Subaru WRX vs Volvo S60
Which used car has the cleaner record?
We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.
| Side by side | WRX | S60 |
|---|---|---|
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Years sampled | 2016, 2020, 2024 | 2016, 2020, 2024 |
| Owner complaints | 64 | 26fewer |
| Recall campaigns | 3fewer | 10 |
| NHTSA investigations | 5 | 4fewer |
| Overall safety (NHTSA, US) | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Combined economy (EPA, US) | 11.2 L/100km | 7.8 L/100km |
The quick read
Over the sampled model years, the Subaru WRX has 64 complaints and 3 recalls, and the Volvo S60 has 26 complaints and 10 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.
Deeper analysis
The WRX recorded 64 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns across the three model years examined, while the S60 recorded 26 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns over the same period. The WRX therefore attracted more than twice the complaints but significantly fewer recalls, whereas the S60 had fewer complaints but a notably higher recall count. Neither pattern is straightforwardly better, as complaints reflect owner dissatisfaction and recalls reflect manufacturer or regulator action on safety issues. Bear in mind this is US-sourced NHTSA data, offering a rough reliability signal rather than a definitive verdict on any specific European example.
NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.