Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2018 Ford Focus vs 2018 Subaru WRX

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2018 Ford Focus2018 Subaru WRX
NHTSA complaints82542
Recall campaigns72
Service bulletins (TSBs)106338
Investigations50
Crash reports155
Fire reports31
NCAP overall rating5/5
EPA MPG (combined)28–3419–23
Median reported incident mileage57,500 mi14,500 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord FocusSubaru WRX
Power Train3156
Engine22811
Fuel/propulsion System1296
Engine and Engine Cooling1230
Fuel System, Gasoline651
Electrical System4810
Steering307
Vehicle Speed Control250

Symptoms owners describe

Check engine light2120
Stalling1620
Vibration / shaking990
Hesitation / surging750
Overheating470
Won’t start350
Loss of power340
Shifting problems200

Compare all Ford Focus vs Subaru WRX years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.