2020 Subaru WRX
Gas Compact car
The 2020 Subaru WRX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the WRX, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 17 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRX | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 27 | 23 | $3,350 |
| WRX | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 18 | 24 | 21 | $3,700 |
| WRX | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 16 | 22 | 19 | $4,100 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2020 Subaru WRX is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Exterior Lighting
highProblem: 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.
Owner complaints
17 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2019: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 4
Most-cited components
- Electrical System — 5
- Visibility/Wiper — 3
- Engine — 3
- Seat Belts — 2
- Service Brakes — 2
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.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other WRX model years
2026 WRX
0 recalls · 0 complaints
A2025 WRX
0 recalls · 2 complaints
A2024 WRX
0 recalls · 13 complaints
A2023 WRX
1 recalls · 8 complaints
A2022 WRX
1 recalls · 25 complaints
A2021 WRX
1 recalls · 13 complaints
B2019 WRX
2 recalls · 30 complaints
B2018 WRX
2 recalls · 44 complaints
A2017 WRX
1 recalls · 53 complaints
C2016 WRX
3 recalls · 31 complaints
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). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 41554, 41555, 41556). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.