Subaru extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
See if an Added Security plan is right for you
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Many Subaru drivers seem to love their cars — but at least one authoritative study ranks the manufacturer below average in terms of reliability. That could make an extended warranty a good way to protect yourself from expensive repair bills if you plan to keep your Subaru on the road for a long time.
Subaru even offers its own line of extended warranties, but how do they stack up to the competition? Read on to learn what Subaru extended warranties cover, how much they cost and when a third-party warranty makes more sense.
Subaru provides its extended warranties through its Added Security program.
Jump to insightAdded Security plans come in two variations: Classic Plans for essentials and Gold Plus Plans for almost bumper-to-bumper protection.
Jump to insightBoth types of plans also include towing and rental car allowances, and Gold Plus coverage adds trip interruption reimbursement as an extra perk.
Jump to insightSubaru Added Security plans cost roughly $470 to $700 per year of additional bumper-to-bumper coverage, which is well below the $1,000 average for the industry.
Jump to insightSubaru extended warranty coverage
Subaru’s official program for extended warranties is called Added Security, but you may encounter it under other names, like Added Security Extended Coverage (ASEC) or Subaru Added Security (SAS). We’ll use Added Security throughout this article, but don’t be confused if you see other names as you shop in the real world.
Like all extended warranties (also known as vehicle service contracts), Added Security plans can pay to fix your vehicle when a covered component breaks down due to a manufacturing error. Basically, if your car breaks down on its own and the part at fault is covered by your plan, your extended warranty provider will pay to fix it.
We surveyed 1,000 drivers in 2023. About half of them said they didn’t know for sure what a warranty covered, and about half of the people who thought they knew were wrong.
Just be aware that this coverage doesn’t include parts that fail because of an accident, misuse or abuse. (If you want to avoid paying for collision repairs, you need car insurance.)
All Subaru vehicles are eligible for Added Security plans as long as they’re still within the three-year/36,000-mile factory warranty period. Terms for Added Security plans can range anywhere from three years/45,000 miles to eight years/120,000 miles, and plans are available with either a $0 or $100 deductible.
» MORE: What does a car warranty cover?
Subaru extended warranty benefits
In addition to warranty protection, all Subaru Added Security plans come with:
- A towing allowance of $100, which helps to cover the cost of a tow after a mechanical breakdown
- A rental car allowance of $35 per day for up to five days while your Subaru is in the shop for a covered repair
The Gold Plus plan adds a trip interruption allowance for up to $500 per occurrence to help cover meals and lodging if your Subaru breaks down more than 50 miles from your home.
It’s worth noting that Subaru’s trip interruption allowance is pretty generous; many other plans cap reimbursements at $100 per day (not $500 per occurrence) and have longer minimum distance requirements (usually 100 miles).
Subaru extended warranty plans
Subaru Added Security plans are available in two levels of coverage.
Classic coverage applies to 82 parts across critical systems in your vehicle, including your:
- Engine
- Transaxle and differential
- Transmission
- All-wheel drive system
- Cooling system
- Fuel system
- Steering
- Front suspension
- Brakes
- Electrical system
- Air conditioning
Classic Plans come with a $100 deductible and include towing and rental car reimbursement for covered repairs.
Almost no extended warranty covers problems caused by neglect, abuse, misuse or damage from an accident.
Gold Plus coverage includes everything Classic coverage does and more, like:
- Thousands of additional components across the 11 systems listed above
- Computers and infotainment systems
- STARLINK vehicle systems
- Safety equipment, such as your EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert system, reverse automatic braking system and DriverFocus distraction mitigation system
You can browse the complete list of covered items for each plan and see some helpful visuals in Subaru’s official brochure.
According to multiple Subaru dealers, Gold Plus coverage is the closest equivalent to extending your three-year/36,000-mile factory bumper-to-bumper warranty that’s available directly from Subaru. In Subaru’s own words, Gold Plus coverage covers “virtually every” part of your Subaru except routine maintenance items, window glass, belts and hoses.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
Subaru extended warranty cost
A seven-year/100,000-mile Gold Plus Plan tends to cost around $2,900 ($725 per year of added coverage), which puts Subaru’s extended warranty prices well below the $1,000-per-year average for extended warranties. However, we saw prices for other Added Security plans start as low as $1,165 and go as high as $4,080.
See extended warranty costs for specific Subaru models:
Unlike many extended warranty programs, which require you to go through a quote process to get pricing, we were able to find Subaru Added Security prices published online, courtesy of New Motors Subaru of Erie, Pennsylvania. We’ve included some of those prices below.
| Warranty term | Classic Plan ($100 deductible) | Gold Plus Plan ($100 deductible) | Gold Plus Plan ($0 deductible) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years/45,000 miles | N/A | $1,140 | $1,240 |
| 4 years/60,000 miles | $1,165 | $1,290 | $1,590 |
| 5 years/60,000 miles | $1,200 | $1,410 | $1,810 |
| 6 years/60,000 miles | $1,220 | $1,700 | $2,100 |
| 6 years/80,000 miles | $1,430 | $2,015 | $2,515 |
| 7 years/70,000 miles | $1,455 | $2,040 | $2,540 |
| 5 years/100,000 miles | $1,710 | $2,345 | $2,845 |
| 6 years/100,000 miles | $1,950 | $2,570 | $3,070 |
| 7 years/100,000 miles | $2,265 | $2,895 | $3,395 |
| 10 years/100,000 miles | $2,370 | $3,300 | $3,800 |
| 8 years/120,000 miles | $2,620 | $3,580 | $4,080 |
In total, Subaru’s Added Security plans cost around $470 to $700 per year of additional bumper-to-bumper coverage (with a $100 deductible). That’s far less than the average cost of an extended warranty across brands, which we calculated to be roughly $1,000.
However, New Motors Subaru also noted that there’s a “sports car surcharge” for plans between 70,000 and 100,000 miles on certain vehicles. Expect to pay $295 extra for a WRX vehicle and $495 extra for an STI. According to multiple dealerships we spoke with, this is because the turbocharged performance engines in these vehicles have higher parts and labor costs.
Subaru extended warranty terms and conditions
The sample contract behind Subaru’s Added Security plans seems to be pretty standard, with the usual exclusions and transfer terms and no obvious “gotchas” hiding in the fine print. However, the cancellation terms could be more specific.
Maintenance
To maintain your coverage, you have to follow the maintenance schedule in your Subaru Warranty and Maintenance Booklet, which should’ve come with your car. You’ll also want to keep all of your receipts for these services; it’s very common for warranty providers to deny claims because people can’t provide proof of regular maintenance.
Preexisting conditions
Any preexisting conditions won’t be covered by your Added Security plan, which is why we recommend getting a pre-purchase inspection before buying an extended warranty. You may eventually want proof of what was and wasn’t an issue when you bought the plan.
We’d especially recommend getting a pre-purchase inspection on a used Subaru because these vehicles tend to have transmission issues that can lead to extremely expensive repairs. Several reviewers on our site mention their transmissions failing within mere months of purchase, costing them $5,000 or more out of pocket.
Getting a $150 pre-purchase inspection can help you prove to your warranty company that a part failed during the warranty period.
Transferability
After you sell your car, you can transfer your Subaru Added Security plan to your car’s new owner within 30 days of the sale by contacting the dealer where you purchased the warranty, filing some paperwork and paying a $75 fee.
Cancellation and refunds
Subaru is vague on cancellation terms. We recommend getting explicit cancellation and refund terms in writing from the issuing dealership or Subaru itself.
What’s not covered by a Subaru extended warranty?
Most standard exclusions apply. Subaru Added Security plans don’t cover weather- or accident-related damage, abuse, neglect or damage resulting from aftermarket parts or racing. Subaru is also the first automaker we’ve encountered that specifically calls out snowplow use as an exclusion.
» LEARN: What voids a car warranty?
Subaru extended warranty alternatives
Subaru’s proprietary extended warranties can last up to 10 years or 120,000 miles, but many Subaru owners plan to drive their cars much farther. One Subaru Forester owner reportedly even maxed out their odometer back in 2018. If you plan to show your Subaru love for years to come, you might consider a third-party warranty instead of an Added Security plan.
Third-party warranty coverage can stretch all the way to 300,000 miles, and many of these plans are also more cost-effective than Subaru’s plans. Generally speaking, there aren’t blanket surcharges just for driving a sports car, either.
To compare costs, we collected quotes from several third-party warranty providers for similar bumper-to-bumper plans with $100 deductibles (unless otherwise specified). You can see the results below.
| Warranty provider | Cost |
|---|---|
| Subaru | $2,670 |
| olive | $1,497 |
| Endurance | $4,215 |
| Toco Warranty | $3,968 |
| Omega Auto Care | $6,720 (with a $200 deductible) |
Subaru was more affordable than several of the companies we got estimates from, but one company, olive, did offer significant savings on a similar plan.
Considering the wide gap in the quotes we received, we recommend checking out a few other warranty companies and getting various quotes before you make a decision. This will help you comparison shop and make an educated decision about which option is best for you.
Is a Subaru extended warranty worth it?
Before you consider whether a Subaru Added Security plan might be worth it, it’s good to take a step back and consider whether an extended warranty is worth it at all.
Generally speaking, an extended warranty might be a good idea if any of the following are true:
- The cost of the warranty is less than the cost of repairs you expect it to cover.
- You drive a car that doesn’t have a good reputation for reliability.
- You can’t afford a significant repair bill or a new car.
- You just want some added peace of mind when the factory warranty runs out.
Now, let’s look at Subarus specifically.
We’ve already established that the average price of a Subaru Added Security plan falls well below average, costing as low as $300 per year of additional bumper-to-bumper coverage beyond the three-year/36,000-mile factory warranty period.
And, as we mentioned at the start of this article, Subaru’s reputation for reliability and build quality is mixed. J.D. Power ranked the brand 14th out of 29 brands for overall dependability in 2024, and some consumers have reported expensive problems that would typically be covered under warranty.
Subarus are reasonably reliable, but if you can get a good deal on coverage, you may still save money with an extended warranty over the long term.
“I know many people drive a Subaru because they’re supposedly reliable,” wrote Grant Lewis, co-host of Everything Auto, in an email to ConsumerAffairs, “but the only Subaru I’ve ever dealt with needed the engine replaced twice.”
RepairPal data from 2019 suggests that Subarus cost an average of $617 in annual repair and maintenance bills. That’s roughly $844 per year in 2024 dollars when accounting for inflation. (For reference, the industry average would be $891 per year in 2024, according to those same figures.)
However, consumer reviews of Subaru indicate that the company has a mixed record for warranty work and customer service.
There are not many companies that stand behind their products these days. Thank you, Subaru! ”
Bobbie from Wisconsin was pleasantly surprised when Subaru offered to fix the transmission on his son’s 2016 STI, despite the car having a “tune” that allegedly voided the warranty. “There are not many companies that stand behind their products these days. Thank you, Subaru!” Bobbie wrote.
However, some of our more recent reviewers have mentioned frustration with how Subaru has handled their warranty claims.
“Randy Marion Subaru technicians have been very helpful, and they are just as aggravated as I am with how Subaru is handling my situation,” wrote Chelsea from North Carolina. Although Chelsea’s car was under warranty, Subaru allegedly continued to delay authorization, leaving her without a car for at least two weeks.
They are just as aggravated as I am with how Subaru is handling my situation. ”
In short, purchasing an extended warranty for your Subaru could well be worth it to provide valuable peace of mind and insurance against surprise repair bills.
But, despite the low cost, a Subaru Added Security plan may not necessarily be your best option, especially when you may find even lower prices and more consistent customer care with a third-party warranty provider.
FAQ
How much does a Subaru extended warranty cost?
Subaru’s Added Security plans cost around $470 to $700 per year of additional bumper-to-bumper coverage (with a $100 deductible).
How do you cancel a Subaru extended warranty?
To cancel your Subaru extended warranty you’ll need to contact your dealership. Subaru is vague on its cancellation terms so make sure to the terms in writing before you sign up for your warranty.
Can a Subaru extended warranty be purchased later?
Yes, you can purchase a Subaru extended warranty after the original purchase as long as your vehicle still falls under the original, three-year/36,000 mile factory warranty period.
Article sources
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Nov. 8, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Subaru Reliability Rating.” Accessed Nov. 10, 2023.
- PR Newswire, “Subaru Forester Driver Maxes Out Odometer at 1 Million Kilometres.” Accessed March 1, 2023.
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, “ Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair in U.S. City Average.” Accessed Nov. 8, 2023.
