It’s possible that you’ve never heard of that forgotten performance car, the Subaru SVX. Even if you’re an automotive enthusiast or specifically a Subaru fan, this short-lived sports car might remain a mystery. Marketed as Subaru’s first “performance luxury coupe,” the SVX debuted in 1991 (as a 1992 model) and had the potential for significant success due to the demand for performance coupes in the enthusiast community — but it didn’t endure for long.
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Under the hood was a 3.3L flat-six engine that delivered a respectable 230 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque. While these numbers may not impress by today’s sports-car standards, in 1992, sports cars like the Chevy Corvette were producing 300 hp, so the SVX was sufficiently powerful to garner attention. Unfortunately, the Subaru SVX was a complete flop. It faced strong competition from brands like Nissan, Acura, and Toyota and was more expensive than other cars with similar performance. Total SVX sales in the U.S. were around 14,000 units over five years, with 1997 marking the final year for this plush Subie.
Despite its low sales and eventual discontinuation, the SVX has become something of a cult classic. Enthusiasts who appreciate driving dynamics and distinctive styling continue to covet it. But what’s the cost of owning one today? And how challenging is it to maintain once it’s in your garage?
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How much is an SVX worth today?
As with any used car, values hinge on a variety of factors. Mileage, age, maintenance history, and overall condition should be primary considerations regardless of the car you’re seeking. This holds true for SVXs, yet it seems there’s a price ceiling for these quirky Subarus, no matter how pristine an example may be. Auction site Cars and Bids has seen several SVX models sold in recent years, none exceeding the $12,000 threshold — most are priced below $10,000. Even models with impressively low mileage (under 40,000) have not surpassed the $10,000 ceiling at auction. The lowest price for an SVX on Cars and Bids? $4,000.
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Some higher-quality used SVXs have fetched greater sums on the auction site Bring a Trailer, but these sales are rare. Fewer than 20 SVX models have sold for over $10,000 on Bring A Trailer in the past four years — with only one reaching a bid of $20,000 in 2021. Such high prices seem atypical, so we advise caution in paying that much. For context, the SVX, in its final model year, was priced between $31,120 and $36,740, depending on the trim level.
How difficult is an SVX to work on?
Having driven and worked on a few SVXs over the years, I wouldn’t categorize them as easy to work on, but they’re not exceedingly complicated either. Some owners claim that working on an SVX is relatively straightforward due to its flat-six engine layout. The engine bay is generally easy to navigate, with few hard-to-reach components — acquiring an owner’s manual will definitely be beneficial if you need to locate specific items in the engine bay. Oil changes are also reportedly straightforward. However, according to a post on Reddit’s r/subaru, the car’s age leads to limited parts availability, potentially making replacements costly — if the parts are even obtainable.
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Early SVX model years exhibited common issues noted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — specifically with the transmission. The 1992 model year alone has 245 registered complaints with the NHTSA, with over 200 related to the powertrain or transmission, or both. User discussions on the forum subaru-svx.net corroborate these complaints, with many owners warning about transmission failures — particularly when fluid changes are neglected.
So you’ll likely want to avoid early models. The NHTSA transmission failure complaints decrease over the years, but keeping a vigilant eye on maintenance history when considering an SVX is always wise.
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