Short answer
Among Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport model years through 2024, 2016, 2020 and 2022 have the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (1) and 2010 has the most (15). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 25 (2002–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 51
- Fewest recalls
- 2016, 2020 and 2022 (1)
- Most recalls
- 2010 (15)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (64)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2013, 2014, 2015 and 10 more years
Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 0 | 5 stars | None on record |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Power train |
| 2023 | 2 | 5 stars | Exterior lighting, Power train |
| 2022 | 1 | 5 stars | Visibility |
| 2021 | 2 | 5 stars | Power train, Suspension |
| 2020 | 1 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Fuel system, gasoline, Exterior lighting |
| 2018 | 5 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting |
| 2017 | 7 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Back over prevention |
| 2016 | 1 | 5 stars | Exterior lighting |
| 2015 | 2 | 5 stars | Exterior lighting, Forward collision avoidance |
| 2014 | 3 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting |
| 2013 | 4 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling, Equipment |
| 2012 | 6 | 4 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2011 | 14 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2010 | 15 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2009 | 14 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2008 | 14 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2007 | 9 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2006 | 10 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2005 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2004 | 8 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Suspension |
| 2003 | 6 | Not rated | Fuel system, gasoline, Latches/locks/linkages, Power train |
| 2002 | 6 | Not rated | Fuel system, gasoline, Latches/locks/linkages, Power train |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20260 recalls
- 20250 recalls
- 20242 recalls
- 20232 recalls
- 20221 recall
- 20212 recalls
- 20201 recall
- 20195 recalls
- 20185 recalls
- 20177 recalls
- 20161 recall
- 20152 recalls
- 20143 recalls
- 20134 recalls
- 20126 recalls
- 201114 recalls
- 201015 recalls
- 200914 recalls
- 200814 recalls
- 20079 recalls
- 200610 recalls
- 20056 recalls
- 20048 recalls
- 20036 recalls
- 20026 recalls
Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport recalls are air bags (64), electrical system (18), exterior lighting (13), service brakes, hydraulic (9) and engine and engine cooling (8). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 14 of these 25 model years, and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 10 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2016, 2020 and 2022 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 1 each.
Which Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport model years have the most recalls?
2010 has the most, with 15 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Impreza/Outback Sport", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy