Subaru Impreza Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,609 owner complaints and 52 safety recalls on file for the Subaru Impreza, across 32 model years (1995–2026). The 2002 model year has the most complaints (292). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.
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Subaru Impreza years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Impreza year: 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2002 Impreza: 292 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2013 Impreza: 249 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2012 Impreza: 243 complaints, 6 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Impreza: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2023 Impreza: 4 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2025 Impreza: 5 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Subaru Impreza problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 449 | 28 | 83 |
| Power Train problems | 288 | 27 | 6 |
| Engine problems | 262 | 23 | 9 |
| Electrical System problems | 231 | 24 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 202 | 23 | 4 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 201 | 17 | 1 |
| Suspension problems | 156 | 23 | 9 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 149 | 15 | 1 |
| Service Brakes problems | 132 | 22 | 20 |
| Structure problems | 130 | 24 | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 115 | 21 | 22 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 106 | 22 | 35 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 104 | 21 | 4 |
| Visibility problems | 100 | 26 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 94 | 20 | 2 |
| Steering | 80 | 25 | 4 |
| Wheels | 57 | 22 | 3 |
| Seats | 53 | 19 | 6 |
| Tires | 39 | 22 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 34 | 18 | 8 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 23 | 9 | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Equipment | 13 | 10 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Subaru Impreza problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: visibility/wiper (52)
- 2019: exterior lighting (63) · visibility/wiper (55)
- 2018: exterior lighting (64)
- 2013: air bags (79) · engine (74)
- 2012: air bags (105) · engine (55)
- 2008: power train (59)
- 2002: fuel system, gasoline (88) · service brakes, hydraulic (56)
All Subaru Impreza model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Impreza | 1 | 0 | — | Wheels | |
| 2025 Impreza | 5 | 0 | 5★ | Power Train | |
| 2024 Impreza | 32 | 2 | 5★ | Forward Collision Avoidance | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Impreza | 4 | 2 | 5★ | Tires | |
| 2022 Impreza | 13 | 1 | 5★ | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Impreza | 14 | 2 | 5★ | Forward Collision Avoidance | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Impreza | 85 | 1 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2019 Impreza | 194 | 5 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 Impreza | 151 | 5 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 Impreza | 125 | 7 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 Impreza | 75 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 Impreza | 77 | 2 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 Impreza | 108 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2013 Impreza | 249 | 4 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Impreza | 243 | 6 | 4★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 Impreza | 58 | 14 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2010 Impreza | 46 | 15 | — | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Impreza | 104 | 14 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2008 Impreza | 176 | 14 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 Impreza | 68 | 9 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2006 Impreza | 56 | 10 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 Impreza | 75 | 6 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 2004 Impreza | 96 | 8 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Impreza | 62 | 6 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Impreza | 292 | 6 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Impreza | 11 | 0 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2000 Impreza | 41 | 0 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1999 Impreza | 22 | 0 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1998 Impreza | 30 | 0 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1997 Impreza | 30 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 Impreza | 20 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Impreza | 46 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
More from Subaru: all Subaru models · Subaru VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Impreza years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2002 (292), 2008 (176), 2012 (243), 2013 (249), 2017 (125), 2018 (151), 2019 (194) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Impreza year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Subaru Impreza?
Air Bags, with 449 complaints across 28 model years.
How many recalls does the Subaru Impreza have?
52 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.