VehicleVerdict

Subaru Legacy years to avoid

The Subaru Legacy years to avoid are 2005, 2011, 2015, 1995, 2010, 2016, 1997, 2018, 1996, 1998, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2006, 2003, 2004 — each drew complaint volumes well above the model's norm or has an open safety investigation. The 1989 is the cleanest year on record.

4,165

Total complaints

83

Recall campaigns

1987–2025

Years covered

16

Years to avoid

Complaints by model year

Subaru Legacy NHTSA complaints by model year250 complaints1987: 1 complaints1988: 1 complaints1989: 1 complaints1990: 103 complaints1991: 121 complaints1992: 66 complaints1993: 90 complaints1994: 67 complaints1995: 230 complaints1996: 161 complaints1997: 179 complaints1998: 155 complaints1999: 119 complaints2000: 119 complaints2001: 90 complaints2002: 71 complaints2003: 69 complaints2004: 55 complaints2005: 250 complaints2006: 135 complaints2007: 45 complaints2008: 83 complaints2009: 75 complaints2010: 218 complaints2011: 236 complaints2012: 119 complaints2013: 84 complaints2014: 73 complaints2015: 232 complaints2016: 193 complaints2017: 140 complaints2018: 162 complaints2019: 143 complaints2020: 143 complaints2021: 43 complaints2022: 42 complaints2023: 12 complaints2024: 29 complaints2025: 10 complaints
Subaru Legacy NHTSA complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Legacy years to avoid

YearWhyComplaints
2005High complaints + open investigation250
2011High complaint rate236
2015High complaints + open investigation232
1995High complaint rate230
2010High complaint rate218
2016High complaints + open investigation193
1997High complaint rate179
2018High complaint rate162
1996High complaint rate161
1998High complaint rate155
2020High complaint rate143
2019High complaint rate143
2017High complaints + open investigation140
2006High complaint rate135
2003Open safety investigation69
2004Open safety investigation55

Every Legacy year

YearComplaintsRecalls
2025100
2024290
2023122
2022422
2021433
2020avoid1436
2019avoid1433
2018avoid1623
2017avoid1402
2016avoid1933
2015avoid2323
20147310
20138412
201211916
2011avoid23616
2010avoid21818
20097513
2008839
2007459
2006avoid1357
2005avoid2509
2004avoid5511
2003avoid6915
2002715
2001908
20001194
19991193
1998avoid1555
1997avoid1796
1996avoid1614
1995avoid2302
1994670
1993901
1992662
19911213
19901034
198910
198810
198710

Common questions

What are the worst Subaru Legacy years?

Based on NHTSA complaint rates and open investigations, the Legacy years to avoid are 2005, 2011, 2015, 1995, 2010, 2016, 1997, 2018, 1996, 1998, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2006, 2003, 2004. The cleanest year on record is 1989.

What is the best year for the Subaru Legacy?

By complaint volume, 1989 has the cleanest NHTSA record among Legacy years with enough data to compare.

How many recalls does the Subaru Legacy have?

Across all model years, the Legacy has 83 distinct NHTSA recall campaigns and 4,165 consumer complaints on file.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through August 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated August 28, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.