The Subaru XT is a compact car built from 1985 to 1991. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the XT is
The Subaru XT is a compact car that Subaru built from 1985 to 1991 — 7 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Subaru range: SVX, Justy.
Where the XT is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 5 XTs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JF1 | 1986-1989 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Subaru VIN decide which of these 1 lines your XT belongs to. What every character in a XT VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Subaru XT adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Subaru XT tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment XT owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Subaru XT have? Power & range
The Subaru XT is offered with 2 powertrains — 2.7L 6-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Subaru XT, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 2.7L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 1.8L · 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The XT by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Subaru XT. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | XT | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 15 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 9 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Subaru XT?
The XT is a compact car, built from 1985 to 1991. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6.
Where is the Subaru XT made?
Across 5 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Subaru XT warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the XT reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific XT?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Subaru
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback | 2005–2026 | 137 | 29 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2016–2026 | 26 | 36 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Forester | 1998–2026 | 121 | 35 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru Impreza | 1993–2026 | 183 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru WRX | 2015–2026 | 17 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Legacy | 1990–2026 | 222 | 30 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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