Brake Pads
Also referred to as "shoes", brake pads are steel-backed plates with friction-creating material bound to the surface. When braking, two pads are pressed against the rotor until
the vehicle stops.

View our comparisons of Genuine Subaru parts vs Aftermarket

Salt Spray
The aftermarket brake pads developed significant rust damage after a weeklong  salt-spray test. The Genuine Subaru Brake Pads remained rust-free.






Brake Rotors
Also referred to as "discs", brake rotors (and the wheels to which they are attached) are brought to a stop by the friction generated when the brake pads press against them.

Out-of-the-Box Quality
What appears to be dirt on the Genuine Subaru Rotor is actually a preservative oil designed to protect it until installation. What appears to be dirt on the aftermarket part is actually rust!




Shear Strength
This test evaluates the strength of the bond between the layer of friction material and the metallic pad. At both ambient temperature and 300ºC, the Genuine Subaru bond remained far stronger.















Shuddering
Brake "shuddering" is the shaking or vibration that can occur when you step on the brake pedal. It's often caused by brake rotor imperfections-both the "plate thickness", and "sideways shaking". Based on the values below, which would you rather have stopping your Subaru?

  • Plate thickness: includes the flatness of the rotor's surface as well. The higher the values, the worse the shuddering.



  • Sideways shaking: this results from imperfections that do not allow the
    pad and the rotor to meet properly. Again, the higher the values, the worse the shuddering.



Paint Quality
Genuine Subaru paint quality is visibly superior, right out of the box.



Brake Performance
In a friction performance test at various speeds, Genuine Subaru Brake Pads consistently outperformed the competition. Before and during the heat testing, Genuine Subaru Brake Pads maintained effective braking stability and less anti-fade characteristics than the aftermarket pads.




Rust
After a week of continuous driving conditions that included a daily spray of water, the results are clear. The rust-resistant surfaces on the Genuine Subaru protrusion and outside circumference are nearly rust-free. The aftermarket rotor has rust everywhere except for the sliding surface-the rust around the bolts actually made it difficult to remove the rotor.