- Safety
- —
- not rated
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- 21
- combined
Open recalls on record
3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Subaru WRX
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 34
- Complaints citing a crash
- 1
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 15V366000high
Forward collision avoidance · crash imminent braking
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
Consequence
If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
- 16V162000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Consequence
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
- 22V522000high
Lighting issue
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH
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.
Consequence
Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NHTSA holds no crash-test rating for this model year.
Not every model year is tested. A missing rating is not a poor rating.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Subaru WRX, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
18
City
24
Hwy
21
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $3,600
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 420 g/mi
How this compares
At 21 MPG combined, the 2016 Subaru WRX ranks 16th of 17 compact cars EPA rated for 2016 — 7 MPG short of the 28 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the thirstiest vehicles in its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $3,600, $1,300 more than the $2,300 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $18,000, a $6,500 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 420 grams per mile — about 6.3 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
34 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 34
- Total
- 1
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE13
- ELECTRICAL8
- OTHER4
- STEERING2
- BRAKES2
Normal Range
34 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Subaru WRX, newest first.
- Recall
Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- All-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S8)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
18
City
24
Hwy
21
Comb
- Annual cost
- $3,600
- Fuel
- Premium Gasoline
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.