You might also check the 12v battery, if it's limping along on the original or a dead one it would have to be constantly recharged by the HV battery & inverter running more often. Our 2013 had the original battery still in it when we bought it a couple months ago, clinging on at 11.9v. Mileage seems to have improved slightly with a fresh one.
I had to replace the battery on a 2016 Crosstrek this summer and, in retrospect, missed a bunch of warning signs before it finally wouldn’t start: slow cranking, occasional extra crank needed, flickering dash lights, and generally dim interior lights.
I have a 2016 Gen 4 that my partner commutes about 100 miles round trip in. Aside from its strange looks it's a great car. Zero repairs so far at more than 220K miles. No rattles or clunks. Every single electric button and switch still works.
Have a 2020 Touring XT. Battery went bad after 5 years so that was normal. No problems other normal wear and tear, tires and brakes.
My 2012 recently needed a battery replacement
So on top of cold weather, your battery may need attention
Very unlikely to be the starter, though anything is possible. I'd put money on the battery being weak though. Voltage isn't the end all be all, you need to know about the cranking amps.
My factory battery died at 30k miles on a 2024 corolla…
I bought my wrx brand new in 2015, the battery lasted two years and was replaced at the dealership. That second battery lasted two years and I went back for them to replace it and said that they wouldn\u2019t because it was already replaced under warranty. She told me they would replace it for something like $160, I said \n\n\u201cLook lady the first battery lasted two years and the second lasted two years, I\u2019m not spending my money on your junk batteries.\u201d
21 Outback. Battery issues - I’m on my fourth battery since buying it. Have had issues with door seals leaking, but those were fixed easily under warranty. Definitely can confirm the assembly quality - we had to test drive quite a few before getting one that didn’t rattle on every bump we hit.
My Forester is 2021, already replaced the starter and the battery. The current battery starts to feel weak as well.
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For starter motor OEM Volkswagen already 25 reviews.
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If choosing battery across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare battery across these categories:
In March 2026 on PartReview, battery OEM Toyota were overall better than OEM Subaru.
Battery OEM Toyota and OEM Subaru were equally popular according to data in March 2026.
By vote balance, battery OEM Toyota surpassed OEM Subaru:
By number of reviews, battery OEM Subaru surpassed OEM Toyota:
In March 2026, according to PartReview, battery OEM Toyota led more car-specific ratings than OEM Subaru:
OEM Toyota are chosen by owners of cars such as: Toyota Prius, and others.
Battery OEM Subaru have not yet taken leading positions in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding a review and specifying your car.
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of battery OEM Toyota with: OPTIMA, Varta, Bosch, OEM Volkswagen, YUASA, Tesla, Duralast, Exide, OEM BMW, Deka.
Also available: comparisons of battery OEM Subaru with: OPTIMA, Varta, Bosch, OEM Volkswagen, YUASA, Tesla, Duralast, Exide, OEM BMW, Deka.
You can also see who is better among other battery manufacturers: OPTIMA or Varta, OPTIMA or Bosch, OPTIMA or OEM Subaru, OPTIMA or OEM Volkswagen, OPTIMA or YUASA.
