The short version
The WRX is the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive performance version of Subaru's compact sedan. It reached the US for the 2002 model year as a trim of the Impreza, and it became a model in its own right with the 2015 redesign. Since then it has been a sedan only, with a manual gearbox as the core choice and an automatic offered as an option.
People buy used WRXs for the same reasons they always have: grip in bad weather, a car that feels quick without being exotic, and a huge aftermarket. That last point is also the main risk. Many WRXs have been tuned, lowered, launched, tracked or driven in snow and rain every winter. A stock, well-kept car is a very different purchase from an unknown car with a custom engine tune, so this guide spends a lot of time on how to tell them apart.
This site's model-year reports cover the 2015 to 2019 cars. Those are the years most shoppers compare, and the federal data for them is detailed enough to point you at specific things to inspect.
Generations at a glance
First generation (2002-2007). The WRX arrived in the US as a trim of the Impreza, as a sedan and a wagon. It was the car that introduced a lot of American drivers to turbocharged all-wheel drive. Over those years the front styling changed more than once, so cars from the early, middle and late part of this run look quite different. These are now old enough that condition, rust and a long list of previous owners matter more than the model year.
Second generation (2008-2014). The WRX was still part of the Impreza range, now offered as a sedan and a hatchback. This generation is a common used-car search, and it sits right next to the newer car on a lot or in a classified listing. It is a different design underneath, so reports for the newer cars do not apply to it.
Third generation (2015-2021). For 2015 the WRX was split off from the Impreza and sold as its own model, and it moved to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with direct fuel injection. It came as a sedan with a six-speed manual, and an optional continuously variable automatic. This is the generation covered by our reports. Subaru gave the car a styling and equipment update for the 2018 model year.
Fourth generation (2022 and newer). An all-new WRX arrived for 2022 with a larger engine. It is still too new to count as a bargain used car for most buyers, and we do not cover it here.
The STI question
Subaru also sold a WRX STI, a more focused and more expensive version aimed at track days and rally-style driving. Shoppers cross-shop it constantly, and the STI name shows up in owner complaints about WRX model years. The federal recall and complaint data may not separate the two cleanly. Some recalls name only the WRX, some name both, and some owner complaints describe an STI that was filed under the WRX record. So treat any number on a WRX page as a rough guide, and always check the specific car's VIN for recalls rather than relying on the badge.
Which used years to research first
There is no clear "good year, bad year" split in this generation, and we are not going to invent one. What the data does show are patterns worth checking on every car.
- 2015 and 2016. These are the early cars, and they carry the most recall history of the five years. A turbocharger air intake duct recall covers only cars built in a specific window in 2015, and some owners say their cracked duct fell outside it. 2016 also has a narrow brake-switch recall that applies to only one build date. Early cars are also where owners most often describe clutch and release bearing trouble.
- 2017. Has the highest crash and injury counts of the five years in our data, so go through the history report and the repair records carefully. Look for steering, battery and clutch repairs in particular.
- 2018 and 2019. The 2018 update brought a newer look and a fuel pump recall. 2019 has the cleanest incident record, with no reported crashes, fires or injuries in the data, but it is also the newest and has had the least time to collect complaints. Do not read a short complaint list as proof of a trouble-free car.
Across all five years, a few themes repeat in owner complaints: engine failures that owners link to internal bearing damage, clutch release bearing trouble on manual cars, battery drain, and a backup light switch that was recalled for every year here. None of these happen to every car. They are reasons to ask questions and to inspect, not reasons to walk away.
Modified cars, tracked cars and tunes
A WRX is more likely than a typical commuter car to have been modified. Ask directly whether the car is stock. If it is not, ask for a list of parts, who installed them, who tuned the engine, and whether the original parts are included. Be cautious about any car where the seller is vague.
Some owners report that dealerships declined to work on their cars when aftermarket parts or a tune were present, even for recall-related repairs. If you plan to use a dealer for warranty or recall work, a heavily modified car can make that harder. Also ask about track use, because brakes, tires, cooling and the clutch take the most abuse there.
How to use the model-year reports
Each report covers one year in the same order: a quick take, what changed, the trouble spots owners describe most, the recalls, a test-drive checklist, and what to do before you pay. Read the reports for the year you want and for the years either side of it, because the cars are similar and a better example may be one year over.
Use the complaint data to decide what to look at on a test drive, not to rank cars. A count of complaints does not tell you how many cars were sold or how many had no problem at all.
Whatever car you pick, run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup, because repairs for open recalls are free at a dealer. Then pay for an independent pre-purchase inspection from a shop that knows turbocharged Subarus. It is the best protection against a hidden problem or a bad modification.
Here are the model-year reports: