Subaru Extended Warranty

Key Takeaways:

• The average cost for a Subaru vehicle service contract is $640 annually
• Deductible options are $0 or $100
• A Subaru extended warranty isn’t your only option for long-term vehicle protection–many third-party vehicle service contract providers offer competitive plans

In this article, we’ll examine the reliability of Subaru vehicles, common issues, and the manufacturer’s basic factory warranty. We’ll also outline what is included in the Subaru extended warranty and see how it compares with one of the best extended car warranty companies on the market.

Subaru Added Security^Ⓡ provides optional extended service agreements (ESAs) for customers to add to their factory warranty. Below are some high-level details about Subaru’s Added Security^Ⓡ offerings:

• Eligibility: Subaru vehicles still covered by the new vehicle limited warranty are eligible for Subaru Added Security^Ⓡ
• Coverage Terms: Subaru Added Security^Ⓡ provides coverage for up to 10 years/100,000 miles
• Covered Repairs: All repairs must be made by Subaru-certified technicians at certified repair shops
• Transferability: Remaining coverage is transferable to a private owner within 30 days of purchase

Subaru customers can choose from three coverage levels lasting 8 years/120,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles. The table below highlights components and systems covered in each of Subaru’s coverage levels:

Subaru Extended Warranty Plans

Subaru’s extended warranty plans offer two levels of protection. The Gold Plus plan is a bumper-to-bumper warranty, and the Classic plan is a powertrain warranty. Unlike most automakers, Subaru offers a wear-and-tear warranty. Read on for a list of covered parts each Subaru extended car warranty provides.

Subaru Extended Powertrain Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain extended warranty is a base-level program designed to extend the factory powertrain warranty, including the engine, transmission, drive systems, and transaxle. This plan is excellent for drivers who only want to extend their factory powertrain warranty coverage.

Subaru Classic Extended Warranty

In addition to Subarus powertrain extended warranty coverage, the Classic plan adds over 1,000 additional parts to Subarus extended powertrain warranty. Classic coverage applies to all major parts, including items often excluded from extended car warranties, such as wear-and-tear items and onboard computers. Here are some additional covered components: powertrain cooling system, fueling system, steering, suspension, brakes, electrical systems, and air conditioning.

Subaru Gold Plus Warranty

The Gold Plus plan is Subaru’s most extensive extended warranty, providing bumper-to-bumper protection similar to the company’s new car limited warranty. Though similar to a new car factory warranty, the Gold plan has a more extensive list of excluded parts, including maintenance items and body parts. This plan covers most of your vehicle’s components, including all the parts protected by the Classic warranty and hundreds of more parts. 

This plan provides additional coverage for high-tech systems such as EyeSight^Ⓡ driver assist technology, rear cross-traffic alert, DriverFocus™ distraction mitigation system, blind spot detection, reverse automatic braking, and STARLINK^® multimedia, safety, and security systems.

What Does A Subaru Extended Warranty Not Cover?

While Subaru warranties are extensive, they do not cover everything. Some components excluded from Subaru warranty coverage include:

• Glass
• Exterior trim
• Upholstery

Subaru Roadside Assitance (And Other Benefits)

Subaru benefits are standard for extended car warranties. All Subaru extended warranty plans include the additional perks:

• Roadside assistance: Includes lockouts, fuel delivery, and flat tire services
• Towing reimbursement: Up to $100 per occurrence
• Rental car reimbursement: Up to $40 per day for a maximum of five days

The company offers an additional perk for Gold Plus members that is better than the industry standard:

• Trip Interruption Reimbursement: up to $500 for meals and lodging if a breakdown occurs more than 50 miles from your home.

Subaru Vehicle Protection Plans

Following industry standards, Subaru also offers vehicle protection plans that cover scheduled maintenance costs, dent and ding repair, and more. Below are more details about these expanded coverage options.

Subaru Maintenance Plans

In addition to its basic extended warranty offerings, Subaru offers drivers prepaid coverage for maintenance items for up to 3 years/45,000 miles covering regular maintenance services such as tire rotations and oil changes. 

Subaru Wear And Tear Warranty

Unlike most automakers, Subaru offers extended coverage for wear and tear components. This plan also covers damage done to protected parts caused by non-covered components. Below is a list of wear and tear items covered by this plan:

• Brake pads
• Shoe linings
• Clutch linings
• Wiper blades

Ranging from $1,500 to $3,000, a Subaru extended warranty costs about $2,600 on average. This breaks down to an annual cost of around $640 for comprehensive coverage from the automaker. In addition, Subaru has two deductible options of $0 and $100.

Subaru Extended Warranty Price

The table below highlights several real prices that were quoted to Subaru customers:

The quoted information above comes from the New Motors Subaru dealership’s website.

Subaru Extended Warranty Quotes

According to the table above, one customer reported paying $1,425 for a 7-year/70,000-mile Gold Plus plan with a $100 deductible on a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. That quote is a competitive rate for this level of coverage. 

That said, dealerships may charge different prices for the same amount of coverage, and the final price is sometimes negotiable. For this reason, you’ll need to contact a dealership for a free quote to determine what a Subaru extended warranty would cost for your vehicle.

While the figures above give you an idea of what you should pay on average, the specific price of your Subaru extended warranty depends on the coverage terms and deductible you choose. 

Higher coverage levels are generally more expensive, especially if you choose a $0 deductible. With lower deductibles, you pay less out-of-pocket when your vehicle needs a repair, increasing the cost of your extended warranty contract.

A Subaru extended warranty can pay for itself if the price is right. It can also give you peace of mind that you’ll be protected against high-cost repair bills (even though these are unlikely for Subarus).

That said, before purchasing an extended warranty, it’s good to consider the potential value of the investment. You’ll want to know how reliable your vehicle is and what is already covered by your factory warranty.

Suppose you don’t intend to own your Subaru for long, then you might not need an extended warranty. However, because extended warranties are transferable, they may increase the resale value of your car, provided you sell it privately. If you trade your Subaru back to a dealership, an extended warranty will unlikely increase your trade-in value.

What Is Subaru’s Warranty?

When determining if purchasing a Subaru extended warranty is worth it, it’s best to begin by finding out whether or not your vehicle is already covered by a new car or certified pre-owned warranty.

New Subarus have a 3-year/36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty. In addition to the new vehicle warranty, Subaru vehicles have several more factory warranties, including coverage for the powertrain, hybrid systems, rust perforation, wear and tear, and seatbelt restraint systems. Below are each plans coverage and term lengths:

Subaru Certified Pre-Owned Warranty

Certified pre-owned Subarus come with a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty with a $0 deductible and 24/7 roadside assistance. 

Subaru Warranty Check

If you are still determining whether your Subaru is covered under its original factory warranty, the easiest way to check your warranty status is to call a local dealership and give them your vehicle’s identification number (VIN).

Is Subaru Reliable?

After determining whether or not you have existing factory coverage from Subaru, the next step in deciding whether or not a Subaru extended warranty is worth it is assessing your vehicle’s reliability and expected maintenance cost and comparing that to the price of a Subaru extended warranty. 

Compared to most vehicle brands, Subaru cars have high-reliability scores, low annual repair costs, and do not experience many issues. According to RepairPal, Subaru has an average reliability rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars. RepairPal reliability ratings and average yearly repair costs for popular Subaru models are outlined below.

As the table above shows, the reliability of Subaru vehicles varies by model. For example, the Subaru Impreza has the lowest rating of 3.5 stars and has the highest annual repair cost – averaging $653 annually. On the other end of the spectrum, the Subaru Legacy has a reliability rating of 4.0 stars and the lowest annual repair cost, with an average of $563. 

Subaru Maintenance Cost

Even though Subarus are reliable vehicle according to industry studies, even the most dependable cars break down sooner or later.

According to RepairPal, the annual repair cost for Subaru vehicles is $617, which is a little lower than the industry average of $652. Below is a chart with the price ranges for common repairs Subaru vehicles often require:

Ultimately, your final price for repairs depends on your vehicle’s make and model. Labor costs vary across dealerships. That is why it is essential to consider how much the dealership you purchased your car from charges drivers for labor.

Overall,  Subaru extended warranties provide excellent coverage at a low price. The automaker’s extended warranties are generally cheaper than average due to the brand’s low maintenance and repair costs. 

In addition, Subaru offers drivers more flexibility to choose different coverage lengths; some manufacturers only offer one or two options.

One feature that stands out about Subaru’s extended warranties is the Gold Plus plan’s trip interruption coverage reimburses drivers for lodging and meals if their vehicle breaks down more than 50 miles from home. While most extended warranties only provide reimbursement if you break down more than 100 miles from home.

Aftermarket Subaru Warranty

While we’ve looked at Subaru factory extended warranties in detail, an extended warranty from the automaker is only one way to lengthen your warranty coverage. You can also purchase an extended Subaru warranty from third-party providers.

Although these companies do not always provide the same level of coverage as manufacturer-backed warranties, they usually offer longer coverage terms, more flexible plan options, and lower prices. Third-party extended warranty coverage is often available for vehicles with over 100,000 miles. It’s wise to compare Subaru’s pricing and coverage against free quotes from third-party alternatives to ensure you get the best deal.

Best Extended Warranty For Subaru

We conducted a comprehensive review of every industry-leading third-party provider and determined that an Endurance extended warranty offers the best coverage on the market. See below how the Subaru extended warranty compares to an Endurance vehicle protection plan.

This article reviewed Subaru’s extended warranty costs, coverage, term lengths, and plans. While Subaru’s Gold Plus plan is impressive by industry standards, it does not allow drivers to customize their extended warranty coverage for their specific needs; some comprehensive warranty companies, such as CARCHEX, offer up to 16 plans. We recommend third-party vehicle service contract providers if you want customizable coverage options.

Extended Warranty Subaru: FAQ

Bellow are common questions asked about Subaru’s extended warranties: