Reliable Auto DB

2021 Subaru WRX reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2021 Subaru WRX has 13 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 1 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 10 WRX years on this site. 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

13

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (6 of 13), then Engine (5) and Electrical system (2).

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 WRX has 17 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 25 complaints, 7 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

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 2021 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 (13 total)

Powertrain
6
Engine
5
Electrical system
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Seats
1
Steering
1
Suspension
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

3202212023420244202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Car battery keeps dying and is inadequately charged resulting in loss of electronics. The problem is a faulty DCM system."
    Electrical system · filed 2026-05-26
  • "Manual (not power) Driver seat is loose-rocking car only has 47000 miles but this hardware failure will get worse over time definitely a safety concern if bolt breaks it appears that the plastic washer is wearing most…"
    Seats · filed 2025-06-22
  • "In October 2024, my vehicle, a 2021 Subaru WRX STI, was purchased from a Toyota dealership (Fort Bend Sterling McCall Toyota). The dealership sold the vehicle with an oil issue and a modified ECM. This issue caused…"
    Engine · filed 2025-06-21
  • "I am filing this complaint to report a serious safety concern involving my 2021 Subaru WRX, which is currently covered under the manufacturer’s powertrain warranty as well as an extended warranty. Subaru of Ontario, an…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2025-06-11
  • "Excessive blow by contaminating MAP sensors & creating lean/rich conditions. This causes loss of power, stalling and will lead to catastrophic engine failure. EGR system is faulty"
    Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-02-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 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 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $4450
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 20 27 23 MPG $3450

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 2020 Subaru WRX Next year 2022 Subaru WRX See every Subaru WRX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Subaru WRX reliable?

The 2021 Subaru WRX has 13 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 1 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 10 WRX years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Switch.

What are common problems with a 2021 Subaru WRX?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (6 of 13), then Engine (5) and Electrical system (2).

Is the 2021 Subaru WRX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 WRX has 17 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 25 complaints, 7 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Subaru WRX been recalled?

The 2021 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 2021 Subaru WRX?

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2021 Subaru WRX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Subaru WRX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Subaru WRX is 20.7 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.