Subaru’s factory warranty lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles, but any good road tripper could burn through that in two years. After that, you can get a Subaru extended warranty, called Added Security®, to cover repairs up to 120,000 miles.
We’ll dive into the specific coverage and limitations of this plan and compare it to third-party options. While Subaru’s extended warranty is thorough, it doesn’t offer much freedom. We’ve reviewed a number of the best extended car warranty companies to help you make sense of the market.
If you’re shopping for an extended warranty, take a look at our recommendations and get quotes from multiple companies to find the best deal.
Subaru Extended Warranty Overview
The Subaru extended warranty covers vehicles after mechanical breakdowns for up to 10 years or 120,000 miles. The Added Security program is available for any Subaru vehicle, but there’s one main requirement. Your car needs to be within Subaru’s factory warranty period of 3 years/36,000 miles.
Remember, the warranty expires when your car has reached either the time or mileage limit. After that, you can’t get an Added Security plan.
Coverage Options
There are three levels of coverage for the Subaru extended warranty: Powertrain, Classic and Gold Plus. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Subaru Extended Warranty | Powertrain | Classic | Gold Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Time/Mileage | 10 years/100,000 miles or 8 years/120,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles or 8 years/120,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles or 8 years/120,000 miles |
| Deductible | $0 or $100 | $0 or $100 | $0 or $100 |
| Coverage | Major engine, transaxle and differential components | Powertrain coverage plus coverage for major systems, including the air conditioning, electrical, brakes, steering, suspension, cooling and fuel | Powertrain and Classic coverage plus almost every other part of your Subaru |
| Perks | Rental car reimbursement and towing coverage | Rental car reimbursement and towing coverage | Rental car reimbursement, towing coverage, trip interruption allowance and roadside assistance |
Gold Plus includes hundreds more components than what the Classic plan covers. However, it won’t match up exactly with Subaru’s factory warranty. Since coverage can last for many more years, there are a few more excluded items.
Both plans use genuine Subaru parts for repairs. That also means you have to visit a dealership for repairs. Because of this, you might end up paying a bit more for non-covered parts that need to be replaced in conjunction with a covered repair.
Within each of these plans, you can choose between a range of years and mileage limits. You can also customize the mileage to match your driving style to reflect whether you drive a lot or a little. For example, with a six-year plan you could choose between 60,000, 80,000 or 100,000 miles.
You can cancel your Subaru service contract for a prorated refund. Coverage can be transferred if your vehicle is sold, as well.
What Makes Subaru’s Extended Warranty Stand Out?
There are a few unique coverage items under the Subaru extended warranty that you don’t see very often. These include:
- Wear and tear: Subaru’s Added Security plans cover the gradual reduction in performance of some parts. Other extended auto warranties don’t necessarily cover this type of degradation over time.
- Cause and effect: The Subaru extended warranty will pay for repairs to non-covered parts if the damage was caused by a covered part.
- Special items: Seals and gaskets, onboard computers, and other high-tech items are included.
Added Perks
Here are the details on the extra benefits that come with Subaru’s extended warranty:
- Rental reimbursement: Subaru will reimburse up to $40 per day for a maximum of five days.
- Towing reimbursement: Subaru will reimburse up to $100 per day/occurrence for towing to a dealership.
- Trip interruption (Gold Plus only): Subaru will reimburse a maximum of $500 to you for lodging and food if a covered repair happens more than 50 miles from home. This is a generous allowance, since most warranties only provide trip interruption when the breakdown happens more than 100 miles from home.
- Roadside assistance (Gold Plus only): This benefit covers towing, spare tire installation, jump-starts, lockout services, fuel delivery and concierge services.
Subaru provides good trip interruption and roadside assistance coverage, so it’s a shame those are only available on the Gold Plus plan.
What Subaru’s Extended Warranty Does Not Cover
Even if you get the Gold Plus exclusionary plan, there are a number of things that Subaru’s extended warranty won’t cover. Here are a few examples:
- Tires (covered by the tire manufacturer)
- Damage from misuse, abuse or lack of maintenance
- Damage from environmental events
- Cosmetic items, upholstery and glass
- Regular maintenance
Subaru does offer maintenance plans and other protection packages to cover tires, glass and dents.
Warranty Limitations
We already talked a little bit about the limitation of only being allowed to go to a Subaru dealership. In contrast, most third-party providers allow drivers to visit any mechanic who’s certified by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
Another imitation is the fact that you have to purchase a Subaru extended warranty before your basic factory warranty coverage has expired. Compared to other manufacturers, Subaru’s factory warranty period is on the short end of the spectrum.
You don’t have much time to decide whether or not you want to get an extended warranty. On the other hand, third-party providers let you add coverage many years or miles past the factory warranty.
Subaru Extended Warranty Cost (2021)
Subaru extended warranty prices are somewhat standardized. We noticed a few dealers let drivers buy these plans online. Here are a few prices listed on the New Motors Subaru dealership website:
| Term Length | Classic ($100 Deductible) | Gold Plus ($100 Deductible) | Gold Plus ($0 Deductible) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years/60,000 miles | $680 | $780 | $1,020 |
| 6 years/80,000 miles | $960 | $1,470 | $1,840 |
| 8 years/120,000 miles | $2,073 | $2,680 | $2,940 |
Be aware that these prices can change over time, and they may be dependent on your region.
Subaru Factory Warranty Recap
Subaru’s factory warranty is made up of a few different parts:
| Subaru Warranty Coverage | Term Length |
|---|---|
| New Vehicle Limited Warranty, wear item warranty, roadside assistance and one adjustment service | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Rust perforation warranty | 5 years/unlimited miles |
| Hybrid system warranty | 8 years/100,000 miles |
| Seat belt warranty | Lifetime |
The most important warranty to consider is the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, which is also called bumper-to-bumper coverage. This warranty covers almost any mechanical or electrical part on your Subaru. When it expires, an extended warranty can step in and provide similar coverage.
Why Would You Want an Extended Warranty for Your Subaru?
First of all, Subaru’s factory warranty is one of the shortest in the industry. A number of brands share the same coverage terms, but that doesn’t make the situation any better for new Subaru owners. The bottom line is you’ll have to cover repairs for most items not included in the powertrain warranty after 3 years/36,000 miles.
The powertrain warranty covers parts in the engine, drive axle and transmission. So, electrical, steering, air conditioning and high-tech components aren’t covered after the factory warranty expires.
Subaru vehicles generally have a good reputation for longevity, so you’ll probably want to drive your Subaru for a long time. But as the mileage increases, the likelihood of repairs does as well. An extended auto warranty can help even out your monthly budget, so you don’t have to pay for a $1,000 or $2,000 repair out of pocket.
Subaru Repair Costs
Subarus tend to have low repair costs. According to RepairPal, Subaru drivers pay $617 per year for maintenance and repairs on average. That number is lower than the industry average of $652. Since costs are low, you can expect to find better prices on extended warranties, as well. A warranty for a Subaru Outback will likely cost less than a warranty for a Ford F-150 or an Audi A5, for example.
Subaru parts are also easy to source, and tens of thousands of mechanics around the U.S. can work on the cars. That’s not true of many other brands.
Conclusion: Is the Subaru Extended Warranty Worth It?
If it’s important for you to get genuine Subaru parts through a dealership, Subaru’s extended warranty could be a good idea. The plan includes coverage for some unconventional items, too. We’d definitely recommend going for the Gold Plus plan if you have the choice, since you get more added benefits.
Subaru Dealerships vs. Third-Party Providers
On the other hand, there are some reasons you might want to look at third-party options. You might be able to find a lower price from a third-party company since they have to compete on price to gain customers. Subaru doesn’t.
Looking around, you’ll also see that third-party companies offer more options for coverage. For example, CarShield offers six main warranty plans with a few different contracts in each category. Plans range from bumper-to-bumper coverage to basic powertrain coverage.
Also, third-party providers usually offer coverage for longer terms than manufacturer extended warranties. Remember, the longest term for a Subaru extended warranty is 120,000 miles. Another popular provider, CARCHEX, can cover vehicles up to 250,000 odometer miles.
Lastly, with a third-party plan, you probably won’t have to get the highest tier plan to get roadside assistance and trip interruption benefits. Endurance in particular has excellent benefits for the first year of coverage.
If you’re considering an extended warranty for your Subaru, time isn’t exactly on your side. However, it pays to take a minute and get quotes from a few different providers. Call around and get quotes to compare the Subaru extended warranty side-by-side with options from leading third-party companies to find the plan with the best value.
Read our other guides for more information:
- Mercedes Extended Warranty
- Volkswagen Extended Warranty
- BMW Extended Warranty
- Nissan Extended Warranty
- Lexus Extended Warranty
Methodology
The Detroit Bureau collects data from every major car warranty provider to formulate rankings of the best warranty companies. Our in-depth rating system takes into account coverage, pricing, transparency, customer satisfaction and ratings from industry experts. Each provider is given a weighted score in five categories, as well as an overall score out of 10.0.
We recommend auto warranty companies based on these rankings, but we also encourage you to perform your own research and compare quotes to find the best coverage.
