Brake pads EBC or OEM Subaru
I'm waiting for EBC brakes to come out with yellowstuff pads for the CX70/90; then I will get those!
A friend had a Cadillac ATS-V and putting EBC pads on it was a whole different thing, even on the Brembo 6 pot calipers.
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!
The OE Brembo pads are "okay" and the EBC Blue Stuff will give you better bite though they're still dusty. I went with 2-piece rotors and Endless MX72+ pads.
My suggestions : Oil cooler, change break pads with ceramics (EBC redstuff), gallery gasket, replace half the exhaust line (the genuine rear silencer is a crime and heavy), rear tyres 285/35R19. Those things will make the car better, more reliable, safer (this car is 1.6t dry, you could be surprised with default brake attack) and widespread among Z lovers.
Now I’m a much happier camper with my EBC Yellowstuff’s.
I have EBC yellow pads on. But they are quite dusty. Apparently OEM are perfect if you aren\u2019t going to heavy
EBC green brake pads have that fish smell too.
EBC is known as the Exploding Brake Company and they still live up to that name...
We were quoted slightly over $1000 USD for brake pads and rotor resurfacing. \ud83e\udd72 Dealership quote. Going to another shop.
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Which brake pads to choose — EBC or OEM Subaru?
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:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which brake pads are better — OEM Subaru or EBC?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads EBC were overall better than OEM Subaru.
- EBC received a PR Score of 77 out of 100, and OEM Subaru scored 59 points.
- EBC ranked 2 in the overall ranking, and OEM Subaru ranked 40.
- The average rating is higher for EBC (3.8) than for OEM Subaru (3.2).
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Brake pads EBC have better feature ratings than OEM Subaru:
- Noise - owners believe, that this property for EBC is better than OEM Subaru.
- Braking - drivers claim, that this property for EBC is outperforms OEM Subaru.
- Dust - reviews suggest, that this property for EBC is preferred to OEM Subaru.
Which brake pads are more popular — EBC or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads EBC were overall more popular than OEM Subaru.
By vote balance, brake pads EBC surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For EBC, the ratio of positive (1665) to negative (471) votes is 1194 votes.
- For OEM Subaru, the ratio of positive (149) to negative (101) votes is 48 votes.
By number of reviews, brake pads EBC surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For brake pads EBC there are 687 reviews: 504 positive, 78 neutral, 105 negative.
- For brake pads OEM Subaru there are 79 reviews: 41 positive, 13 neutral, 25 negative.
Which brake pads do car owners prefer — EBC or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, brake pads EBC led more car-specific ratings than OEM Subaru:
EBC are chosen by owners of cars such as: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Subaru BRZ, Volkswagen Gol, Audi A3, Audi S3, Audi S5, Audi SQ5, Audi TT RS, BMW Z4, Subaru Legacy, Toyota MR2, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Tiguan, and others.
OEM Subaru are chosen by owners of cars such as: Subaru Forester, and others.
Other comparisons of brake pads
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of brake pads EBC with: POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex.
Also available: comparisons of brake pads OEM Subaru with: POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, 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.