2018 Subaru Legacy Safety Report

The 2018 Subaru Legacy presents a mixed safety picture. While it boasts excellent crash test performance, achieving a perfect 5-star overall rating from NHTSA, including 5 stars in Frontal, Side, and Rollover tests, its complaint data reveals significant issues, particularly with the electrical and visibility systems. With 111 total complaints, 7 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 injury reported, there are clear areas of concern. The most frequent complaints revolve around the 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM' (19 complaints) and 'VISIBILITY/WIPER' (18 complaints), often related to the infotainment system and rearview camera malfunctions. These issues, while not directly impacting structural integrity, pose significant distraction and visibility hazards, increasing crash risk. Recall history further highlights these electrical and visibility concerns. Three recalls have been issued for the 2018 Legacy. One recall addresses a software issue that may prevent the audio display system from initializing, leading to a failure to display the rearview image while backing up, directly increasing crash risk. Another recall points to a software error causing the low fuel warning light to malfunction, potentially leading to unexpected stalls. A third recall involves the low-pressure fuel pump, which can cause an engine stall while driving, also increasing crash risk. These recalls align with the complaint patterns, particularly those related to electrical systems and visibility. Common complaint patterns include 'ghost touch' on the infotainment screen, spontaneous acceleration incidents, and rearview camera freezing or blacking out. For instance, multiple complaints describe the touchscreen randomly changing settings, making calls, or becoming unresponsive, which is a major distraction. The reported fire incident, originating from the driver side rearview mirror, is also a serious concern, though it appears to have been addressed by Subaru. Despite its strong crash test scores, the prevalence of electrical and visibility-related complaints, coupled with relevant recalls, suggests that while the vehicle performs well in a crash, there are notable reliability and functional safety issues that could lead to incidents.

Our recommendation: While the 2018 Subaru Legacy offers top-tier crash safety, potential buyers should be aware of persistent electrical and visibility system issues, particularly with the infotainment and rearview camera, and verify all recall repairs have been completed.