I have a 2017 Forester XT with 131,000 miles - have only done routine maintenance and have had to replace brakes front and rear as well as both control arms and struts, all expected with this many miles on it. I plan to keep it for as long as I can. Love it!
I personally like the Brembo SR they work both cold/wet and hot, they're noticeably better than the SA pads they have.
The M-Sport brakes are more than a pretty face. There is so much stopping power. A car this size has no business being able to decelerate this fast, yet anytime you push the pedal, there’s always more to be had. I don’t think I’ve driven a car of any size that can compare to the kung-fu grip that those Brembos have. Paired with the 22’ wheels, ABS is almost irrelevant because there’s no locking, just stopping.
The original discs/pads are an insane ripoff. They want something in the range of 600-700€ for a (front) set. I ordered a set from Brembo for ~260€. It felt the same.. No difference in how it felt/braked etc.
I do the minor maintenance myself: oil/filter, air filters, wiper blades.
I save enough $$ on the DIY portion, so I don't mind using my dealer for the other stuff: front & rear dif fluids, CVT fluid, brake fluid, brake pads, etc.
I found the front brakes (brembo) and the rear for 109 and 99. They\u2019re better brakes and then the factory organic bs brakes and will take me an hour of my time to do.
I put brembo pads and discs last time and I got about 4 years out of them before gave up (I'm pretty hard on them).
Just wish they didn’t squeal…..
We were quoted slightly over $1000 USD for brake pads and rotor resurfacing. \ud83e\udd72 Dealership quote. Going to another shop.
Brembos are very overrated I’ve had them on 6 different cars now and holy the brake dust is insane would not recommend
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If choosing brake pads across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare brake pads across these categories:
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Brembo were overall better than OEM Subaru.
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Brembo were overall more popular than OEM Subaru.
By vote balance, brake pads Brembo surpassed OEM Subaru:
By number of reviews, brake pads Brembo surpassed OEM Subaru:
In March 2026, according to PartReview, brake pads Brembo led more car-specific ratings than OEM Subaru:
Brembo are chosen by owners of cars such as: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Audi RS5, and others.
OEM Subaru are chosen by owners of cars such as: Subaru Forester, and others.
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of brake pads Brembo with: EBC, POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex.
Also available: comparisons of brake pads OEM Subaru with: EBC, POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex.
You can also see who is better among other brake pads manufacturers: EBC or POWER STOP, EBC or Akebono, EBC or Hawk Performance, Brembo or EBC, Akebono or POWER STOP.
