Subaru Maintenance Costs Rank The Worst Among All Mainstream Car Brands

Where do Subaru’s maintenance costs rank with those of other car brands? Subaru ranks in the bottom ten among all car brands and worst among mainstream brands. Check out the updated Consumer Reports data here.   

In this report, I’ll compare Subaru’s maintenance costs over 1-5 years and 6-10 years with those of other car brands. I’ll also show that Subaru’s total ten-year costs rank in the bottom ten among all car brands and worst among mainstream brands, according to updated data from Consumer Reports.

The new CR report (by subscription) says Subaru ranks the worst of all mainstream car brands. Subaru’s maintenance costs are the highest, along with luxury car brands notorious for high maintenance. 

Below, I show the cumulative costs for years one through five, years six through 10, and total costs for ten years. From what I see in this report, Subaru is ranked 20th overall by the full 10-year costs compared with 29 mainstream and luxury car brands. 

How Does CR Calculate Subaru’s Maintenance Costs? 

CR says, “To better understand how costs increase over time and differ by brand, we asked members in our 2023 Annual Auto Surveys to tell us how much they paid out of pocket for their total maintenance (oil changes, etc.) and repairs during the previous 12 months.”

“We found that there are significant differences in costs as cars age, underscoring how maintenance and repair expenses rise over time.” 

What Are Subaru’s Maintenance Costs?

• Subaru’s maintenance costs over 1-5 years is $1,700
• Subaru’s maintenance costs over 6-10 years is $5,500
• Subaru’s total 10-year maintenance cost is $7,200

Subaru’s maintenance costs are ranked highest among luxury car brands.

Surprisingly, that puts Subaru just ahead of luxury brands BMW ($9,500), Audi ($9,890), Mercedes-Benz ($10,525), and Porsche ($10,090) who were the worst car brands with the highest maintenance costs. 

Consumer Reports says, “At the opposite end of the rankings, several German automakers are clustered as the most expensive brands, namely Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.”

I see several important maintenance pointers Subaru customers should know about. 

Why Are Subaru Maintenance Costs So High?

What are Subaru maintenance services? From what I’ve found, Subaru’s regular maintenance is more expensive than that of the top car brands and not easy to do yourself.

Subaru Maintenance Is Unusual 

First, Subaru has a different powertrain design. All vehicles except the BRZ sports coupe come standard with all-wheel drive. And its engines are horizontally opposed concerning its cylinders. Subaru calls this a “Boxer engine.”

Some Subaru Maintenance Needs To Be Performed More Often

Because of Subaru’s unusual powertrain, owners can expect to perform differential fluid changes more often than they would with a conventional vehicle.

Subaru recommends changing the spark plugs every 60,000 miles, which is an adventure that I’ve found the average owner cannot perform. The engine mounts are disconnected and lifted slightly to allow the Subaru technician access to the plugs, which are snugly situated against the sides of the engine bay.

Subaru CVT Fluid Change

Another exceptional service is the continuously variable transmission (CVT) fluid change. The vehicle needs to be running while on the lift to change the fluid. You’ll also need OEM Subaru CVT fluid when you do this service. 

I’ve found Subaru’s regular maintenance services are more expensive because they are more comprehensive and involve Subaru’s unique drivetrain. However, if they are performed as recommended, your vehicle’s life will be prolonged.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this used Subaru maintenance report. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

YOUR TURN

What is your experience with Subaru maintenance? Click on the Add New Comment red link below.

If you have any Subaru questions, send them to me through The Dirty Subaru website, and I will answer them. 

I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News and Subaru reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You’ll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru