vs
Head gasket OEM Toyota or OEM Subaru
Reviews
I spent 10k for a head gasket/clutch/belts/pully's etc. for my 06 wrx wagon with 170k. Sometimes cars aren't logical.
Vehicle:
Subaru
Mileage: 170000 km
My 2008 STi made it to 150k before needing them done, aftermarket buffer ones are on now and my poor 2010 2.5i had it's done at 35k under warranty but hasn't had an issue so far at 85k so we'll see I guess.
Pros: aftermarket buffer ones
Vehicle:
Subaru
Mileage: 241402 km
I'm on my seventh Subaru (all bought used), and I've never had a single head gasket issue.
Pros: no head gasket issue
Yes, I replaced the head gaskets in our 2008 2.5 non turbo Outback at 120k miles. They started leaking oil externally at probably 80k miles.
Cons: leaking oil externally
Vehicle:
Subaru Outback
Mileage: 193121 km
Mainly the EJ25 Outbacks have problems due to the failure of their head gaskets being pretty much inevitable. Also 2012+ Outbacks have a bad rep for their CVTs, not because they're bad, but because Subaru America stated that the CVT fluid is a lifetime fluid when every other country recommends replacing it every 50,000 kms, causing US models to blow up their transmission after just over 100,000 miles. This isn't a problem if you service your CVT regularly.
Pros: AWD system is best
Cons: head gasket failure, CVT issues
Vehicle:
Subaru Outback
Mileage: 100000 km
had three head gaskets done over a couple of years, second one told the put in a new timing belt while there in there , mechanic said it looked good , third time they finally used the correct gaskets, had heads surfaced, new head bolts, a few months later started leaking oil from the head gasket, they tightened 2 head bolts to fix it, poor fix but it worked
Pros: correct gaskets used
Cons: leaking oil, poor fix
2015 Outback head gasket failed @ 194k miles last year.
Pros: good maintenance
Cons: head gasket failed
Vehicle:
Subaru Outback
Mileage: 312191 km
I had an 07 Outback that always leaked oil even after I replaced the head gasket…which I did every 50k miles.
Cons: always leaked oil
Vehicle:
Subaru Outback
Mileage: 80467 km
Had 4 Subarus. 3 of them failed - head gaskets of course - the one that did not...lo and behold, was a 6 cylinder! What are the odds? Back at the time I had looked it all up and knew exactly what the situation was.....a defective engine. My vehicles were far enough apart in years and types that I know the defect spanned many more years than initially claimed. I wish my experience was an anecdote. What are the odds, tho....then, that my SIL bought one 7 years later and THAT head gasket went too!
Cons: frequent failures, defective engine
Vehicle:
Subaru
I unfortunately was one of those people who got a bad one.. (2006)
The car of in the repair shop twice a week for misfire codes, doors frozen to the rubber door frame, no cruise control, clutch fluid frozen solid, numerous wheel bearing failure, head-gasket failure, should have bought a Honda accord regret..
Cons: misfire codes, head-gasket failure
Vehicle:
Subaru Legacy
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Which head gasket to choose — OEM Toyota or OEM Subaru?
If choosing head gasket across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare head gasket across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which head gasket are better — OEM Subaru or OEM Toyota?
In March 2026 on PartReview, head gasket OEM Subaru were overall better than OEM Toyota.
- OEM Toyota received a PR Score of 10 out of 100, and OEM Subaru scored 44 points.
- OEM Toyota ranked 3 in the overall ranking, and OEM Subaru ranked 1.
- The average rating is higher for OEM Subaru (2.6) than for OEM Toyota (1.6).
-
Head gasket OEM Subaru have better feature ratings than OEM Toyota:
- Milky residue - owners believe, that this property for OEM Subaru is better than OEM Toyota.
- Overheating - drivers claim, that this property for OEM Subaru is outperforms OEM Toyota.
- White smoke - reviews suggest, that this property for OEM Subaru is preferred to OEM Toyota.
Which head gasket are more popular — OEM Toyota or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026 on PartReview, head gasket OEM Subaru were overall more popular than OEM Toyota.
By vote balance, head gasket OEM Subaru surpassed OEM Toyota:
- For OEM Toyota, the ratio of positive (6) to negative (51) votes is -45 votes.
- For OEM Subaru, the ratio of positive (53) to negative (65) votes is -12 votes.
By number of reviews, head gasket OEM Subaru surpassed OEM Toyota:
- For head gasket OEM Toyota there are 18 reviews: 0 positive, 3 neutral, 15 negative.
- For head gasket OEM Subaru there are 38 reviews: 15 positive, 4 neutral, 19 negative.
Which head gasket do car owners prefer — OEM Toyota or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, head gasket OEM Toyota and OEM Subaru have not taken top places in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding your review about these manufacturers.
Other comparisons of head gasket
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of head gasket OEM Toyota with: OEM Honda.
Also available: comparisons of head gasket OEM Subaru with: OEM Honda.
You can also see who is better among other head gasket manufacturers: OEM Honda or OEM Subaru, OEM Honda or OEM Toyota.