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Subaru · Midsize Sedan

2016 Subaru WRX

Gas

Compact Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

83 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaints1 crash · 2 fire reported 34

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Subaru WRX is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the WRX, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 34 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Subaru WRX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Subaru WRX · Photo: TTTNIS · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
WRX	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	27	23	$3,550
WRX	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	18	24	21	$3,900
WRX	Gas	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	17	23	19	$4,350

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36091, 36129, 36092.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
WRX	5 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II LEV	All 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 style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

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, Limited + MR, Limited + MR + KA + NAVI(H/K) + BSD, Limited + MR + KA + NAVI(H/K) + BSD + ES). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	180.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	70.1 in
Height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	104.3 in
Track, front	59.8 in
Track, rear	59.8 in
Curb weight	3,269–3,366 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	60/40

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, Sti 4-door Sedan. 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.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Exterior Lighting

WRE-22

59,934 vehicles 61% reported repaired built Nov 14, 2013 – Oct 21, 2021

Problem 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V522000 reported Jul 21, 2022 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

WTA-62

18,187 vehicles 89% reported repaired built Apr 13, 2015 – Oct 21, 2015

Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall. Risk An engine stall increases the risk of a crash. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V162000 reported Mar 21, 2016 Subaru of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Exterior Lighting

WQS-54

71,710 vehicles 94% reported repaired built Mar 23, 2015 – Mar 23, 2015

Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function. Risk If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 15V366000 reported Jun 12, 2015 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 WRX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 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 2016 Subaru WRX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

34complaints filed

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

11 per 10,000 built · Subaru reported 31,825 WRX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2015: 1 · 2016: 6 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2

Most-cited components

Electrical System 10

Engine 9

Unspecified 7

Power Train 4

Service Brakes 2

Electronic Stability Control 2

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.

I purchased a 2016 Subaru Wrx (premium) used from a Subaru dealer in albany, ny with under 26k miles for approximately $25k in 2018. On a drive in december 2022 I experienced hesitation and/or stuttering under load or when attempting to accelerate, and car began getting very hot, and close to overheating, and the engine was knocking…

Engine Apr 10, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11516402

While driving in below zero temperatures I received a warning "Headlights Disabled" and my headlights were inoperable. I was able to use the high beams otherwise, complete darkness causing an immanent safety concern and potential for financial loss in terms of legality and ticketing.

Exterior Lighting Jan 5, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11446318

I have faulty rear lights and a faulty rear view camera. According to MotorSafety.org there is currently a recall for this exact issue for WRX’s from 2015-2021

Electrical System Feb 22, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11508644

My power steering one day lost all fluid out of no where. I have this awful sound and go buy new power steering fluid. It’s continuing to leak. I joined a Subaru Wrx/STi group on Facebook and found that this is a reoccurring problem for many Subaru sti owners around the year I have.

Steering Jul 22, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11475251

ABS, cruise control, and other driving assistance features are disabled while driving at night. I checked for recalls on Subaru WRXs and noticed a recall was issued for the same problems on 2011-2015 models. My vehicle is a 2016 model and demonstrates all the same failures observed from the recall of the 2011-2015 models

Service Brakes Feb 9, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11451282

My complaint pertains to my 2016 Subaru Wrx clutch. The clutch stopped working after approximately 14,000 miles and 15 months of ownership. The dealership and Subaru of america have judged this to be regular user wear and tear and are not covering it under warranty.

Power Train at 14,000 miles Jan 13, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10945142

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: 11 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 35 per 100,000 built. Every WRX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 23k

miles, typically

Half the 21 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 11,000 and 40,000 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.

Too few readings for a curve — the 21 on file: 2 under 10k, 7 10k–20k, 3 20k–30k, 3 30k–40k, 2 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 1 70k–80k, 1 90k–100k.

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

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 621

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-05

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 569 service bulletins, 52 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

11037943 Other
2026-10-05 · Electrical System
This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
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.
15-304-22R 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.
15-308-23R Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Electrical System
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
15-304-22R Service bulletin
2026-08-13 · 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.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
B2A16 B2A16 on Subaru →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B2A20	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	4 bulletins
C1956	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
C1957	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0327 P0327 on Subaru →	Knock sensor 1 signal too low.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0328 P0328 on Subaru →	Knock sensor 1 signal too high.	Engine · Knock sensor →	3 bulletins
P0332 P0332 on Subaru →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0333 P0333 on Subaru →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 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 →	3 bulletins
P05A0 P05A0 on Subaru →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0606 P0606 on Subaru →	An internal processor fault in the engine control module.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P2404 P2404 on Subaru →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 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.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 11.8%

failed emissions

987 initial inspections of 939 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 WRX	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	11.8%	4.2%	984
Failed the safety inspection	2.3%	2.2%	987
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.20%	0.27%	987
Miles driven a year	9,645	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	99,020	103,109	odometer 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 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 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).

WRX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 1 22 mpg 2025 A 0 3 22 mpg 2024 A 0 14 22 mpg 2023 A 1 9 22 mpg 2022 A 1 25 22 mpg 2021 A 1 13 23 mpg 2020 A 1 17 23 mpg 2019 B 2 31 23 mpg 2018 B 2 45 23 mpg 2017 A 1 53 23 mpg 2016 this page B 3 34 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 WRX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Subaru WRX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru WRX. The most serious on file is 16V162000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Subaru WRX?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 Subaru WRX yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (83/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Subaru WRX?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Subaru WRX, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Subaru WRX?

Transport Canada measured it at 180.7 in long, 70.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 104.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,269–3,366 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 2016 Subaru WRX?

Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru WRX, most often about electrical system, engine, unspecified. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 2 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 2016 Subaru WRX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Subaru WRX is 5 out of 10. 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 — Bin 5, LEV-II LEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Subaru WRX?

The manufacturer has filed 621 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Subaru WRX, 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 2016 Subaru WRX do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Subaru WRX failed the emissions check on 11.8% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). 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.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	34	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	621	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No 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 NHTSA	6 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We 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.

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

2016 Subaru WRX

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Fuel Economy

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (3)

Exterior Lighting

Engine And Engine Cooling

Exterior Lighting

Whether any of this applies to one specific WRX

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Subaru WRX

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

WRX by model year

Common questions about the 2016 WRX

Does the 2016 Subaru WRX have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Subaru WRX?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Subaru WRX?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Subaru WRX?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Subaru WRX?

How clean is the 2016 Subaru WRX?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Subaru WRX?

How does the 2016 Subaru WRX do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method