At a glance
- Built in Japan
- JF1 (cars), JF2 (SUVs)
- Built in Indiana
- 4S3 (cars), 4S4 (SUVs), Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette
- Position 11
- Plant and transmission together
- 2026 model year
- T in position 10
On this page
What the Subaru VIN decoder gives you
Paste the VIN and the decoder checks it, then reads Subaru's record in NHTSA's vPIC database: model year, model, trim, body class, drive type, engine size, cylinders and fuel, transmission, GVWR, doors, plant and air bags. NHTSA's recall campaigns for that model and year are listed below the result. To confirm whether one particular car still needs a repair, use NHTSA's VIN recall search or a Subaru retailer.
Subaru's VIN filings are unusually detailed: each position from 4 to 8 has its own job, and the plant character also records the transmission.
How to read a Subaru VIN
North American Subaru filed this layout for all 2026 Subaru models (fifth submission, September 2, 2026):
| Position | What Subaru encodes | 2026 codes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | World manufacturer identifier | J Japan, 4 United States |
| 2 | World manufacturer identifier | F (Subaru Corporation) or S (Subaru of America) |
| 3 | World manufacturer identifier | JF1 passenger car, JF2 multipurpose vehicle, 4S4 multipurpose vehicle assembled by SIA |
| 4 | Make, line and series | S Forester, G Impreza and Crosstrek, W Ascent, V WRX; the Outback (BU) and BRZ (ZD) use positions 4 and 5 together |
| 5 | Body type | L wagon, U five doors, M SUV, B sedan |
| 6 | Engine type | Per line, such as H 2.5L 180 hp, S 2.5L hybrid with a 77 kW motor, R 2.4L turbo 260 hp |
| 7 | Trim level and options | Per line, such as K Wilderness on the Outback |
| 8 | Restraint system and GVWR class | Per line, such as D: belts, frontal, side, curtain, knee and seat cushion air bags, GVWR class D |
| 9 | Check digit | 0 to 9 or X |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Plant of manufacture and transmission type | 3 SIA, Y Yajima, 8 or 9 Main Plant (see below) |
| 12 | Sequential number | Positions 12 to 17 |
| 13 | Sequential number | |
| 14 | Sequential number | |
| 15 | Sequential number | |
| 16 | Sequential number | |
| 17 | Sequential number |
Some lines reserve serial ranges: 200001 to 399999 for the Impreza and Crosstrek Hybrid, and 700001 to 899999 for the Indiana-built Crosstrek.
Position 11: the factory and the gearbox
| Code | Plant | Transmission | 2026 models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | SIA, Lafayette, Indiana | Full-time AWD, CVT | Forester, Forester Hybrid, Crosstrek, Ascent |
| Y | Yajima Plant, Japan | Full-time AWD, CVT | Outback |
| 8 | Main Plant, Japan | Full-time AWD with CVT; 6-speed automatic on the BRZ and GR86 | Impreza, Crosstrek Hybrid, WRX, BRZ, GR86 |
| 9 | Main Plant, Japan | 6-speed manual (full-time AWD on the WRX) | WRX, BRZ, GR86 |
In vPIC, several characters map to one city: B, G, H, K and L on JF1 to Ota, Gunma, and 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 on 4S3 to Lafayette, Indiana. That fits a code that also tracks the transmission.
Example: the 2026 Outback sample VIN
Subaru's Outback sheet prints the sample JF2BUPADXTY450001:
- JF2: Subaru Corporation, multipurpose vehicle.
- BU: Subaru Outback.
- P: 2.5L four-cylinder, 180 hp. An R here would be the 2.4L turbo with 260 hp.
- A: Premium. Other trim letters include D Limited, E Touring, G 2.4R-Limited, J 2.4R-Touring and K Wilderness.
- D: belts plus frontal, front side, first- and second-row curtain, driver knee and passenger seat cushion air bags; GVWR class D (5,001 to 6,000 lb).
- X: a placeholder in the check digit spot.
- T: 2026. Y: Yajima plant, full-time AWD with CVT. 450001: serial.
Subaru puts X in position 9 on all of its 2026 sample VINs, and most of them wouldn't pass the check digit test, so treat them as layouts rather than real cars.
A real Subaru VIN decoded: 2018 Impreza
This 2018 Impreza went through an NHTSA crash test (test 10317), and the test record lists its VIN. NHTSA's vPIC database returns this for 4S3GTAA65J3736219:
| Field | vPIC result |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2018 Subaru Impreza (trim: Base) |
| Body and drive | Hatchback, 5 doors, all-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0L four-cylinder, 152 hp, CVT |
| Plant | Lafayette, Indiana |
| GVWR | Class 1C: 4,001 to 5,000 lb |
| Airbags | Front, knee (driver's side), side (row 1) and curtain (rows 1 and 2) |
vPIC's airbag and safety fields can be incomplete; the window sticker or owner's manual has the full list.
The Toyota GR86 has a Subaru VIN
Subaru builds the Toyota GR86 and files its VIN coding. A GR86 VIN starts JF1, like a BRZ, and then ZN for "Toyota GR86 Coupe" where a BRZ shows ZD. Both use the 2.4L four-cylinder rated at 228 hp (engine B) and plant 8 or 9 for the automatic or manual.
vPIC lists JF1 under both Toyota and Subaru, so a GR86 VIN decodes as a Toyota. The decoder flags the make and offers the Toyota VIN decoder. It works the other way too: vPIC lists Toyota Motor Corporation's JTE and JTM codes with Subaru as one of their makes, and Subaru's own 2026 filing doesn't cover the Solterra, Trailseeker or Uncharted that appear in vPIC's 2026 Subaru list.
Subaru models in vPIC
vPIC lists 10 Subaru models for 2026: the Ascent, BRZ, Crosstrek, Forester, Impreza, Outback, Solterra, Trailseeker, Uncharted and WRX. The Legacy runs through 2025. All years together come to 26, including the Brat, Baja, SVX, XT, XT6, Justy, Loyale, B9 Tribeca and XV CrossTrek.
Where is the VIN on a Subaru?
- Dashboard: at the base of the windshield on the driver's side, readable from outside (49 CFR 565.13).
- Driver's door opening: on the certification label (49 CFR 567.4).
- Paperwork: title, registration and insurance card.
For the original equipment list, see the Subaru window sticker page. About to list your Subaru? CarShots cleans up phone photos with a backdrop in about 20 seconds per shot.