The Subaru WRX came with the best and original turbocharged pocket rocket engine. So it has become a global phenomenon among racers as an excellent racing car.
But without feeling it with the right oil, it’s pretty tricky to get the car’s potential performance, longevity, and fuel economy that you require to win the race. However, we sorted out the 5 best oils for Subaru WRX considering all the models and years the manufacturer recommends.
We also include a simple but worthwhile buying guide to reduce your toil in picking the right oil. A series of FAQs will help you get the tiptop answer to the questions that people frequently ask about Subaru WRX. So let’s deep dive into the discussion
What Brand Of Oil Does Subaru Recommend?
First, Subaru has brought various models of cars in different years. Some of them are Subaru BRZ, Subaru WRX, Subaru Forester, Subaru Forester XT, Subaru Impreza, Subaru Legacy & Outback, etc.
In most cases, Subaru recommends synthetic 0W-20, 5W-40, and 5W-30, both conventional, and synthetic oil for its cars depending on the model and years.
However, in this guide, as we focus only on Subaru WRX cars, we just include the motor oil that Subaru recommends for its WRX model, depending on the year.
Subaru Wrx Oil Guide
| Subaru WRX Model | Recommended oil | Capacity |
| Subaru WRX 2011 – 2020 | 5W-30 Synthetic Oil | 4.4 – 5.4 Quarts |
| Subaru WRX 2002 – 2010 | 5W-30 Conventional Oil | 4.4 – 5 Quarts |
Best Oil For Subaru WRX Comparison Table
Table could not be displayed.Best Oil For Subaru WRX Comparison Review
1. Castrol Edge 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil – Best For Popularity
Wouldn’t you love to get the popular oil among most Subaru WRX users, irrespective of model and year?
Most probably, your answer is yes, with no confusion. The Castrol Edge 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil is the ultimate choice to run your WRX car.
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It can provide around 150000-300000 miles between oil changes because of its ultra-efficiency without compromising performance.
Moreover, it meets a wide range of motor oil tests, including API SN, WSS-M2C929-A, and Chrysler MS-6395. So you can rely on the oil to optimize your engine to enjoy smooth lubrication, better penetration, and the highest protection.
Forming sludge and deposits, getting metal-to-metal contact, and producing wired noise are some of the culprits that can ruin your engine. Fortunately, Castrol oil offers 3X more robust viscosity grade to protect against sludge, wear and tear.
In addition, no more sludge means no wired noise, fewer emissions than before, and protection from environmental pollution. Besides your Subaru WRX, this oil is also compatible with Subaru Forester XT 2011 model to 2018 model.
What We Like
- Provide 10 times better high-temperature performance
- Enhance fuel economy with maximum engine response
- Increase thermal and oxidation stability
- Protection deposits and anti-wear control
What We Don’t Like
- Not recommended for BMW
Verdict
The Castrol edge motor oil is excellent for eliminating ticking noise and boosting your car’s quiet and smooth running. You should try it for your WRX car to enjoy the engine’s highest protection as well as performance.
2. Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil – Best For Budget
Running the Subaru WRX 2015-2017 under harsh weather is really challenging for almost all levels of drivers because of the extra stress and pressure on the engine.
In this case, feeling your car with Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil will give you peace of mind to run around 75000 to 150000 miles as the oil comes with anti-wear additives that can fight to reduce stress.
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Proper lubrication efficiency on the engine’s internal parts is another great benefit to protecting the engine from heavy pressure on hauling and towing.
The oil’s premium antioxidants can offer you 10 times better oil degradation and breakdown resistance than any other motor oil. So you can run your WRX car extra few miles to boost your fuel economy.
Fortunately, you can use this 5w-30 synthetic oil from the lowest -30°c to the highest 40ºc temperature. That means the Valvoline oil is an ideal choice for your WRX to run in a wide range of temperatures variation.
Besides quality, the price and packaging both also go in your favor. It comes with a reasonable price not to cut your pocket. The oil container is solidly built to prevent leaking oil while shipping.
Moreover, its cap is designed to quickly pour oil into your engine reservoir to avoid a gigantic mess during the oil change.
What We Like
- Make the engine parts super slippery to prevent frictional engagement
- Excellent viscosity ensures clean oil even after 5k miles
- Improves your engine optimization and performance
- Car won’t blow up under high pressure and stress
What We Don’t Like
- Shipping time should be faster
Verdict
The Valvoline oil will increase your car’s running mileage with high speed, protection, and durability. That means your WRX will love this oil as its food, and you will love it for its satisfying performance and affordable price.
3. Castrol 03057 GTX MAGNATEC 5W-30 Motor Oil – Best For Fuel Economy
Does your Subaru WRX burn more oil, which increases your fuel costs?
Or if you are looking for Subaru-recommended motor oil that offers superior performance without cutting your pocket?
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If so, the Castrol 03057 GTX MAGNATEC 5W-30 Motor Oil is the right option because it contains minimum phosphorus, which helps you damage its catalytic converter. When the oil burns, your engine will consume less to run the same mileage as other motor oils.
This oil also allows you to go longer between oil changes, even running the engine under strenuous loads, without any risk of oil breakdown or getting gunk.
However, the oil will fluently lubricate every critical part, hole, crevice, and crack. That will ensure protect your engine from one another engagement and immature frictional damage for cold starting.
You can confidently use the Castrol edge oil for Subaru WRX, 2011 and 2012 model Subaru Legacy Turbo engine, and Subaru Forester XT.
What We Like
- Offer fast and efficient lubing to the engine’s critical components
- Exclusively decrease deposits and sludge formation
- Maximize engine performance with less fuel cost
- Prolong engine life by preventing rust, wear, and tear
What We Don’t Like
- It would be better if the bottle comes full
Verdict
This oil should be your perfect companion for satisfying performance from your Subaru WRX engine with minimum fuel cost. However, the oil’s quality and viscosity will also please you to enjoy your high-mileage tour.
4. Motul 8100 X-Clean 5W-30 Synthetic oil – Best For Versatility
No matter what motorized vehicle you have, including 2020 WRX STI, 2017 WRX, 2017 Forester XT, 2016 Subaru STI, 2006 Forester XT, Twin Turbo modified BMW, 2019 Mercedes Sprinter RV, 19MTJ big point engine car. Our next choice is the Motul 8100 X-Clean 5W-30 Synthetic oil, which fits all these engines.
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The oil is compatible with versatile engines and ensures satisfactory performance. Many oil users sent it to the lab a bunch of times to test the oil quality. And we are happy to inform you that it always comes with positive results.
This synthetic oil will instantly flow to the engine’s internal components and make them slippery. As a result, when you start the car, the metallic parts won’t come in contact and produce heat, rust, corrosion, sludge, and deposits. That means the oil protects the engine from overall damage.
It comes with an easy-to-pour bottle with a nifty collapsible spout in its cap. So you won’t require too much time to collect too many tools during oil changing.
The oil is slightly more expensive than most other branded motor oils. Yes, you have to pay a premium price to own the oil. But it is not too pricey if you compare the oil cost with your engine’s future failure, downtime, and mechanics’ labor charges.
What We Like
- Meets OEM manufacturer’s oil requirements
- Ensure high temperature and film resistance
- Offer you much quieter running than before
- Release less emission and no more oil-burning smell
What We Don’t Like
- It’s not budget-friendly
Verdict
You should go with Motul oil if you own Subaru WRX, SUVs, trucks, or any other high and low mileage vehicle. Once you use the oil, you’ll enjoy your driving experience. It can also protect your engine and prolong its lifespan.
5. Royal Purple 51530 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil – Best For High Performance
The Royal Purple 51530 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil is your absolute best match to experience immediate improvements in your Subaru WRX engine’s performance. It can absorb extreme heat and prevent your car’s timing chain from scratching due to overhauling.
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You’ll get a maximum of 300000 original miles of running from your car with no oil breakdown because this synthetic motor oil will keep your engine clean from sludge and deposits. Its additive technology will offer you no metal-to-metal contact to prevent the engine from excessive wear and tear.
Moreover, the oil is also acceptable for cars requiring conventional oils. So that you can confidently pour the RP oil on your Subaru WRX that was released from 2002 to 2010. Overall, this one oil will be excellent to use on all Subaru WRX from 2002 to 2020.
Are you facing challenges with your car’s LSPI or low-speed pre-ignition? No issues; you’ll get better drivability with this oil that works to reduce the LSPI problem.
On top-notch, expensive catalytic emission system improvement will help you release less carbon dioxide into the air. So you can be a part of keeping the environment clean and fresh by using this engine oil.
What We Like
- Quality synthetic oil to ensure maximum oil strength
- Provide optimal engine horsepower and durability
- Fast engine’s internal parts penetration for wear protection
- Reduce oil breakdown and increase fuel economy
What We Don’t Like
- The jug design should be better for easy oil pouring
Verdict
It meets API SN standards and is licensed by the motor oil authority. However, as the oil comes with high alkalinity, that will work better to minimize corrosive wear. That means you can trust this brand to protect your Subaru WRX engine.
How To Choose The Best Oil For WRX? (Considerable Key Features)
It’s not a good idea to select any random oil for your expensive Subaru WRX STI car that can’t offer you maximum performance and protection of the engine. You should keep quite keen eyes on some of the basic but fundamental features of the oils to pick the best one. Let’s have a look at what those features are
Engine Oil Recommendation By Subaru Recommend
First, you have to check your car’s user manual to know the motor oil brands recommended to use on the Subaru WRX engine. Our extensive research shows that Subaru’s priority is Subaru motor oil. However, it also suggests using synthetic and conventional oils from reputed brands like Castrol, Royal Purple, Valvoline, Motul, etc.
Oil Configurations Recommendation by Subaru WRX
Oil thickness, oil flowing time, and engine performance under high temperatures are the most critical factors related to the motor oil viscosity grade. So there is no way to ignore this feature when choosing the best oil for your Subaru WRX engine.
Since various models and years of Subaru WRX cars are available, you should read the user manual to know your car’s oil weight better. However, Subaru recommends 5W-30 synthetic oil for its 2011 to 2021 Subaru WRX STI cars.
Subaru WRX Oil Changing Interval
You should also consider the oil changing interval of your Subaru WRX car to get an idea about its fuel cost and fuel economy. In most cases, if you use conventional oil, Subaru recommends changing its WRX model car’s oil and filter every 3000 to 5000 miles.
On the other hand, the oil changing interval time will range from every 7500 to 10000 miles for synthetic oil.
We suggest changing the oil before not reaching its high mileage to ensure the highest protection. But, if you don’t change, never cross the maximum miles to avoid fast engine wear and damage.
Focus On Oil Types
The four-engine oil types are conventional, synthetic, blended, and fully synthetic. You should go with synthetic oil that is exceptionally formulated for engines with heavy loads, high heat resistance, and more than 75000 miles of efficiency. Not only that, but synthetic oil is also great for older engines.
If you have to drive your Subaru WRX in high and low temperatures, it’s better to use full synthetic oil instead of blended synthetic oil.
On the flip side, if your car is relatively new, choose 5W-30 conventional oil to maximize the engine performance.
Exceeding Quality Standards
Meeting quality standards from API, ACEA, and many more authorities will help you to trust the brand about its quality. So before choosing the oil, check the oil container’s label to know whether it meets any quality standards or not. If it meets, that will be a plus point to rely on the oil for your engine.
Tips And Tricks To Take Care Of Your Subaru WRX Engine
Yes, your Subaru WRX engine will lose its performance capacity, protection ability, and longevity for regular use. But, it’s also true that taking proper care can boost all of these three. Here are some simple tips for you to maintain your car’s engine.
- Always use the manufacturer-recommended oil in your engine.
- Focus on your local temperature ranges to determine the right oil’s viscosity.
- Try to avoid careless and harsh driving.
- Maintain a suitable oil-changing interval.
FAQs
What is the Subaru engine life expectancy?
You can expect around 200000 to 250000 miles from most of the Subaru engines. However, the life range may increase or decrease based on various factors like types of motor oil, your driving skills, car maintenance, etc.
What is the 2022 Subaru Wrx oil capacity?
The Subaru WRX 2022 model engine’s oil capacity is 4.6 quarts with a filter. You should check the oil level after pouring the new oil.
2021 Subaru Wrx oil capacity?
The Subaru 2021 WRX comes with 5.4 quarts of oil capacity.
2020 wrx oil capacity?
5.4 quarts is the oil capacity of the 2020 Subaru Wrx.
2018 wrx oil capacity?
The 2018 Subaru needs full synthetic 5.4 quarts of oil to fill its reservoir.
2017 wrx oil capacity?
The 2017 Subaru WRX requires 5.4 quarts of 5W-30 synthetic oil.
2016 wrx oil capacity?
You’ll need 5.4 quarts of oil for your 2016 wrx car.
2015 wrx oil capacity?
The 2015 wrx came with 5.4 quarts of oil capacity.
Sum Up
Hopefully, all the above information on oil review and oil choosing guide will help you to make the right decision to choose the best oil for Subaru WRX. Since all our selected oils are based on the Subaru recommendation, you can choose any of them that fits your budget and local weather.
Would you still need experts’ opinions to help you choose one? Then, we suggest the Castrol Edge 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil as it is the best in quality, protection, prevention, and price.
Hello, I’m Gary. Welcome to my blog.
Complete graduation from Weber State University ( Department of Automotive Technology)
I have been working with automotive for about 17 years. I have a garage in New Jersey.
In my spare time, I love to spend time with my family. Driving new cars is my hobby.