview camera…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Back-over prevention · filed 2025-10-17
  • "The head unit started to delaminate and ghost touching"
    Unknown or other · filed 2025-08-29
  • "2020 WRX: TR690 (CVT) transmission that the car came equipped with, began leaking between the engine and (CVT) transmission, it was noticed during an oil change at 71686 miles but not identified as (CVT) transmission…"
    Powertrain · filed 2025-07-28
  • "Parasitic battery problem My car battery keeps dying on my Subaru sti 2020 after one day of not driving. I have had the car checked with Subaru dealership and a local shop but no issues were found. This morning I had to…"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-01-07
  • "I purchased the vehicle used with 33800 miles and at 34100 the engine stalled and was hard to start, once started it was knocking severely. I have seen a class action law suit based on the same issues but the 2020 model…"
    Engine · filed 2024-09-23

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Subaru WRX 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
WRX 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3800
WRX 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $3450
WRX 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 22 19 MPG $4200

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 2019 Subaru WRX Next year 2021 Subaru WRX See every Subaru WRX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Subaru WRX reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2020 Subaru WRX holds 17 complaints after 7 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most WRX years here — under the median of the other years, which is 5. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Switch.

What are common problems with a 2020 Subaru WRX?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 17), then Engine (3) and Visibility and wipers (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2020 Subaru WRX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 WRX has 30 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 13 complaints, 1 per year. The 2020 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Subaru WRX been recalled?

The 2020 Subaru WRX has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Subaru WRX?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2020 Subaru WRX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Subaru WRX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Subaru WRX is 21 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.