2003 Subaru Impreza vs 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
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.
| Metric | 2003 Subaru Impreza | 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 62 | 20 |
| Recall campaigns | 6 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 143 | 14 |
| Investigations | 5 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 8 | 2 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 20–21 | 23–38 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 68,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Impreza | Volkswagen New Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 13 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 0 |
| Power Train | 1 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3 |
| Air Bags | 4 | 2 |
| Structure | 3 | 2 |
| Visibility | 2 | 3 |
2003 Subaru Impreza
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle
Compare all Subaru Impreza vs Volkswagen New Beetle 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.