Bachman Subaru Blog

If you’ve shopped a Subaru — or own one — you’ve seen the STARLINK name everywhere: on the touchscreen, in the brochure, on the buttons in your overhead console. But STARLINK actually refers to a few different things, and figuring out what’s included, what’s a trial, and what’s worth subscribing to is one of the most common questions we get at Bachman Subaru in Louisville. Here’s the plain-English guide.

STARLINK Is Really Three Things 

First, the decoder ring. “STARLINK” covers three related technologies: the STARLINK Multimedia system (the touchscreen infotainment in your dash — standard on every Subaru, no subscription needed), STARLINK Safety and Security connected services (the emergency and remote features that use a built-in cellular connection), and the MySubaru app that puts those remote features on your phone. When people ask “is STARLINK worth it,” they’re almost always asking about the connected services — so that’s where we’ll focus. 

Safety Features: The Ones That Matter Most 

The core safety services are the reason most owners keep their subscription: 

• Automatic Collision Notification — If an airbag deploys, a live STARLINK advisor comes on through the car’s speakers, checks on you, and dispatches first responders to your exact GPS location — even if you can’t respond. For anyone with new drivers or aging parents in the family, this feature alone justifies the service. 

• SOS Emergency Assistance — Press the SOS button on the overhead console and you’re connected to an advisor 24/7, with your location already on their screen. 

• Enhanced Roadside Assistance — The blue “i” button summons help (tow, jump start, tire change) to your GPS location, no explaining where you are on I-64 at night. 

• Vehicle health monitoring — Diagnostic alerts explain warning lights in plain English via email, text, or the app, along with maintenance reminders and monthly vehicle health reports. 

Security and Remote Features: Convenience You’ll Use Daily 

The upgraded tier adds the features that make the MySubaru app genuinely useful day to day: 

• Remote engine start with climate control — Start your Subaru from your phone and step into a pre-cooled car in July or a warm, defrosted one on a frosty Louisville January morning. 

• Remote lock/unlock — Never turn around to check whether you locked the car again. 

• Remote horn, lights, and vehicle locator — Find your Outback in the Kentucky Kingdom parking lot in seconds. 

• Stolen vehicle recovery and immobilization — STARLINK can help authorities locate a stolen Subaru and prevent it from restarting, with no aftermarket tracker required. 

• Boundary, speed, and curfew alerts — Set limits and get a notification if the vehicle goes farther, faster, or later than it should. If you have a teen driver, this is the feature you’ll love and they’ll grumble about. 

What It Costs (and What’s Free) 

New Subarus typically include a generous trial — historically three years of the safety services and a shorter trial of the security/remote features, depending on model and trim. After the trial, plans have run roughly $100 per year for the safety tier, with the security features adding a modest amount on top; there’s also an available Concierge tier that adds live in-vehicle assistance with restaurants, hotels, and event bookings. 

One important note for 2026 shoppers: Subaru is transitioning its connected services branding for the newest models to MySubaru Connected Services, with simplified Companion and Companion+ plans covering the same kinds of safety and remote features. Plan names, trial lengths, and pricing vary by model year and trim, so the most reliable move is simple: ask our team to pull up exactly what your specific vehicle includes. We’ll show you in two minutes. 

STARLINK vs. EyeSight: Don’t Confuse the Two 

A common mix-up: EyeSight is Subaru’s camera-based driver-assist technology — adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane keep assist — that works all the time with no subscription. STARLINK connected services are the cellular-based emergency, remote, and security features described above. They complement each other: EyeSight helps prevent a crash; STARLINK’s Automatic Collision Notification takes over if one happens anyway. 

Is It Worth It? 

Our honest take: for households with teen drivers, long commutes, or frequent road-trippers, the safety tier is easy to justify — automatic crash notification and GPS-located roadside assistance are things you hope to never use and are very glad to have. The remote features are more of a daily-convenience call: if you’ll use remote start and phone-based lock/unlock, they quickly feel indispensable. And since new Subarus include a lengthy trial, you get plenty of time to decide with zero pressure. 

Get It Set Up at Bachman Subaru 

Whether you’re shopping new or bought your Subaru a while ago and never activated anything, stop by Bachman Subaru in Louisville. We’ll activate your trial, get the MySubaru app on your phone, and demonstrate every feature — remote start included — before you leave the lot. It’s your technology; you should be using all of it. 

Subaru STARLINK FAQ 

Is Subaru STARLINK free? 

The STARLINK Multimedia touchscreen system is standard and always free. The connected services (emergency assistance, remote features) come with a lengthy trial on new vehicles — historically three years for the safety tier — and require a paid subscription afterward. 

How much does STARLINK cost after the trial? 

Plans have historically run about $100 per year for the safety tier, with security and remote features adding a small monthly amount, though pricing varies by model year and plan structure. Our team can pull up current pricing for your exact vehicle. 

What happens if I don’t renew STARLINK? 

Your Subaru drives exactly the same, and EyeSight driver-assist features keep working — they never required a subscription. You lose the connected features: automatic collision notification, SOS, remote start via the app, stolen vehicle recovery, and vehicle alerts. 

Does STARLINK include remote start? 

Yes — remote engine start with climate control is part of the security/remote tier on properly equipped vehicles, controlled through the MySubaru app. 

Is STARLINK the same as Elon Musk’s Starlink internet? 

No — completely unrelated. Subaru STARLINK is Subaru’s in-vehicle connected services and infotainment brand, and it predates the satellite internet service. Your Subaru connects over a built-in cellular connection, not satellites. 

What’s the difference between STARLINK and EyeSight? 

EyeSight is Subaru’s always-on, camera-based driver-assist technology (adaptive cruise, pre-collision braking, lane keeping) with no subscription. STARLINK connected services are subscription-based cellular features like collision notification, SOS, remote start, and stolen vehicle recovery. 

Can STARLINK help if my Subaru is stolen? 

Yes — with an active security subscription, STARLINK’s stolen vehicle recovery service can help authorities locate the vehicle, and stolen vehicle immobilization can prevent it from being restarted. 

Where can I get help setting up STARLINK in Louisville, KY? 

Bachman Subaru in Louisville. Stop by any time and we’ll activate your services, set up the MySubaru app, and walk you through every feature — whether you bought your Subaru from us or not.