Does this account for driving habits? I’ve just purchased a Subaru WRX, and I can’t fight the feeling that the reliability score is in some way influenced by the hoards of idiots that flock to this car for its tuning and hooning potential.
Pow, right in the feels :’)
But in reality, I suspect this has more to do with the following two things:
1. The STi package has always had abysmal fuel economy, and I believe there are regulations that enforce an average fuel economy across an entire manufacturers fleet
2. Many (most?) of the modders and hooners are put off by the price. In fact, most aren’t really interested in a track car, but rather in a cheap, fast box to drag race between traffic lights.
P.s. the new BRZ might also be stealing a bit of the market, despite the reverse-Zoolander issue it faces with oil pressure…
Re 1: I really hope they bring out a refreshed version, but I have a feeling that may not happen for a while… at least while batteries weigh what they do. Maybe a full EV version some day?
Re 2: yeah the STi was hardly affordable to (my guess) the majority of the crowd that’s into them.
I should have snagged an STi instead of the standard WRX when I had the chance. I love my wrx though, so much fun to drive.
I'd never get a WRX though.
Build quality and ride comfort though, not so much. They're rough and tumble machines, not luxury sedans (well, the Legacy is nice enough, not seems silly to get that over a Toyota).
Speaking of Toyota, they own part of Subaru anyway and have collaborated with them on a few dual-branded vehicles.
The Forester has been though two batteries and just last week I had a wheel bearing in the rear replaced. No other trouble and still runs fine.
I got the Ascent to keep out in Seattle and that'll be my car there -- it'll fit right in -- Subaru seems to make up about 30% of cars in the Seattle area.
For tuners it's been a box of wonders. For ordinary consumers, that maps directly to reliability.
If you google around, you'll see mention of head gasket problems in association with Subaru. This issue has been resolved for the better part of 20 years. Today, the intersection of people who blow up Subaru engines and people who drive like drunk, teenage morons is effectively a perfect circle.
I’ll be driving it in snowy conditions in Canada. Ontario , Quebec, and New Brunswick in the dead of winter trips :)
That said - if my assertion is true, the Tacoma is truly a wonder with its reliability and so on. No surprise given it is the mobility platform of choice in Mid-East and Africa for militias and local armies (i.e. Toyota Hilux).
I replaced it with a KIA Soul. At the time, the price / value made sense. It was an unplanned expense and I just didn't have time to shop around. It's was buy or die! :) The Soul is still going but it's been it the shop for various issues much more than the WRX ever was.