- The increase takes effect for new coverage starting in August.
- Four models absorb the steepest jump, a flat 182 dollars.
- Coverage still stretches as long as ten years or 100,000 miles.
If you’re in the market for a new Subaru and are interested in an extended warranty, you’ll soon be paying a whole lot more. A dealer bulletin reveals that the Subaru Added Security warranty will become more expensive as of August 1.
Subaru lays the blame on two things. There’s “significantly higher labor and parts costs,” and then there’s the matter of many US states “mandating repair claim reimbursement well above SOA warranty guidelines,” which forces the automaker to charge more to keep the math working.
Read: WRX Sales Soar 148% After Subaru Stops Charging Too Much
Two versions of the warranty exist: the Classic Plan and the Gold Plus Plan. The first adds coverage between 7 years / 70,000 miles and 10 years / 100,000 miles for a vehicle’s engine, transmission, and all-wheel-drive system. Gold Plus extends that to brakes, electrical systems, suspension, air conditioning, and steering, reports CarsDirect.
Price Changes Vary Depending On The Model
What you pay depends entirely on what you drive. Starting August 1, the BRZ, Impreza, Forester, and Outback see a jump of at least $88, an 8.3 percent average bump. The Uncharted, Solterra, and Trailseeker climb 9.3 percent, or $50. The steepest hit lands on the Ascent, WRX, Crosstrek Hybrid, and Forester Hybrid, where the increase reaches 16 percent, or $182.
In an era when the average price for a new car in the US still hovers near the $50,000 mark, every added cost of ownership could dampen sales or strain household budgets. In addition, price hikes may encourage more shoppers to opt for a used car. However, even used car prices are higher than in the past, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which constrained global auto production, and the ensuing semiconductor shortage, leading to further tightened supply.
