Subaru Legacy ReliabilityAll Years Ranked (1990–2025)
Side-by-side AutoScores, risk levels, and owner-cost projections for every Subaru Legacy we've analyzed. Identify the best years to buy, the ones to avoid, and the problems that follow the Legacy across generations.
Average AutoScore
78/100
Best Year
2023 Subaru Legacy
Score 89
Weakest Year
1990 Subaru Legacy
Score 68
Every Subaru Legacy Ranked
Sorted by AutoScore. Each link opens the full year-specific report.
A top-tier choice for safety and all-weather capability, with a solid mechanical foundation that just needs proactive care.
Top risks: Infotainment System · Minor Electrical Sensors · CVT Long-Term Performance
A supremely safe and capable sedan, the Legacy offers peace of mind with only minor, predictable maintenance demands.
Top risks: Lineartronic CVT Transmission · Electrical/Infotainment System · Wheel Bearings
A supremely confident and safe daily driver, with only minor tech hiccups to consider.
Top risks: Infotainment System · CV Joint Boots · Oxygen (O2) / Air-Fuel Sensors
A steadfast, all-weather sedan that prioritizes safety and traction with only a few minor digital age quirks.
Top risks: Infotainment System · Lineartronic CVT (long-term) · Wheel Bearings
A supremely safe and reliable sedan, provided you give its advanced transmission and tech the attention they deserve.
Top risks: Lineartronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) · Infotainment System · Front Suspension Components
A supremely safe and capable sedan, the Legacy offers exceptional reliability with proper CVT care.
Top risks: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) · Infotainment System · Wheel Bearings
A highly reliable, safe sedan that delivers confident all-weather performance with minimal long-term surprises.
Top risks: Infotainment System · Wheel Bearings · HVAC Blower Motor
A secure and sensible choice for year-round driving, provided you commit to its specific maintenance needs.
Top risks: Lineartronic CVT Transmission · Front Wheel Bearings · HVAC Blower Motor & Resistor
A reliable, safe, and practical sedan, the 2018 Legacy offers excellent all-weather capability but demands attentive powertrain maintenance.
Top risks: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) · Engine Oil Consumption (2.5L FB25) · Infotainment System
A safe and capable sedan, but its CVT requires a thorough inspection to ensure long-term peace of mind.
Top risks: Lineartronic CVT · Wheel Bearings · Electrical/Infotainment
A safe, all-weather champion that offers excellent value, provided you commit to diligent CVT maintenance.
Top risks: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) · Infotainment System (Starlink) · Front Suspension Components
A weather-conquering sedan that delivers on safety and AWD, but requires careful scrutiny of its powertrain.
Top risks: Transmission (CVT) · Engine (2.5L FB25) Oil Consumption · Suspension Components
A surprisingly durable workhorse for its age, but inspect carefully for rust and deferred maintenance.
Top risks: Rust and Body Corrosion · Timing Belt System · Suspension & Steering Bushings
A tenacious all-weather warrior, but past its prime and requires a thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on the engine's crucial seals and overall structural integrity.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Body and Frame Rust · Suspension & Steering Components
A capable AWD sedan that offers a solid driving experience, provided you address its critical engine and rust vulnerabilities head-on.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (N/A 2.5L) · Rust and Corrosion · Suspension Components
A capable, AWD sedan that offers value, but only if its well-known engine vulnerabilities have been addressed or budgeted for.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L N/A) · Timing Belt & Water Pump Service · Turbocharger & Oil Feed (2.5L Turbo GT)
A capable all-weather sedan that delivers excellent traction and safety, but requires careful scrutiny of its engine's health to avoid costly repairs.
Top risks: Engine (Head Gaskets) · Suspension Components · Cooling System
A capable AWD sedan that delivers on practicality but demands careful scrutiny of its powertrain before purchase.
Top risks: Engine (2.5L H4) · Transmission (CVT) · Electrical System
A practical sedan with great AWD, but be vigilant about the transmission and engine health before buying.
Top risks: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) · Engine Oil Consumption (2.5L FB25) · Rust and Corrosion
A well-engineered, all-weather classic that rewards diligent maintenance with surprising longevity, but beware of its specific age-related weaknesses.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Body and Frame Rust · Electrical System
A rugged AWD sedan or wagon that's great in bad weather, but requires vigilance regarding its well-known engine and rust issues.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Rust and Corrosion · Electrical System
A practical AWD sedan with known flaws; buy with an understanding of its specific maintenance demands.
Top risks: Engine (2.5L Head Gaskets) · Structural Rust & Corrosion · Suspension & Steering Components
A capable, old-school AWD sedan that demands proactive maintenance to mitigate its aging-related Achilles' heels.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Body & Undercarriage Rust · Suspension Components
A practical AWD workhorse, but only if its critical engine flaw has been expertly addressed or is planned for.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L EJ25D) · Body & Chassis Rust · Front & Rear Suspension Components
A high-value AWD workhorse, but only for those who are prepared to proactively address its engine's Achilles' heel.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L DOHC) · Rust and Corrosion · Power Steering System
A capable AWD sedan or wagon that delivers if its infamous head gasket weakness is addressed or proactively managed.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L SOHC) · Body & Chassis Rust · Front Suspension Components
A capable AWD sedan that requires diligent inspection and proactive maintenance to mitigate its well-known weaknesses.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (Non-Turbo EJ25) · Turbocharger (GT Models) · Rust and Corrosion
A capable AWD sedan hampered by a notorious engine flaw and age-related wear, demanding careful inspection and proactive maintenance.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L SOHC) · Power Steering System · Wheel Bearings
A practical AWD sedan with known Achilles' heels that demand careful pre-purchase scrutiny and diligent maintenance.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5i) · Lineartronic CVT (2.5i) · Oil Consumption (2.5i)
A practical AWD sedan that requires diligent maintenance and a careful pre-purchase inspection, especially of the transmission.
Top risks: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) · Engine Oil Consumption (2.5L FB25) · Wheel Bearings
A rugged all-weather champion from the past, but its age demands careful scrutiny and a budget for known major repairs.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Rust & Corrosion · Electrical System
A capable AWD wagon or sedan, but head gasket roulette and chassis rust make pre-purchase inspection absolutely critical.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Chassis Rust and Corrosion · Power Steering System
A go-anywhere workhorse that rewards meticulous maintenance, but punishes neglect with costly age-related repairs.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets · Rust and Body Corrosion · Electrical System
A capable AWD vehicle that demands thorough inspection for head gasket history and rust before purchase.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L DOHC EJ25D) · Rust and Structural Corrosion · Power Steering System
A rugged, capable companion often undermined by a notorious engine flaw that demands immediate attention and diligent preventative care.
Top risks: Engine (2.5L H4 Head Gaskets) · Rust and Corrosion · Automatic Transmission
A practical AWD choice, but prepare for major engine repairs and meticulous rust checks.
Top risks: Engine Head Gaskets (2.5L EJ25) · Rust and Corrosion · Suspension & Steering Components
Problems That Follow the Legacy Across Generations
Issues that appear in the top-3 risks across multiple model years — the cost of ownership you can actually predict.
Engine Head Gaskets
Appears in 7 model years · 19% of generations
Rust and Corrosion
Appears in 7 model years · 19% of generations
Wheel Bearings
Appears in 7 model years · 19% of generations
Infotainment System
Appears in 7 model years · 19% of generations
Electrical System
Appears in 5 model years · 14% of generations
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Appears in 5 model years · 14% of generations
Suspension Components
Appears in 4 model years · 11% of generations
Power Steering System
Appears in 4 model years · 11% of generations
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