Best Oil for Subaru WRX [Oil Type & Capacity]
Oil Type and Capacity for Subaru WRX
It’s always important to know what type of oil you should be using with your car. Oil recommendations and requirements depend entirely on the vehicle, but most importantly the engine type. For example, newer and high-performance engines dictate certain oil requirements to keep them functioning properly. The Subaru WRX falls under this category.
The Subaru WRX is one of the most exciting performance cars on the road. It handles elegantly, has a wide-window torque curve that provides excellent power across the rev range and comes with Subaru’s legendary symmetrical all wheel drive; which grips the road like a glove. There’s a reason why so many people love this car. But, look after your car’s engine with the right oil at all times and it could be your trusty steed for years to come. Subaru WRX uses 0W-20 and 5W-30 oil types (synthetic or conventional) depending on their models. Older versions usually require 0W-20 and the new models from 2002-2020 require 5W-30. The oil capacity is 4.4 to 5 Quarts.
| Year | Oil Type | Oil Capacity (Quarts) |
| 2002 – 2010 (WRX) | 5W-30 Conventional Oil | 4.4 – 5.0 |
| 2011 – 2020 (WRX) | 5W-30 Synthetic Oil | 4.4 – 5.4 |
| 2013 – 2021 (CrossTrek) | 0W-20 Synthetic Oil | 4.4 – 5.1 |
| 2014 – 2021 (Hybrid) | 0W-20 Synthetic Oil | 4.4 – 5.1 |
Best Oil for Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX is a popular performance car that launched in the early 2000s and has been a favorite ever since. The WRX was initially offered as a sedan, but Subaru converted it to a hatchback for the 2015 model year. It’s based on the Impreza compact vehicle, which means it shares many of its components with that car. The WRX is available with either a four- or six-cylinder engine with around 300 horsepower. This makes it one of the most powerful cars in its class.
There are many reasons why someone might be researching the best oil for Subaru WRX models. Whether you want to save money by performing your own oil changes or you just want to know more about your vehicle, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled data from numerous sources to find the best oil for Subaru WRX owners.
1. Mobil 1 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil
Mobil 1 5W-30 is a high-performance, fully synthetic, advanced vehicle motor oil designed to help provide exceptional wear protection, cleaning power and overall performance. It helps to extend the life of your engine by working to prevent damaging deposits and sludge buildup. This motor oil protects critical engine parts for up to 10,000 miles between oil changes, controlling oxidation to help prevent oil breakdown while maintaining excellent viscosity. Mobil 1 5W-30 meets ILSAC GF-6 standards to help provide low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) and timing chain wear protection while keeping your engine clean and helping to improve your fuel economy.
Mobil 1 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil is an excellent choice for all types of vehicles, including high-performance turbo-charged, supercharged gasoline and diesel (without Diesel Particulate Filters or DPFs) multi-valve fuel injected engines found in passenger cars, SUVs, light vans and trucks. It has a dual action formula that cleans and helps to protect against wear, deposits and oil breakdown, while also helping to maintain excellent fuel economy. Mobil 1 delivers exceptional protection from engine wear and provides outstanding engine cleanliness. That’s why high-performance drivers around the world recommend Mobil 1 motor oil for their vehicles, whether it’s a new luxury car or an older economy car.
2. Castrol GTX MAGNATEC 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Castrol GTX Magnatec with intelligent molecules is fully synthetic motor oil that clings to your car’s engine parts like a magnet, providing superior protection from the moment you start. This exclusive technology has been proven in industry wear tests to protect critical engine parts, which helps your vehicle run smoother for longer by reducing metal-to-metal contact across a range of driving speeds. This oil also reduces engine wear by up to 50% compared to ordinary oil. It outperforms conventional and semi-synthetic oils. Castrol GTX Magnatec oils provide superior wear protection for your engine. Castrol’s intelligent molecules cling to your engine like a magnet and form an extra layer of defense.
Engineered with this intelligent molecule, Castrol GTX MAGNATEC stops friction and wear as soon as your vehicle’s engine is turned off. So when you turn it back on and head out, these critical engine parts are 4X smoother. Every one of these parts that’s protected from wear is kept in the best possible condition so your engine can keep running efficiently. Less friction means less fuel used, which means more money saved. Castrol GTX MAGNATEC is a premium oil that offers superior protection from the moment you start, extending the life of your engine.
3. Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil
Motor oil keeps your engine running strong, but over time, it can break down and stop protecting your vehicle. That’s where Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil comes in. With 40% MORE PROTECTION than industry standards and 25% BETTER cold start protection, it fights to keep you on the road a little longer each and every day by building a bonus layer of defense between critical moving parts within your engine, resisting oil breakdown up to 10X BETTER, and helping minimize wear and deposits so you can enjoy a nice ride.
MaxLife Motor Oil is an advanced full synthetic oil with 5 viscosity options for a wide range of applications. It is designed for optimum performance in vehicles that have logged 75,000 miles or more. Maximizes engine life through advanced wear protection and deposit control. Protects vital engine parts from harmful contaminants and friction to help keep engines running like new. Also has exceptional high temperature protection, viscosity retention, and the ability to resist oil breakdown 10x better than standard conventional oil. Helps extend engine life by minimizing expensive repairs due to gunking build-up on pistons and exhaust components, while providing up to 40% more wear protection than industry standards.
4. Amazon Basics Full Synthetic Motor Oil – 5W-30
AmazonBasics Full Synthetic Motor Oil is a high mileage and high-performance oil specially formulated for longer drain intervals. It’s designed for long-lasting durability and helping prevent build up that can cause rust and corrosion, as well as reduce friction for less engine wear. Its balanced 25 percent seal-conditioning additives help prolong the life of engine seals and gaskets, allowing it to burn cleaner, reducing exhaust emissions.
Amazon Basics Full Synthetic Motor Oil is formulated for longer drain intervals and is designed for all types of modern automobiles–including high-performance turbo-charged, supercharged gasoline multi-valve fuel injected engines found in passenger cars, light trucks, powerboats and motorcycles. The advanced full synthetic formula helps prevent build up that can cause rust and corrosion and is suitable for extended drain intervals. The multigrade oil is formulated for longer drain intervals and is recommended for use in 4-cycle gasoline engines that require API SN/ILSAC GF-5, API SN PLUS/ILSAC GF-6 or SF and ACEA A5/B5.
5. Motul X-Clean EFE 5W-30 Synthetic oil
Motul 8100 X-clean 5W-30 is a new generation mid SAPS synthetic engine oil specifically designed for the latest generation of Euro IV, V diesel & petrol engines including turbocharged, supercharged and direct injected engines fitted with particulate filters and without any type of after treatment system. It exceeds all manufacturers specifications to provide top level performance and protection. Moreover, it meets VW 505 01, Porsche C20, MB 229.3/229.5, BMW LL-04 and dexos 2 as well as other major OEM approvals and recommendations. Some of its benefits include the following: fuel economy gains up to 5%, cleanliness of diesel particulate filter resulting in less frequent regeneration cycles, maximum cold start properties (-30F/-33C), extended drain interval capability, maintains long term lubricant stability, improves engine cleanliness and helps to prevent deposits from forming thus increasing engine efficiency, high temperature resistance for improved thermal and oxidative stability up to 550F / 285C.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Oil for Subaru WRX
When you go to buy oil for your Subaru WRX, you will get a lot of different choices. Do you want conventional oil? High mileage? Full synthetic? Synthetic blend? There are even brands to choose from.
There are a lot of factors to consider before buying the oil for your Subaru WRX. However, we are here to help!
Oil Types
First and foremost is the type of oil that you should get for your Subaru WRX. There are four main types of engine oil: conventional premium, high mileage, full synthetic and synthetic blend.
Conventional is cheaper and does not last as long as the others. It also does not protect the engine as well in extreme temperatures.
High mileage is designed for older cars that have over 75,000 miles on them. This type of oil helps reduce leaks and burns less oil than conventional oils would in an older car.
Full synthetic is the best type of engine oil for a new car. It lasts longer and protects better than any other type of oil.
Synthetic blend is a mix between conventional and full synthetic oils. It’s better than conventional but not as good as full synthetic so it’s kind of in the middle.
Oil Consumption
Subaru’s 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine has a tendency to consume oil, especially if it has already been driven for over 100,000 miles. If you have noticed that your engine burns off a quart of oil every 1,000 miles or so, then you should consider using an oil with a high viscosity rating.
Extreme Driving Conditions
If your car is constantly exposed to extreme driving conditions (e.g., driving on unpaved roads or driving in areas with high humidity), then you should buy an oil that can withstand these extreme conditions without breaking down easily or without becoming too thick to flow freely. You should also make sure that it has a longer service change interval so that you don’t have to replace it as often.
Viscosity
The viscosity of motor oil refers to its thickness or resistance to flow. The higher the viscosity rating, the thicker your motor oil will be, which also means that it will provide better protection for your engine under extreme conditions. Using an oil with a recommended viscosity rating will ensure that your engine runs smoothly and efficiently. Check the oil viscosity chart to determine which viscosity is better for your vehicle’s age or mileage range.
Oil additives
Subaru WRX owners have different preferences when it comes to oil additives for their vehicle. Some prefer additives that are specially formulated for high-performance engines. Others choose to stick with full synthetic motor oils because they’re designed to maximize engine power and minimize wear. Still, others go for mineral oils with additives that help in reducing friction and heat.
Performance
It’s important to choose a motor oil that matches the performance of your Subaru WRX. Synthetic oils are great if you want to get the most out of your engine, while mineral oils with additives work just fine if you don’t plan on pushing your vehicle to its limits. You can also use a high-mileage motor oil if you’ve already driven your vehicle for more than 75,000 miles or so. These special oils are designed to reduce leaks and other issues common in older cars.
Frequently asked questions
Is synthetic and conventional oil the same?
Synthetic oil is a refined form of petroleum, but it’s a lot more refined than conventional motor oil. The most common type of synthetic oil is Group IV and V, which are made from polyalphaolefins (PAO). While conventional oils can be distilled from crude petroleum, synthetic oils are created by combining chemicals. Synthetic oil contains fewer impurities than conventional motor oil. Because of this, it’s better at preventing sludge buildup and deposits in the engine.
Does Subaru WRX STI burn oil?
Subaru WRX STIs are known for their high performance engines, but they also have a reputation for burning through more than their fair share of motor oil. Subaru addressed the issue with an upgrade to the pistons and other internal parts starting in 2005. But if you’ve got an older WRX STI, expect to check your oil levels often.
How many times should you need to change your oil?
The service interval for Subaru engines is 7,500 miles or once a year (whichever comes first). It’s very important that you follow this interval very closely because the engine was designed with this interval in mind. If you go much beyond 8,000 miles without changing the engine oil, you may cause serious damage to the engine that could result in costly repairs.
Is synthetic oil good for Subaru STI?
Using synthetic oil in an STI is strongly recommended. In fact, all 2017 model year Subaru vehicles require synthetic oil. Synthetic oil provides better protection against cold weather and high temperatures while also reducing friction and wear on the engine. That means fewer oil changes, longer engine life and better performance.
What oil type should you use for Subaru STI?
We recommend using 5w-30 for Subaru STI. This will give your engine the best protection at higher temperatures. We also advise that you use a fully synthetic oil for your STI. Regular oil will decrease the life of your engine. Full synthetic oil can be used for an extended period of time without changing it out.