Honda or Subaru — what we actually found
Side by side from 492 Hondas and 115 Subarus buyers asked us to inspect before purchase. The average car we check scores 60/100.
Head to head
| Honda | Subaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Cars inspected | 492 | 115 |
| Average condition | 56/100 | 61/100 |
| In good shape (60+/100) | 43% | 52% |
| Holds up to (avg dips below decent) | ~118k mi | ~123k mi |
| Repainted or replaced panel | 81% | 69% |
| Structural repair found | 8% | 4% |
| Fault codes recently cleared | 28% | 28% |
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
How long do they stay good?
Good cars by mileage
▬ Honda▬ Subaru▬ all cars
Good cars by age
▬ Honda▬ Subaru▬ all cars
Share in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). Dashed grey = all cars we check.
Most common faults
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
59%
Oil leaks · Engine
54%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
41%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
37%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
29%
Oil leaks · Engine
64%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
36%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
26%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
24%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
22%
Trajectory by generation
Honda
▼ Newer Hondas aren't holding up as well
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 →
Whichever badge wins on paper, the car in front of you is its own story. Get it inspected before you pay.
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Based on 607 inspections · updated Jul 12, 2026