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2018 Subaru Legacy
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
116 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (34% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Subaru Legacy 4 DR AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Subaru Legacy, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (40) · Visibility & wipers (31) · Engine (10) · Fuel system (8)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
34%40 complaints · 15 in the last 2 years
“The vehicle on board video entertainment display has stopped working properly. It does not allow any input to the touch screen. And the only way to regain some functio…”
Visibility & wipers
27%31 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“MAR 2024: 2018 Subaru Legacy, 36,000-miles. (1) Front Windshield had crack in it randomly one day. Coming up from bottom heating element. Easily able to find similar c…”
Engine
9%10 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“I have a 2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5. The front catalytic converter failed April 2022 with 130k miles. the part was replace by Subaru and the part has failed again. Oct 202…”
Fuel system
7%8 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“A friend was trying to move the car from the street when it suddenly lurched and accelerated and hit a tree, and boulder, and another car. They had not stepped on the …”
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V587000
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.
Visibility · 18V935000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
Electrical System · 18V773000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Risk: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Subaru LEGACY beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Legacy model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Subaru Legacy against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.