Best Of

@xwesx - OK, let's do it this way. Are there any models and years of Subaru you would recommend? My friend is very much hung up on maintenance and reliability (even though he and his wife each have an Audi).

Well, anything newer than 2012 is a sure improvement over anything older than that from a long-term reliability perspective. The problem for me is that I care about the appearance of my car as much as I do the mechanicals, so it's a mixed bag for me.... the SH Foresters were the pinnacle of Subaru design, and it seems to just be going to the birds since then. I mean, even that 2014 is a slab-sided hunk of ugly, and it isn't even the worst of the Forester designs.

However.... The 2015-2019 Outbacks were a solid choice on the visuals. They all had the FB25 4-liter engine, unless, like yours, you sprung for top-end 3.6L H6. All were CVTs, which is not a bad thing (If you want an automatic anyway). Foresters also were FB25 w/ CVT. More recent Outbacks use the FA24 block on turbo models. Turbos always require higher attention to the maintenance, but otherwise haven't proven at all unreliable in the Subaru lineup. The Ascent, 2019+, also uses the turbo FA24 block.

Foresters are FB25 2012+ (2012/13 are the only years of FB25 + 4EAT for any Subaru). In 2014+, the transmissions were CVT for auto and 6-speed manual, so that's a benefit it you want a manual transmission. 2019-2023 is probably the most moderately styled of the 2014+ Foresters, if that is a consideration.

Crosstreks are also a solid option with non-polarizing style throughout the history (2013+). Always FB25 engines, six-speed manuals, and CVT. Space is really good for passengers, but otherwise extremely limited. 2018+ Crosstreks also have electric power steering, which takes one fluid out of the equation that tends to get neglected.

Frankly, I don't think that any Subaru is higher risk than any other make vehicle, but the F blocks (versus E blocks) are definitely a stark improvement in head gasket reliability. Also, and this may be a plus or minus depending on the buyer.... the newer the Subaru and higher in the model lineup, the higher the nanny-count. So, Ascent and Outback are big on "Eyesight" while Forester and Crosstrek (also Impreza) were slower to proliferate throughout the lineup as standard equipment. Many people love that feature, but it does mean vastly more expensive windshield replacements, when necessary.