Every Subaru Engine Ranked From Worst to Best!

Overview

The video ranks major Subaru engines from F to S tier, weighing more than reliability alone. The host considers power and performance, serviceability, common faults, repair costs, and long-term durability. The ranking focuses mainly on engines familiar to US-market buyers, with the Japanese-market EJ207 included as a notable exception.

The host stresses that a tier is not a guarantee: neglect, low oil or coolant, and poor maintenance can ruin even a highly rated engine, while careful upkeep can help a lower-rated one last.

Rankings and Main Points

F Tier — EJ25D

• A 2.5-liter, dual-overhead-cam engine used in models including the Legacy, Outback, Forester, and 2.5 RS.
• Its defining problem is head-gasket failure, commonly occurring around 120,000–150,000 miles. The failure can let combustion gases enter the cooling system, push coolant into the overflow tank, and lead to overheating.
• It was not especially powerful or fuel-efficient, but examples can still reach high mileage.
• The host says the main weakness can be addressed during repair by fitting a multi-layer steel (MLS) gasket from a turbocharged EJ255 or EJ257.
• Used-car warning: A seller describing occasional overheating may be minimizing a serious head-gasket problem.

D Tier — Early FB20 and FB25

• These newer-generation engines were designed for greater refinement and fuel economy than the EJ series.
• Early versions became known for excessive oil consumption, attributed to low-tension piston rings and compounded by the move to thinner 0W-20 oil.
• Delayed oil changes can lead to deposits that worsen the problem. Running low on oil can cause severe damage, including spun rod bearings.
• Subaru responded with warranty extensions, oil-consumption tests, and short-block replacements, but used examples may now be out of warranty.
• Ownership advice: Check the oil level frequently and top it up as needed. If a used engine is already consuming oil, the host advises caution because a short-block replacement can be expensive.
• The host associates these early engines with many Subarus from roughly the early-to-mid 2010s.

C Tier — Naturally Aspirated EJ251, EJ252, and EJ253

• These simple, single-overhead-cam 2.5-liter engines appeared in many non-turbo Subaru models from the early 2000s into the early 2010s.
• They share a head-gasket reputation, but their typical failure is an external leak of coolant, oil, or both between the head and block—not the combustion-to-cooling-system failure described for the EJ25D.
• They are comparatively straightforward to maintain and repair. The host especially notes their accessible spark plugs and simple timing-belt setup.
• Despite the leaks, the engines can be reliable and reach 300,000 miles or more.
• The host says the head-gasket issue can be addressed with MLS gaskets if the repair is done correctly, including proper bolt-tightening procedure and head machining.
• Many used examples may already have had the gaskets replaced.

B Tier — Good Engines With Recurring Drawbacks

FA20 (First-Generation BRZ)

• Designed for high revs and suited to the BRZ’s sporty character, though the host notes its power deficit and torque dip.
• The car can be enjoyable when driven at higher revs; the engine also has Toyota’s D-4S combined fuel-injection system.
• Concerns include a valve-spring recall, RTV sealant in the oil pan, and FA-series oil leaks from areas such as the timing-chain cover and camshaft housings.
• Finding a clean, unmodified first-generation BRZ can be difficult.

FA20 DIT (Turbocharged)

• Used in the 2015–2021 WRX and a later Forester XT.
• Offers more power and efficiency than older turbo EJ engines, but has direct-injection carbon buildup concerns and oil-leak risks common to the FA series.
• Many used examples may have been modified, poorly tuned, or inadequately maintained, making condition especially important.

Later FB20 and FB25

• Later versions addressed much of the early engines’ oil-consumption problem and improved power and efficiency.
• Their trade-offs include intake-valve carbon deposits from direct injection, continuing oil-leak concerns, and—on some versions—a failure-prone thermostatic valve.
• The host considers them improved, but not free of typical F-series issues.

EJ255

• Used in turbocharged models including the WRX, Legacy GT, Outback XT, Forester XT, and Baja Turbo.
• A filter in the turbocharger oil-supply bolt could clog, restricting oil flow and contributing to turbo failure. Debris from a failed turbo could then damage the engine.
• The engine can also suffer cracked pistons, particularly when modified, poorly tuned, or exposed to detonation.
• It can be a strong engine when maintained and modified appropriately, but the host says many used examples have been abused, modified, or neglected.

A Tier — Strong Engines With Caveats

EJ205

• A 2.0-liter turbo engine in US-market WRXs from 2002–2005, and an important part of establishing the WRX in the American market.
• The host says a stock, properly maintained or correctly modified example can exceed 250,000 miles.
• The biggest present-day drawback is age: many surviving cars have been heavily driven, modified, or poorly maintained, so good examples are hard to find.

FA24 (Naturally Aspirated)

• Used in the second-generation BRZ. It addresses the first-generation FA20’s power and torque shortcomings and makes the car more enjoyable to drive.
• Its D-4S system combines direct and port injection, which the host says helps minimize valve deposits.
• It remains in A tier because it is relatively new and its long-term reliability record is still developing. FA-series oil leaks remain a possible concern, and track use calls for close monitoring of oil level, temperature, and pressure.

FA24 DIT (Turbocharged)

• Used in the 2022-and-later WRX, the Ascent, and newer Outback XT and Legacy XT models.
• The host praises its greater displacement, power, and torque, including its ability to move the large Ascent.
• Long-term durability is still uncertain. Potential concerns include direct-injection deposits, turbocharger complexity, and FA-series oil leaks. The host also notes that the CVT can limit the driving experience.

EJ257

• The US-spec STI engine, used from 2004 to 2021 with few major changes.
• Historically significant and the most powerful Subaru engine offered in the US, but the host cites cast pistons and a tendency toward piston cracking as reasons it does not reach S tier.
• Its reputation and performance are weighed against its widespread weaknesses.

S Tier — Standout Engines

EZ30 and EZ36

• Subaru’s naturally aspirated boxer six-cylinder engines, used in models including the Outback and Tribeca.
• The host praises their smoothness, power, and avoidance of the major head-gasket problems associated with Subaru’s 2.5-liter four-cylinders.
• They are less fuel-efficient and can develop oil leaks or timing-chain problems. Repairs, especially on a poorly maintained example, can be costly.

EJ22

• A naturally aspirated 2.2-liter engine used in late-1980s and early-1990s Legacy and Impreza models.
• The host calls it one of Subaru’s most reliable engines: simple, easy to maintain, free of the head-gasket problems discussed for other engines, and capable of very high mileage.
• Its main limitation is modest power.

EJ22T

• The turbocharged EJ22 found in early first-generation Legacy Turbo models.
• Its fully enclosed block makes it especially robust and valued for tuning, with substantial power potential.
• The host considers it one of the best turbocharged EJ engines offered in the US.

EJ207

• A forged, Japanese-market STI engine, included despite the video’s general US-market focus.
• The host credits it with a major role in Subaru’s performance and rally heritage and praises its tuning potential from a 2.0-liter displacement.
• It is presented as an S-tier engine.

EG33 — The Host’s Top Pick

• A 3.3-liter boxer six-cylinder used in the Subaru SVX.
• Although the SVX itself was commercially unsuccessful, the host judges the engine separately and praises its smoothness, power, and engineering.
• It uses a timing belt, unlike the chain-driven EZ engines, and can be difficult to maintain as parts become scarce.
• The host says its potential is especially notable with turbocharging, citing highly modified examples exceeding 1,500 horsepower.
• The video ends by framing the top spot as debatable, particularly between the EG33 and EJ207.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Speaker: The video’s single narrator and host, from the MrSubaru1387 channel. No other speakers or named external sources are featured.