⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›Subaru›Legacy› 2019
Subaru · Midsize Sedan

2019 Subaru Legacy

Gas
Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
B
Safety Signal
81 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3
Complaints2 crash · 1 fire reported 123
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg
20252024202320222021202020192018

The 2019 Subaru Legacy is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Legacy AWD, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 123 complaints, most often about the visibility/wiper. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Subaru Legacy — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Subaru Legacy · Photo: Bull-Doser · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Legacy AWDGasAWD2.5L 4-cyl253429$2,300
Legacy AWDGasAWD3.6L 6-cyl202823$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 40373, 40374.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Legacy AWD5–7 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III SULEV30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Legacy AWD3 / 10California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2.5 L

Engine Output

Horsepower175 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Base+ES, Limited+ES, Limited+M/R+ES+NAVI, Premium+ES). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length189.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.4 in
Height59.1 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Track, front62.2 in
Track, rear63.0 in
Curb weight3,402–3,697 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan 2.5I AWD, 4-door Sedan 3.6R AWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2019 Legacy
Other years The 2025 Legacy Recalls Subaru recalls
Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2019 Subaru Legacy is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

WRG-21
175,968 vehicles 95% reported repaired
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Risk Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V587000 reported Jul 29, 2021 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Fuel System, Gasoline

WRD-20
188,207 vehicles 98% reported repaired built Jun 29, 2018 – Feb 19, 2019
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative. Risk If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V218000 reported Apr 16, 2020 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Structure

WUH-93
2,107 vehicles 100% reported repaired built May 31, 2019 – Jun 5, 2019
Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength. Risk In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V493000 reported Jun 26, 2019 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Legacy

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Subaru publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Subaru’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2019 Subaru Legacy, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2019 Subaru Legacy

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Legacy →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
123complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

32 per 10,000 built · Subaru reported 37,854 Legacy built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 13 · 2020: 25 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 16 · 2024: 22 · 2025: 10 · 2026: 6

Most-cited components

Visibility/Wiper 51
Electrical System 35
Unspecified 20
Engine 6
Fuel/Propulsion System 5
Forward Collision Avoidance 5

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Driving down the expressway at a speed less that 50mph when my windshield cracked unexpectedly and seeming from nothing being flung toward the vehicle or dropping from the sky
Visibility/Wiper at 4,000 miles Mar 14, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11317975
Ever since the beginning of this year, all warning lights and eye sight have come up on the display screen every 2-3 weeks. Twice it's given the code that something is blocking the shutters. Tried clearing shutters, but no success. Tried replacing assembly; still didn't work. First time it happened, car was stationary.
Electronic Stability Control at 9,300 miles Mar 2, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11315676
We purchased the car in september 2018 and in cold weather we are unable to open the gas tank . We , and other people, have taken the car to the dealer, nothing has been done . The dealership called this a"design flaw"
Structure at 2,500 miles Jan 3, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11296888
I had 4,000 miles goodyear eagle ls2 tires when I experienced a sidewalk blowout on the expressway in another state. We had to have it replaced while traveling. The repair shop said it was suspect since there wasn't a foreign object or puncture, it was just the sidewall that blew out. There were no potholes around.
Wheels at 10,308 miles Nov 19, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11281199
I purchased a brand new 2019 Subaru Legacy 3.6r limited and 3 months later with approximately 900 total miles the battery died twice while parked
Electrical System at 900 miles Oct 18, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11269328
What we notice is a change in response of the steering in some situations. Coming 'off-center' there is a slight change in steering feel and response ' almost as if it has a dead spot 'on-center'. Additionally, I have noted a change in response at highway speed entering and exiting curves.
Steering at 500 miles May 22, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11209372

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Subaru itself: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 10 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 21 per 100,000 built. Every Legacy model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 6k

miles, typically

Half the 42 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 2,000 and 15,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 25
10k–20k 8
20k–30k 4
30k–40k 2
40k–50k 0
50k–60k 2
60k–70k 0
70k–80k 1
80k–90k 0
90k–100k 0
100k–150k 0
150k + 0

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Visibility/Wiper336,7000.64×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2019-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: visibility/wiper (0.64×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2020 model years the Subaru Legacy ranks 14 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 0.51× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 8,500 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Subaru warranty extension (4) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 421
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-05
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 390 service bulletins, 31 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

  • 11037943 Other
    2026-10-05 · Electrical System
  • This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
  • 11037942 Other
    2026-09-28 · Electrical System
  • This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
  • 13-109-26 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
  • 18-244-26 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Electrical System
  • "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
  • 11037930 Other
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
  • 15-333-25R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
  • 15-322-25R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Electrical System
  • In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the infotainment audio system. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
  • 15-304-22R Service bulletin
    2026-09-14 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
B2A16
B2A16 on Subaru →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins
B1572Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment2 bulletins
B2A20Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →2 bulletins
P0420
P0420 on Subaru →		The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.Engine · Catalytic converter →2 bulletins
P2096
P2096 on Subaru →		After the catalyst, the mixture on bank 1 is reading lean.Engine2 bulletins
P2097
P2097 on Subaru →		After the catalyst, the mixture on bank 1 is reading rich.Engine2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Subaru Legacy failed the emissions check on 1.5% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%).

New York inspections 1.5%

failed emissions

3,009 initial inspections of 2,937 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2019 LegacyEvery 2019 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check1.5%2.7%3,005
Failed the safety inspection1.7%1.7%3,009
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.07%0.20%3,009
Miles driven a year9,7779,904odometer at inspection
Average odometer70,87472,084odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Legacy by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2025 A 0 6 30 mpg2024 A 0 17 30 mpg2023 B 2 10 30 mpg2022 B 2 34 30 mpg2021 C 3 31 30 mpg2020 D 6 121 30 mpg2019 this page B 3 123 29 mpg2018 B 3 117 29 mpg

Common questions about the 2019 Legacy

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2019 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Subaru Legacy. The most serious on file is 21V587000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

NHTSA gave the 2019 Subaru Legacy 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (81/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2019 Subaru Legacy, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

Transport Canada measured it at 189.0 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 59.1 in tall, on a 108.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,402–3,697 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

Owners have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru Legacy, most often about visibility/wiper, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Subaru Legacy runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2019 Subaru Legacy?

The manufacturer has filed 421 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Legacy, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-10-05. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2019 Subaru Legacy do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Subaru Legacy failed the emissions check on 1.5% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls3NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints123NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings1 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins421NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2025 Legacy The Legacy model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Subaru recall on file All campaigns filed against Subaru vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Legacy by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API