CR Says Subaru Is Now Mediocre In The Most, Least Liked Car Brands Report
Is there anything worse than being mediocre? Out of 29 car brands, Consumer Reports just dropped Subaru to the middle of the pack. They aren’t all that good, and they are not the worst in owner satisfaction.
We recently reported Subaru was ranked 5th in the Consumer Reports Most and Least Like Car Brands rankings. But CR failed to put up the new list and just updated the report this week.
photo credit: Giles Subaru
Last year’s CR report ranked Subaru number five overall and the third-highest mainstream automaker behind Ram pickups and Chrysler. Subaru, with a score of 75, outranked Hyundai (75), Porsche (74), Dodge (74), Mazda (72), and Toyota 71).
In the updated ranking from Consumer Reports, Subaru, now scoring 68, drops to 14th overall. Subaru scores behind mainstream brands like Chrysler (74), Dodge (74), Ram (73), Ford (71), Mazda (70), Hyundai (70 ), and Toyota (69).
What are Subaru’s strengths and areas to improve?
In CR’s updated owner satisfaction scores, Subaru’s seven models score well in driving (4/5), comfort (4/5), style (4/5), and value (3/5). Where can Subaru improve? Subaru owner satisfaction for in-car electronics scores a 1/5. In-car electronics refers to the ease of using infotainment systems and Bluetooth.
Which Subaru models rank high and low?
The 2022 Outback is Subaru’s highest-ranked model by CR and is one of the most satisfying midsize 2-Row SUVs with an owner satisfaction of 4/5. Forester 4/5, Crosstrek 4/5, Ascent 4/5, WRX and WRX STI 4/5, BRZ (4/5) all score well above average in owner satisfaction. The Subaru Impreza is the only model with lower owner satisfaction (2/5).
The rankings are all owner-based from the Consumer Reports satisfaction surveys. CR says the least-satisfying models or brands aren’t necessarily the worst on the market. "Rather, they didn’t match the customers’ expectations."
CR says owner satisfaction is just one factor in its overall score for each tested model they rate. Models and brands are also rated for safety, reliability, and road-test scores.
But CR says, “The owner satisfaction score is based on the percentage of owners who responded definitely yes to the question of whether they would buy the same vehicle if they had it to do all over again (considering price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.). Factor ratings and scores were determined based on the percentage of owners who said they were very satisfied.”
Why would one model (Impreza) lower Subaru from 5th last year to the middle of the pack in the most recent study? We reached out to CR but have not received a reply.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: Subaru USA