Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, wipers and visibility, and transmission. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/8 checked
2020 Subaru WRX: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Subaru WRX. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD | 23 mpg |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | AWD | 19 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Subaru WRX, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Batteries die again and again, leaving the car unable to start. Failures appear anywhere from the first few thousand miles to well past 20,000 miles, and some batteries drain flat after the car sits for just one day. Testing shows low cold cranking amps. Dealers often find nothing wrong, replace the battery under warranty, or say the car needs more driving. The car can also stall or bog down while running, with every dash warning light coming on. In one no-start case, an independent shop replaced the telematics control module.
Glass cracks or breaks with nothing hitting it. Front windshields crack while the car is parked or sitting still. In one report, the rear window broke with a loud pop at a stoplight, leaving a wide hole. The glass then kept crumbling into the cabin each time the car sped up, and some landed on a rear-facing child seat. Owners found no object that could explain the damage. Sudden glass failure can block the driver's view and send shards toward passengers.
CVT fluid leaks from the joint between the engine and transmission. The leak tends to turn up during routine oil changes, and shops can mistake it for spilled engine oil, so it may go unnoticed for a while. A separate report describes the dash showing reverse while the shifter is in neutral or drive. The rearview camera stays on while the car moves forward, and the check engine light comes on. A wrong gear display can make the driver unsure which way the car will move.
Excerpts from complaints WRX owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Have had this car since late 2019 around November and it is now 2022 and I'm at 25k miles in my battery is already failing I have had it tested and the cold cranking amps are why below where they should be causing the car not be able to start at time . I've had other car batteries that lasted long than 2 and a half years.
Filed with NHTSA, May 2022
The vehicle seems to randomly die and bog out then all of the lights appear on the dash, I myself had to pay out of pocket for a new battery because autonation subaru arapahoe in colorado decided not to check it like I had asked and after getting my car back the issue was still there which is why I replaced it today. not only this but they sold me a highly modified vehicle without disclosing any of that info to me in the sale process.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2022
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 ranks fourth for owner complaints among 8 WRX years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2020 is the sixth model year of the WRX's fourth generation (2015–2021).
It includes the 2019 update.
What changed for 2019
Recall repairs are free at any Subaru dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
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.
Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Cars shoppers compare with the Subaru WRX, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
