Subaru

AAA recorded its highest-ever national average diesel price at $6.5276 a gallon on September 22, 2026. The skyrocketing prices not only affect motorists, but also farmers who rely heavily on diesel-powered equipment and work vehicles. This has resulted in higher interest in alternatives such as electric vehicles, but apparently, there’s an even cheaper alternative that’s closer to home.

Garage 54, a Russian automotive workshop that conducts extreme experiments like turning a Subaru boxer engine into an inline-four, showed what would happen if cooking oil is used to run a diesel powertrain. It may sound like a crazy idea, but given that average diesel prices in states like California, Washington, and Hawaii are over $7 a gallon, the alternative was worth a shot. The shop carried out the test on an old-school Nissan Terrano, also known as the Pathfinder in the U.S.

Based on the initial run, the sunflower oil-fed Terrano ran quite well, with the presenter saying the SUV didn’t make much rumbling noise. Because the vehicle was consuming a lot of oil, he decided to opt for an even cheaper option: used cooking oil that had deep-fried French fries and chicken. Online listings showed that a liter of used sunflower oil cost 25 to 35 Russian rubles, or about $1.12 to $1.57 per gallon at current exchange rates.

The following day, the engine struggled to start because the oil had thickened in the cold temperature. After the glow plugs were manually engaged to heat the system, the Terrano was back on the road for more testing between diesel and used cooking oil.

The first test was a zero-to-80-km/h (zero-to-49.7-mph) sprint, in which the diesel-fed powertrain was only about 0.3 seconds faster than the alternative at 24.08 seconds. The next test compared efficiency using one liter of each fuel, and again, the results were similar. The Terrano traveled 10.7 km (6.6 miles) on diesel, only 0.7 km (0.43 miles) farther than it did on used cooking oil.

Garage 54/YouTube

Before switching to cooking oil, it is worth noting that this isn’t recommended for modern common-rail diesel engines, such as modern Ford Power Stroke and Chevrolet Duramax applications. Because cooking oil is much more viscous than diesel, it is better suited to older mechanical injection systems, which can be more tolerant than common-rail systems that use extremely high fuel pressures and precisely controlled injectors.

Running on straight used cooking oil can also put extra strain on the fuel pump and injectors and contribute to carbon buildup over time. But considering current fuel prices amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the idea may not sound quite as crazy.

Garage 54/YouTube

While higher trims may genuinely earn their price with real upgrades, the data across purchase price, insurance, reliability, and maintenance tells a pretty consistent story: every feature added above the base trim is something else that can eventually cost more money to fix. Buyers chasing the loaded version are often paying twice — once at purchase, and again over the life of the car. Having said that, I will now break down the very real benefits of choosing base-spec over fully-loaded.

Toyota

The obvious savings compound in ways that aren’t obvious. The 2026 Toyota Corolla LE starts at $22,725 against the XSE’s roughly $27,000-plus, a gap that shows up not just at signing but in every monthly payment over a typical loan term, plus lower sales tax in states that calculate it as a percentage of purchase price. A smaller loan principal also means less total interest paid over the life of the loan — a base trim isn’t just cheaper today, it’s cheaper on a compounding basis for years afterward.

This is the part most shoppers don’t factor in at all. Insurers price policies partly on what a vehicle would cost to repair or replace, and a loaded trim with leather seats, a bigger touchscreen, and driver-assist hardware is simply more expensive to fix after a claim. Industry analysts consistently point to trim level as having significant sway on the actual premiums; a base sedan and its loaded or performance-oriented sibling can carry meaningfully different insurance profiles despite sharing a nameplate.

Mercedes-Benz

This is where the “will last longer” part of the equation actually holds up under scrutiny. J.D. Power‘s 2026 Initial Quality Study found infotainment was the only vehicle category to get worse year-over-year, now the single largest source of reported problems industry-wide at nearly 45 problems per 100 vehicles in the mass-market segment — and the separate 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study puts infotainment complaints even higher, at 56.7 per 100 vehicles, more than double the next-worst category. Base trims typically run simpler infotainment setups with fewer connected features, which directly reduces exposure to the exact problem category dragging down quality scores across the industry. Autoblog’s reliability rankings back this up at the model level — the Kia Sportage‘s base gas engine consistently outperforms its more complex hybrid and PHEV siblings, and base trims like the Corolla LE and Impreza Sport top our list of the most reliable small cars for exactly this reason.

Cadillac

Especially with larger vehicles, the savings extend down to individual parts. Larger wheels, standard on most upper trims for styling reasons, run measurably more to maintain: 20-inch tires typically cost $220-260 each compared to $180-220 for smaller sizes, and a full set of 20-inch wheels alone runs $1,400-1,900 versus meaningfully less for the smaller wheels base trims usually wear. Low-profile tires on bigger wheels are also more vulnerable to pothole and curb damage, since there’s less sidewall to absorb an impact — meaning higher trims don’t just cost more to maintain on a schedule, they’re statistically more likely to need unscheduled repairs too.

None of this means a base trim is right for every buyer — plenty of higher-trim features genuinely improve safety or usability enough to justify the premium. But for buyers optimizing purely for total cost of ownership and long-term dependability, the base trim isn’t the compromise it’s often treated as, in fact, the data suggests it’s usually the smarter bet.

The last Japanese Subaru fan event was held in 2016, and it’s been more than a decade since the brand held an event like that. Dubbed the Subaru Fan Meeting 2026, the event will be held at the brand’s main factory in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture, on December 6th, 2026.

It’s been over 10 years since Subaru celebrated with its fans. Subie Fest springs to mind, and the events hosted by Subaru Motorsports USA grew so large that one date and venue couldn’t handle the number of fans from the United States and beyond. To put it in perspective, Subie Fest has six dates and events in 2026: two are done, one is happening, and three fans have yet to see.

Subie Fest

Subie Fest

The Fan Meeting in 2016 was the brand’s inaugural event, and unfortunately the last for a while. Hopefully, the next fan meeting after this 2026 edition doesn’t wait until 2036, but I digress.

Fans in 2016 were invited to the Subaru Kenkyu Center in Tochigi. The area serves as Subaru’s Research and Testing Center; it’s normally closed off to the public. During the event, Subaru opened this center’s doors to welcome as many fans as it could on March 27, 2016.

About 1,000 cars were selected to participate, and about 3,000 spectators traveled from across Japan to experience the event. The brand even opened its testing facility track so fans could experience the high-speed ring and other features of the facility. That said, the question is: how will 2026 compare?

Subaru Fan Meeting 2016

Japanese Nostalgic Car

To reiterate: the second-ever Subaru Fan Meeting will be held at the company’s main factory in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture, on December 6, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. JST. As for the location’s significance, the Gunma plant was the first-ever plant to manufacture Subaru vehicles. It was ground zero and the birthplace of the automaker’s cars and technologies.

Like before, but not really, Subaru has promised to open its latest research and development facility, called the “Innovation Hub,” to the public. Exhibits will be scattered throughout the event grounds so fans can experience Subaru and interact with several of the people who define what a Subaru is.

If that’s not enough, Subaru is also holding passenger test drives on its test course, factory tours, historic vehicle displays, official merchandise sales, and perhaps even seminars and speeches that shed more light on what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. With this event, Subaru wants to get closer to its fans in Japan, and the venue can accommodate up to 4,000. To secure your ticket, head over to the Subaru Online Shop.

Subaru

The Subaru Outback has certainly been through it this year. The redesign brought several meaningful updates, but moving further away from its traditional lifted-wagon profile into upright SUV territory caused quite the uproar among loyalists. Along with the new look came a refined Wilderness model—notably the first in the Wilderness lineup to finally offer leather upholstery as an option alongside its water-resistant StarTex. Everything else that makes the trim distinct carries forward: the 9.5-inch factory lift, all-terrain tires, shorter final-drive ratio, enhanced underbody protection, and standard 260-hp turbocharged powertrain. Starting at $44,995, it remains an out-of-the-box off-roader that doesn’t need any modifications.   

Kristen Brown/Autoblog

Then there’s the Touring. Starting at $45,395, it sits virtually neck-and-neck in price but targets an entirely different audience. True to the trim’s badge, the Touring leans heavily into road-trip luxury with rich Java Brown Nappa leather, ventilated seating, hands-free highway driving tech, and acoustic glass to quiet the cabin. With only $400 separating the two, do you spend that sliver more for plush, quiet luxury, or take the slight discount to gain 80 horsepower and trail-ready clearance? After driving both, here are my thoughts.

Related: Road Ethos Launches: The New Automotive Lifestyle Site You Should Read

Kristen Brown/Autoblog

As I mentioned before, the redesign was way more of an overhaul than it was a redesign. The Wilderness model got some of the most effective upgrades, including:

• Electronically Controlled Adaptive Dampers: Instead of standard passive lifted shocks, the 2026 Wilderness adds adaptive dampers paired with suspension/ECU acceleration sensors. They adjust damping force in real time to soak up washboard fire roads while keeping the vehicle flatter and more composed on paved twisties.   

This is the Outback that you buy when you legitimately want to go off-road, and go off-road often. It’s one of the best out-of-the-box off-roaders out there, and for the price, it’s incredibly hard to beat. Especially if you elevate the whole experience by indulging in the Nappa leather package. I was extremely impressed with how smooth the ride felt, and how quiet the interior was, despite a lift and all-terrain tires. Not only is it a real off-roader, but it’s an off-roader that you can easily drive every single day. As off-roaders, my husband and I fell head over heels for it fairly quickly.

Kristen Brown

The serious advantage to the Wilderness (aside from the trail-specific modifications) is that extra horsepower. The Outback can have that same engine in the Limited XT and Touring XT models, ranging from $44,365 to $47,995. The Limited XT, then, seems like the better deal, since you get a fancier interior and the turbocharged engine—but you don’t get all the other off-road goodies. 

Kristen Brown

Since the Wilderness can now have leather, the gap between it and the Touring model can be bridged by a smidge. But there is some tech that the Touring model has that the Wilderness can’t. Here’s where that extra $400 is going: 

• Windshield Head-Up Display (HUD): Projects speed, navigation prompts, and EyeSight safety alerts directly onto the windshield ahead of the driver.

Here’s something else I found really interesting: both Outback models have an emergency stopping feature if they detect that you’re unresponsive, but they execute it differently. On the Wilderness, if you have adaptive cruise control and lane centering active, the car will first give you visual, audible, and haptic steering alerts to take the wheel. Ignore those, and the system assumes the worst. It then flips on the hazard lights, brings the car to a slow, controlled stop directly in your travel lane, unlocks the doors, and pings emergency services via STARLINK.

Kristen Brown

For the Touring (and Touring XT), the system is much smarter. Because it has the DriverFocus infrared camera tracking your face and eye movement, it knows if you’ve nodded off or suffered a medical emergency before you even drift. If you ignore the escalating alerts, it goes into rescue mode. It scans surrounding highway traffic, uses the signals to scoot over, and then guides itself over to the shoulder before shutting down and calling for help. Pretty cool, huh?

Related: 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness Family Review: It’s Nice, But Is It Worth $50k?

That heavily (and I do mean heavily) depends on how much you plan to get dirty. The Wilderness is designed, engineered, and built to go where you wouldn’t dare take the Touring model. The Touring model, though, is more than willing to blaze through a blizzard or ford that giant mud puddle that accumulates on your property when the rainy season hits. While it misses out on the turbocharged engine at its base price, it counters with more tech, smarter driver assists, a quieter cabin, and an impossibly smooth highway ride. More than once, I had to remind myself I was driving a Subaru and not something with a German badge and a payment to match. 

Kristen Brown

Yet the Wilderness holds a special place in my heart. Dedicated, factory-built trail rigs from other brands are astronomically more expensive, and few are this easy to live with every day. The Touring is the smart pick if you prioritize road-trip calm, top-tier safety tech, and approachable everyday luxury. The Wilderness remains the undisputed answer to your call from the wild. Hands down.

Kristen Brown

If you find yourself torn right down the middle, take a look at the Touring XT or the Limited XT. The Limited XT in particular is the lineup’s secret weapon—giving you standard leather and that lovely turbo powertrain for $44,365, while the Touring XT gives you the full, uncompromised luxury-and-power package for $47,995.

The Crosstrek and Forester does a lot of heavy lifting for Subaru sales in the U.S, but let’s not forget about the car that those two best-sellers are based upon, the Impreza. It’s been around for a couple of years already, and while it doesn’t sell in high numbers, it still has its place in the lineup.

For those looking for a reasonably-priced all-wheel-drive compact car, there’s good news here. The hatchback has been updated, along with a lower price tag that might tempt you away from that Corolla or Civic.

Subaru

As average new car prices continue to swell, Subaru bucked that trend with the 2027 Impreza. Instead of raising prices, Subaru has made it more affordable by lowering base prices by $2,000. With that, the Impreza remains one of the least expensive all-wheel drive-equipped cars on the market, and the most affordable compact car with standard all-wheel drive.

So, how did Subaru do it? The company has ditched the Sport trim and replaced it with the new Base model. The Impreza Base starts at just $24,595, making it about the same price as an all-wheel-drive Nissan Kicks and over $3,000 less than a Corolla Hybrid LE AWD. We wouldn’t call the car bare, either, as it comes with advanced driver assists, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired), dual-zone climate control, and even steering responsive headlights.

That said, two dead giveaways mark it as a base model. The first would be a smaller set of wheels, from 18 inches down to 17 inches. The second would be a smaller split touchscreen.

Subaru

For those who want a little more equipment, they will have to go straight for the 2027 RS model, since the Sport is being discontinued. While more expensive than the Base, its MSRP of $29,495 keeps it at the same price as the 2026 version. Over the entry-level model, it adds black 18-inch alloys, along with a larger 11.6-inch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, connected services, and an all-weather package.

Subaru also added a new wireless charger to the 2027 Impreza RS. The company also improved the cabin’s interior materials. Powertrain is still the same as before, although, even the base model is now powered by the 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine that’s that’s good for 180 hp and 178 lb-ft. As for availability, the 2027 models will be in showrooms later this year.

Subaru

Quirky cars are a dime a dozen in the automotive industry, but few manage to garner a cult following that keeps the hype alive decades after production ends. Subaru had already taken a shot at the small pickup market with the Brat from 1978 to 1987, but a little over a decade later, the manufacturer decided to take a different approach with the Baja, an Outback-based pickup that hit the market for the 2003 model year. Unlike the Brat, the Baja saw a much shorter production run, leaving the market just three years after it arrived. While it’s been two decades since the last Subaru Baja last rolled off the production line, the quirky pickup still has a lively cult following.

The Baja evolved from the ST-X concept that made its original debut at the 2000 Los Angeles Auto Show. It was essentially a new kind of crossover. Rather than combining the space of an SUV with the driving dynamics of a sedan, the ST-X concept combined the utility-driven characteristics of a small pickup with the handling and comfort of a passenger car. Two years later, Subaru unveiled the Baja itself at the 2002 North American International Auto Show.

Production of the Baja was set in motion not long after its unveiling, with the first models arriving at dealers for the 2003 model year. Rather than develop a new truck, Subaru utilized the Outback platform, which is also shared by the Legacy sedan. While the Baja had all the parts of a small truck, it offered car-like handling, standard all-wheel drive, and reasonable enough ground clearance. In theory, the model should have flown off dealer lots, but in practice, it filled a rather small niche.

Rather than develop an all-new platform dedicated to trucks and off-road SUVs, Subaru opted to use the Outback’s unibody platform. Fortunately, the Baja wasn’t simply an Outback with the cargo area cut off. Instead, the Japanese pickup measured roughly six inches longer and the rear cargo area was replaced by an open-air bed. Like its platform mates, the Baja featured four doors and seating for five passengers.

At launch, the 2003 Baja came stocked with a horizontally-opposed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generated 165 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque. Power was sent to the all-wheel drivetrain via a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The Baja could tow up to 2,400 lbs. when properly equipped.

While the Baja featured a truck bed, it measured just 41.5 inches long, but Subaru had a plan to make it more useful than at first glance. The compact pickup featured a switchback, allowing the area behind the rear seats to open into the bed. With the optional extender, the bed could fit cargo up to 7.5 feet long, and the tailgate could be lowered to accommodate longer items.

The Baja didn’t get many major updates over its three-year production run. The 2004 model year saw the most important update in the form of a new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generated 210 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque. Models equipped with the turbocharged engine also came with a recognizable hood scoop that fed air into the intercooler.

While the 2003 model year saw a base Sport trim added later in the year, the 2005 model year saw a few notable changes. Pre-wired rally lights and a center console power outlet were on the shortlist. For 2006, its final model year, the Baja carried over mostly unchanged, save for a standard keyless entry and security system.

While the Baja was a fantastic vehicle for the average American in theory, it was an entirely different story in practice. Its versatility, standard all-wheel drive, and car-like comfort were a hit with consumers, but owner feedback often doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Baja’s extensive plastic body cladding and strange proportions made it somewhat offputting. On top of that, it was fairly expensive, with an entry-level 2003 model starting at $21,995. The standard bed was too small for materials often utilized in home DIY projects, like a 4×8-foot sheet of plywood. While the bed could be extended via the switchback and extender, doing so could be a hassle.

Originally, Subaru aimed for an annual production of around 24,000 units per year, but the model’s sales never came close to meeting expectations. Only around 30,000 examples were sold in the United States over the Baja’s production run. To make matters worse, annual sales in Canada never exceed 100 units. Subaru discontinued the Baja following the 2006 model year, but some examples sat on dealer lots into 2008.

While the Subaru Baja was largely considered a commercial failure, it has since developed a cult following. Its quirky styling and low production numbers have made it a sought-after model. Models equipped with the turbocharged engine hold the most appeal to enthusiasts, particularly if there’s a five-speed manual gearbox in the mix. Clean models with lower mileage can go for upwards of $15,000 at auction.

Cole Attisha Using Midjourney 7.0 & Gemini 2.5 Flash Image

Looking back, the Subaru Baja may have simply arrived a decade or two early. There’s a fairly wide array of adventure and lifestyle vehicles on the market these days, and a modern Baja would fit right in. There’s been no shortage of enthusiasts wishing for a revival of the nameplate, and that isn’t likely to stop anytime soon. While there’s been some rumors that the Baja could return to the market, Subaru has remained silent on the matter. It may be worth keeping an eye on the automaker’s future vehicles and concepts page for any Baja-related announcements, though.

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Subaru wants to build fun cars again, and it’s even created a team dedicated to the pursuit of excitement. The Japanese automaker has also filed for trademarks that appear to be destined for new STI models and revealed the Performance-B STI Concept, which will go into production for the Japanese market on the bones of the WRX. And now, the automaker has teased new WRX and BRZ variants that will be revealed at Boxerfest in Pennsylvania this coming Sunday, September 27. The venue indicates that these will be offered to the U.S. market, so what can we expect?

Subaru

Subaru’s announcement of the new models only gave us glimpses of the new WRX’s rear end; no details were provided beyond saying that the new WRX and BRZ variants, based on the 2027 model years of both cars, will be “limited-production, enthusiast-focused” vehicles. The teaser imagery indicates that these may simply be updates to the existing WRX tS and BRZ tS, but the wing on the back of the WRX tS is a large carbon fiber upgrade we haven’t seen before. Presumably, other aerodynamic enhancements will be made elsewhere on the body, but we don’t expect any increase on the 271-horsepower output of the current 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine, which is paired with a six-speed manual feeding all four wheels.

The BRZ will likely be a similar story, with no turbocharging for the new tS, despite some customers clamoring for more power, but potentially new aerodynamic upgrades. It’s also not unthinkable that Subaru will use the launch of these new limited editions to launch some new factory-backed aftermarket upgrades, but we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see exactly what Subaru has in the pipeline.

Subaru

Besides the evergreen Forester, Subaru has been mostly struggling in America of late, but the WRX has been a ray of sunshine on the sales charts, and taking advantage of that momentum with a new special edition seems sensible. With the second-generation BRZ now about to enter its sixth year on sale, an updated limited edition also makes sense for the sports coupe. However, as always with a mildly hotter Subie, we can’t help but wonder if the automaker is once again testing the waters for a real performance comeback with new STI models. If the concept Japanese customers will see enter production does well, American buyers may start asking their local dealers for something similar. Fingers crossed.

In 1987, Subaru launched a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in its Justy city hatchback (below), which reached America for MY1989. It had a tiny 1.2-liter engine with 72 hp, because CVT drive belts used back in the ’80s couldn’t transmit much torque. The Justy CVT remained on sale until MY1994, and it would be another 16 years before Subaru’s modern Lineartronic CVT would mark the comeback of this transmission type for the manufacturer in the US, starting with the 2010 Legacy and Outback, later expanded to almost all Subarus by 2018.

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The Subaru Lineartronic CVT is designed in-house by Subaru to integrate with the company’s longitudinal boxer engines and AWD system, and built by Subaru in its Gunma Oizumi plant in Japan. Lineartronic launched seven years after Nissan’s 2003 Xtronic CVT arrived here. Nissan had a lot of trouble with its early CVTs, which led to transmission failures and class-action lawsuits, so how does the Subaru Lineartronic CVT’s reliability compare?. Does its later entry into the market make it less troublesome? Let’s find out.

As is the case with most new technologies in a specific market sector, especially CVTs, the most Subaru CVT problems occurred in the first few model years.

The TR580 is the standard-torque variant of the Lineartronic, used in models with naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engines, and rated for a maximum torque of 184 lb-ft. Subaru still uses the TR580 today, so one has to look at model years to know which TR580-equipped cars to avoid.

The TR690 is the high-torque variant of the Lineartronic used with all the turbocharged engines and with the now-defunct 3.6-liter flat 6-cylinder engine. It has a maximum torque rating of 295 lb-ft and uses a heavy-duty, multi-layer drive chain.

These early years of the TR580 suffer from torque converter lockup failure (which causes stalls when coming to a stop), premature wear, valve-body and solenoid failure, overheating, breakdown of the transmission fluid and coolant, and even catastrophic chain failure. The problems were exacerbated by Subaru specifying that these transmissions have a “lifetime fluid” that never has to be replaced. Most failures were related to fluid breakdown.

2010 Subaru Outback

There were especially many 2013-2015 transmission failures because by then, this transmission was very commonplace, and Subaru had to extend warranty coverage of more than 1.5 million affected vehicles to 10 years or 100,000 miles to cover the failures after class-action lawsuits were brought. Typical symptoms included slipping, surging, P0841, P0868, and P2764 error codes, vibrations, whining, delayed engagement, the Check Engine light, an “AT Temp” warning, and more, starting from around 90,000 miles.

The 2013-2015 Impreza and Crosstrek models with the TR580 also suffered from software calibration faults, lurching, and gear-ratio pressure errors, in addition to the valve-body wear. The failure rate decreased after 2015, but many 2015-2018 Foresters with the 2.5-liter NA engine still reported problems, with valve-body and solenoid failures occurring from around 100,000 miles. 

2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Given the above, we wouldn’t trust any pre-2019 TR580. The main problem is that Subaru persists with the “lifetime fluid” myth that only required visual inspection when not towing, so many of these transmissions have been neglected and never received fresh fluid. The reason why post-2018 transmissions seem to last a lot longer is that most specialists taking over the maintenance of these cars after they are no longer covered by the factory warranty recognize that the fluid should be replaced every 30,000 to 40,000 miles and advise owners of this.

The TR690 experienced many of the same problems as the TR580, including torque-converter lockup failure. The 2010 and 2011 model years were the worst. TR690s can suffer jerking, harsh gear engagement, droning or whining noises, shaking and shuddering, error codes, and the invocation of limp mode. A delayed engagement between Drive and Reverse is also a red flag. Matters improved a bit from 2015.

2014 Subaru Forester XT

The heavy 3-row Ascent SUV first received the TR690 for MY2019. Its weight, the torque of its turbocharged 2.4-liter engine, and the typical SUV uses it was subjected to, like towing, exposed marginal reliability under hard use. Chain slip and sometimes catastrophic failure occurred more frequently during these first two years of the Ascent using the TR690. Some problems were still encountered up to as recently as 2024 in cars with the 2.4 turbo-four.

Drew Phillips

Both the TR580 and TR690 transmissions became a lot more reliable after 2018, but this is heavily dependent on owners changing the fluid, which is still not mandatory. While it’s easy to recommend that you avoid pre-2018 Subaru CVTs, the post-2018 ones must come with verifiable proof that fluid changes were done every 30,000 to 40,000 miles, especially if it was used for towing. If this is the case, a post-2018 Subaru CVT can stay reliable for a long time.

Whenever we talk about transmission reliability, especially that of CVTs, maintenance comes up. It remains the single most important factor when assessing CVT reliability, and if a high-mileage CVT’s service record doesn’t show fluid changes at least every 40,000 miles, this should serve as your deal-breaker.

I Do Cars/YouTube

The presence of a tow hitch should also make you think twice, as you know the transmission may have been under strain for prolonged periods. Remember that a Lineartronic transmission replacement can cost you between $5,000 and $7,000, which is just not worth it on an old Subaru that’s barely worth that amount. Like most CVTs, a failed Lineatronic can usually not be rebuilt and must be replaced. You have been warned.

None of this changes the broader picture — Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Subaru remain among the most dependable brands sold in America. But reputation is earned brand-wide while failures happen at the engine or platform level, and according to YouTube channel Car Help Corner, there are real and well-documented problems worth knowing about before you buy one of these specific cars.

Toyota

Toyota’s twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6, which replaced the legendary 5.7-liter V8 in the 2022 Tundra redesign, has been recalled three separate times over machining debris that can damage the crankshaft’s main bearing and cause complete engine failure — most recently in May 2026, covering over 43,000 additional 2024 trucks, on top of the roughly 100,000 covered by the original 2024 recall. Toyota’s own official explanation is that tighter emissions-driven tolerances leave the new engine unable to tolerate debris the old V8 shrugged off, but independent teardowns have raised real questions about whether debris is the whole story, and Toyota has now issued a fix, revised the fix, and revised it again. The company still hasn’t said whether the 2027 model is confirmed clear of the issue.

Toyota

Toyota’s 8-speed automatic spans a huge swath of the lineup — RAV4, Highlander, Camry, Tacoma, and several Lexus models — but complaints concentrate heavily on Highlanders from 2017 onward, with owners describing jerky, clunky low-speed shifts and a shudder like driving over rumble strips. It rarely fails outright, but on a $50,000-plus vehicle, that’s a legitimate complaint. Toyota markets the transmission fluid as a lifetime fill that never needs changing; mechanics who see these transmissions regularly recommend ignoring that guidance and servicing it on a normal interval anyway. Buyers who want to sidestep the issue entirely can opt for the Highlander Hybrid, which swaps the 8-speed for a far more durable eCVT, allowing Toyota time to figure out the automatic.

Subaru

Toyota’s bZ4X and Subaru’s Solterra — built on the same shared platform — have been hit with a consolidated class-action lawsuit over 12-volt batteries that drain repeatedly, sometimes within days of being replaced. A Subaru technician’s own diagnostic notes, shared by an affected owner, traced the drain to the vehicle’s data communication module repeatedly waking to sync with cloud services, pulling current well outside normal spec. Both automakers have moved to dismiss the consolidated case, and no permanent fix has shipped yet — meaning owners are still stuck jump-starting or replacing batteries that keep failing the same way.

Acura

Honda’s 1.5-liter turbo four, used since 2016 in non-hybrid CR-Vs, Accords, the Civic Si, and Acura’s ADX and Integra, has a documented pattern of premature head gasket failure past roughly 60,000 miles, running around $5,000 to repair and drawing class-action suits in both Canada and the US. What’s changed recently is that Honda has now extended head gasket warranty coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles on affected models. A real response, even if it stops short of a formal recall. Failure is far from guaranteed; plenty of these engines run past 200,000 miles with no issues at all, but the failure rate is high enough to weigh seriously against any non-hybrid Honda with this engine.

Mazda

The CX-70 and CX-90 arrived as genuinely all-new vehicles — new platform, new drivetrains, a new hybrid option, all at once — and the risk of launching that much new technology simultaneously showed up fast: jerky 8-speed transmissions, prematurely worn brakes, steering and suspension complaints, PHEV stalling issues, and enough electrical gremlins to trigger multiple recalls and lawsuits. The good news is timing: the overwhelming majority of complaints trace back to 2024 and 2025 model years specifically, meaning a 2026 or 2027 example should be a meaningfully safer bet.

The pattern across all five issues is the same one driving nearly every reliability story in the industry right now: smaller turbocharged engines, newer multi-speed transmissions, and new EV or hybrid platforms replacing simpler technology that had already proven itself. None of it erases what these four brands do well — it just means the badge on the hood isn’t a substitute for researching the specific powertrain you’re actually buying.

You can say a lot about Chinese car manufacturers, whether it’s the industry’s ultra-rapid development timeline or the build quality of their vehicles. One thing’s for sure: in a short time, these brands have expanded so quickly that the world now accepts them as legitimate carmakers. This has pushed Chinese automakers to the top of global automotive sales, driven by new energy vehicles and feature-packed cars at a fraction of the competition’s cost.

Leapmotor is one of the (very) many automotive brands from China, and while it normally isn’t in the headlines like BYD or Geely, it has slowly carved out a healthy global presence. In fact, Leapmotor’s strategy has paid off, as 2026 global sales numbers are now being revealed.

Stellantis

Nikkei Asia reports that Chinese EV brand Leapmotor has just overtaken Mitsubishi and Subaru in global sales. This marks the first time Leapmotor has overtaken both brands based on the April to June quarter. Most of Leapmotor’s newfound sales follow the brand’s rapid expansion in China and Europe, with both regions seeing strong demand for its affordable electric vehicles.

According to the report, the rapid rise in global oil prices has boosted Leapmotor sales and demand. April-to-June quarterly sales jumped 84% from the previous year to a record 240,000 vehicles sold. In that same period, Subaru sold only 230,000, while Mitsubishi sold only 170,000 cars. This is the first time a Chinese startup automotive brand established after 2010 has overtaken legacy Japanese automakers. Leapmotor was established in 2015 and has developed many of its key technologies in-house; its lineup focuses on plug-in hybrids and EVs.

Autoblog

The top dog is still (unsurprisingly) Toyota Motor, which registered 2.71 million vehicles that quarter, but that is 4% down from last year’s sales in the same period. Second is the Volkswagen Group, which tallied 2.07 million units, a 9% drop from last year. Leapmotor’s growth in general is also fueled by one of its biggest investors, Stellantis. This contrasts sharply with Japanese automakers’ struggles in Europe, with Nissan dropping 15% that quarter and Mitsubishi dropping a shocking 40%.

Subaru