MODELYEARINDEX

Which Subaru Legacy years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2015, 2020 and 2016 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Subaru Legacy Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2015 vs model median 2.6×
Model median3× median
Lights & Visibility 34
Electrical 17
Fuel System 13
Avoid

2015 · 2020

Best

2012 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.03× 61 C
2011
1.18× 84 C
2012
0.35× 20 B
2013
0.66× 38 C
2014
0.70× 36 C
2015
2.61× 145 F
2016
1.31× 97 D
2017
1.07× 71 C
2018
0.97× 80 C
2019
0.89× 82 B
2020
1.57× 132 D
2021
0.47× 38 B
2022 P
0.56× 41 B
2023 P
0.22× 12 A
2024 P
0.33× 29 A
2025 P
0.23× 10 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2015 F 145 reports · median 11,200 mi

  1. Lights & Visibility 34

    The contact owns a 2015 subaru legacy. The contact stated that her visibility was obstructed when the sun reflected off the factory installed navigational system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 17

    Driving on freeway with cruise set at 72mph, reached down to the center council to grab an item, and pulled up on the electronic parking brake button. The button is located too close to reachable places. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Fuel System 13

    Almost every time I fill up with gas, when the gas pump shuts off there is a back splash of gas out of the tank. I would say anywhere from 1 to 3 ounces of gas splashes out. Depends on the pressure it's being filled at. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

24 crash · 4 fire · 14 injuries

2020 D 132 reports · median 6,089 mi

  1. Lights & Visibility 66

    The contact owns a 2020 subaru legacy. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound emitting from the windshield. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 12

    Radio and control unit randomly restarts and freezes, affecting the radio from working, the vehicle control and driving assistance options, and the two USB ports which are the only power sources in the vehicle from… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Driver Assist 12

    Crack appeared in front windshield on passenger side at approximately mid-height on the windshield. No sign of impact from foreign object and vehicle had not been driven for 2 days before the crack was noticed. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash · 1 injuries

The best year for the Legacy

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring Legacy model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2012 at 0.35× this model’s median, against 0.47× for 2021.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 0.47× 38 B
2012 0.35× 20 B
2019 0.89× 82 B

Recalls

43 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
12V602000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2010, 2011 633,842
16V694000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR 2010–2014 592,647
19V009000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 452,630
19V008000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 330,120
16V358000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 302,127
20V001000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 258,813
18V773000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2018 228,648
21V955000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) 2020 198,255
20V218000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2019 188,207
21V587000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018–2020 175,968
20V002000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2014 127,547
24V227000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER 2020–2022 118,723

+ 31 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 11,200 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Subaru Legacy years should you avoid?
2015, 2020, 2016 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Subaru Legacy model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Subaru Legacy?
2021 is the best-scoring Subaru Legacy model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Subaru Legacy have?
43 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Subaru Legacy model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 Legacy
Complaints in window
145
Severity-weighted
252.5
Model median (weighted)
97
vs model median
2.61×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
3
Open investigations
1
Score 23.9 F