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Mazda vs Subaru Reliability

Nearly a tie: Mazda averages 63/100 vs Subaru at 62/100 across 361 real pre-purchase inspections (225 Mazda / 136 Subaru). 59% of Mazdas and 55% of Subarus scored 60/100 or higher. The average car we check scores 61/100.

vs
Head to head
MazdaSubaru
Cars inspected225136
Average condition63/10062/100
In good shape (60+/100)59%55%
Holds up to (avg dips below decent)~115k mi~122k mi
Repainted or replaced panel76%70%
Structural repair found5%4%
Fault codes recently cleared24%34%

Green = the better number of the pair. Condition reflects the mix of cars that came to us — age, price, model — so treat small gaps as a tie.

How they score
Mazda
Excellent 28% Good 31% Mediocre 24% Poor 17%
Subaru
Excellent 27% Good 28% Mediocre 26% Poor 18%
How long do they stay good?
Good cars by mileage
▬ Mazda▬ Subaru▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Mazda, 0–20k mi: 89%, drawn from the nearby bands (18 cars in this band)Mazda, 20–40k mi: 80% in good shape (20 cars)Mazda, 40–60k mi: 83% in good shape (36 cars)Mazda, 60–80k mi: 63% in good shape (30 cars)Mazda, 80–100k mi: 50% in good shape (36 cars)Mazda, 100–120k mi: 40% in good shape (30 cars)Mazda, 120–140k mi: 32% in good shape (22 cars)Mazda, 140–160k mi: 29%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars in this band)Mazda, 160–180k mi: 35%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars in this band)Mazda, 180–200k mi: 23%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars in this band) Subaru, 20–40k mi: 96%, drawn from the nearby bands (14 cars in this band)Subaru, 40–60k mi: 86%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars in this band)Subaru, 60–80k mi: 78%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars in this band)Subaru, 80–100k mi: 62%, drawn from the nearby bands (16 cars in this band)Subaru, 100–120k mi: 50% in good shape (16 cars)Subaru, 120–140k mi: 32%, drawn from the nearby bands (18 cars in this band)Subaru, 140–160k mi: 15% in good shape (20 cars)Subaru, 160–180k mi: 13%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars in this band) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
▬ Mazda▬ Subaru▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Mazda, 1 years old: 95%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Mazda, 2 years old: 97%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Mazda, 3 years old: 92%, drawn from the nearby bands (16 cars this age)Mazda, 4 years old: 85%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)Mazda, 5 years old: 79%, drawn from the nearby bands (14 cars this age)Mazda, 6 years old: 72%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)Mazda, 7 years old: 63%, drawn from the nearby bands (17 cars this age)Mazda, 8 years old: 57%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars this age)Mazda, 9 years old: 43% in good shape (28 cars)Mazda, 10 years old: 48%, drawn from the nearby bands (16 cars this age)Mazda, 11 years old: 50%, drawn from the nearby bands (12 cars this age)Mazda, 12 years old: 38% in good shape (13 cars)Mazda, 13 years old: 28%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Mazda, 14 years old: 38%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age) Subaru, 2 years old: 91%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Subaru, 3 years old: 91% in good shape (11 cars)Subaru, 4 years old: 85%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Subaru, 5 years old: 78%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars this age)Subaru, 6 years old: 71%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age)Subaru, 7 years old: 65%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Subaru, 8 years old: 60%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars this age)Subaru, 9 years old: 47%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Subaru, 10 years old: 50%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Subaru, 11 years old: 40%, drawn from the nearby bands (5 cars this age)Subaru, 12 years old: 30%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Subaru, 13 years old: 18%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age)Subaru, 14 years old: 21%, drawn from the nearby bands (5 cars this age)Subaru, 16 years old: 12%, drawn from the nearby bands (5 cars this age) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). Dashed grey = all cars we check.

Most common faults
Mazda
Oil leaks · Engine
65%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
34%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
33%
Worn suspension joints · Suspension
18%
Belts · Engine
14%
Subaru
Oil leaks · Engine
64%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
35%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
26%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
22%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
18%
Trajectory by generation
Mazda ↘↗ Dipped in the mid-2010s — the newest generation recovered 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 23 cars, raw 61%) 64 2015–17: 53% in good shape (age-adjusted; 43 cars, raw 47%) 53 2018–20: 65% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 71%) 65 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+
Subaru

Not enough Subarus at the 5–10 year checkpoint yet to draw a generation trend.

Share in good shape when inspected at the same age (5–10 years, age-adjusted), by model-year generation; dashed = all-brand average. All brands →

FAQ
?
Which is more reliable, Mazda or Subaru?
Nearly a tie: Mazda averages 63/100 vs Subaru at 62/100 across 361 real pre-purchase inspections (225 Mazda / 136 Subaru). 59% of Mazdas and 55% of Subarus scored 60/100 or higher.
?
What are the most common problems with used Mazdas and Subarus?
On Mazdas we flag oil leaks (65%), fuel trim out of range (34%), tires condition & wear (33%). On Subarus: oil leaks (64%), cracked or torn suspension bushings (35%), low coolant / cooling system issues (26%).
?
How many Mazda and Subaru vehicles have you inspected?
225 Mazdas and 136 Subarus — 361 real pre-purchase inspections. Updated Oct 27, 2026.
?
How long do Mazdas and Subarus stay in good shape?
In our data, the average Mazda dips below “decent” around ~115k mi; Subaru around ~122k mi. Individual cars vary — get the one you’re buying inspected.
Buying a used Mazda or Subaru? Get a pre-purchase inspection before you pay.
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Based on 361 inspections · updated Oct 27, 2026