5BA-VBH
Subaru WRX VBH specs
VBH is the model code of the Subaru WRX. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2023–2026 under the model type 5BA-VBH. A genuine car’s chassis number starts VBH-.
VBH at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- WRX
- Model code
- VBH
- Model types
- 5BA-VBH
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2023–2026
- Engines
- FA24 2,387 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- CVT automatic
- Drive
- four-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 1,590–1,630 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 10.7–12.7 km/L (30–36 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
5BA-VBH
Listed 2023–2026. The 5BA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2018 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check 5BA-VBH against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA242,387 cc petrol | CVT automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,590–1,630 kg | 5 | 12.7 km/L36 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2023–2026 |
| FA242,387 cc petrol | CVT automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,590–1,630 kg | 5 | 10.7–10.8 km/L30–31 mpg, WLTC test | 2023–2026 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
VBH build year by chassis number
Japan’s carmakers list the chassis numbers each code was built with every year from 2015. Find the serial below, or use the build year finder.
| Built | Chassis numbers |
|---|---|
| 2022 | VBH-002009 to 002257VBH-002316 to 005729VBH-005732 to 005751 |
| 2023 | VBH-005730 to 005731VBH-005752 to 006267VBH-007002 to 008362VBH-010005 to 010469VBH-010471 to 010493VBH-010495 to 010498VBH-010500 to 010503 |
| 2024 | VBH-010470 to 010470VBH-010494 to 010494VBH-010499 to 010499VBH-010504 to 012994VBH-012997 to 012999 |
| 2025 | VBH-012995 to 012996VBH-013000 to 013014VBH-017003 to 019440VBH-019455 to 019781VBH-019783 to 019785VBH-019787 to 019791 |
From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.
Check a VBH before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start VBH-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Other Subaru WRX model codes
Questions
What engine does the VBH have?
MLIT lists the Subaru WRX VBH with FA24 2,387 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the VBH get?
Officially between 10.7 and 12.7 km/L (about 30–36 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the VBH?
Between 1,590 and 1,630 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is 5BA-VBH the same as VBH?
Yes. 5BA-VBH is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and VBH is the model code. The chassis number starts with VBH-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Subaru model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.