Model-year matrix

Subaru Impreza
which year?

Compare every Subaru Impreza model year the EPA recorded, 1993 to 2026. See complaint patterns, fuel economy and configurations side by side, then open any year for recall campaigns and the full dossier. Confirm against the official NHTSA recall search.

Evidence-led answer

Looking for the best Subaru Impreza year—or years to avoid?

The official records cannot honestly name a best, worst or most reliable year. Complaint totals have no sales, mileage or age denominator. They can show where more reports were filed and which components were named, giving you years to investigate more closely before checking the exact car and its VIN.

What is the best year for the Subaru Impreza?

No official dataset can support one universal best year. Use the table to compare complaint patterns and EPA figures, then open the shortlisted years for recall campaigns and exact specifications.

Which Subaru Impreza years should you avoid?

The records cannot justify a blanket avoid label. Years with more reports are surfaced below as research priorities, not predictions about every car from that year.

01 · More reports to inspect2002

292 indexed complaint reports; fuel system, gasoline is the most-reported component label.

Open the 2002 dossier →02 · More reports to inspect2013

249 indexed complaint reports; air bags is the most-reported component label.

Open the 2013 dossier →03 · More reports to inspect2012

242 indexed complaint reports; air bags is the most-reported component label.

Open the 2012 dossier →

Do not read this as an avoid list. Older and higher-selling model years usually accumulate more reports. A low count can also mean a newer, rarer or poorly matched vehicle—not a safer one.

Read this as evidence, not a ranking.

Complaint totals are counts of owner-submitted allegations, not confirmed defects, and they carry no denominator: they are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, how old they are, how far they are driven, or how much publicity a fault received. A high-volume or older year will usually show more reports than a rare or recent one. The site does not convert these into a reliability score, because the data needed to do that honestly is not in the public record.

Direct comparison

Compare two Subaru Impreza model years.

Choose any two years. The URL keeps the pair so you can return to the same comparison. Every figure below is an observed official record or EPA estimate—not a reliability score.

First model year

2025 Subaru Impreza

NHTSA complaint allegations: 5
Combined EPA economy: 29–30 mpg/MPGe
EPA configurations: 2
Annual EPA fuel-cost estimate: $2,050–2,100
Fuel labels: Regular Gasoline

Most-reported component labelspower train 2unknown or other 2engine 1

Open the 2025 evidence dossier →

Second model year

2026 Subaru Impreza

NHTSA complaint allegations: 1
Combined EPA economy: 29 mpg/MPGe
EPA configurations: 2
Annual EPA fuel-cost estimate: $2,100
Fuel labels: Regular Gasoline

Most-reported component labelswheels 1

Open the 2026 evidence dossier →

Observed complaint-record difference

2026 has 4 fewer indexed complaint allegations than 2025.

This is not a rate or reliability finding. The counts have no sales, mileage, age or exposure denominator, and newer years have had less time to accumulate reports.

Side by side

Subaru Impreza by year.

Complaint bars are scaled against this model’s own highest year, so they compare years with each other and with nothing else.

Subaru Impreza model years with NHTSA complaint totals, most-reported components, EPA fuel economy and configuration counts
Year	Complaints	Most-reported components	Combined MPG	EPA configs	Annual fuel cost	Dossier
2026	1	wheels 1	29	2	$2,100	Dossier →
2025	5	power train 2unknown or other 2engine 1	29–30	2	$2,050–2,100	Dossier →
2024	30	forward collision avoidance 7service brakes 5suspension 5	29–30	2	$2,050–2,100	Dossier →
2023	4	tires 2electrical system 1engine 1	25–32	7	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2022	12	power train 3visibility/wiper 3steering 2	25–32	7	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2021	14	forward collision avoidance 4visibility/wiper 3steering 2	25–32	7	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2020	85	visibility/wiper 52unknown or other 17forward collision avoidance 6	25–31	8	$2,000–2,450	Dossier →
2019	193	exterior lighting 63visibility/wiper 55unknown or other 26	25–32	8	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2018	149	exterior lighting 64visibility/wiper 33unknown or other 25	25–32	8	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2017	125	exterior lighting 32visibility/wiper 25unknown or other 22	25–32	8	$1,900–2,450	Dossier →
2016	75	unknown or other 19electrical system 14power train 13	27–31	6	$2,000–2,300	Dossier →
2015	77	electrical system 20unknown or other 14power train 11	27–31	6	$2,000–2,300	Dossier →
2014	108	air bags 48engine 20electrical system 18	19–30	8	$2,050–4,000	Dossier →
2013	249	air bags 96engine 74electrical system 33	19–30	8	$2,050–4,000	Dossier →
2012	242	air bags 116engine 55electrical system 30	19–30	8	$2,050–4,000	Dossier →
2011	57	air bags 17electrical system 9fuel/propulsion system 6	19–22	8	$2,800–4,000	Dossier →
2010	45	unknown or other 8engine 7air bags 6	19–22	9	$2,800–4,000	Dossier →
2009	103	power train 30structure 22service brakes 14	19–22	9	$2,800–4,000	Dossier →
2008	176	power train 60air bags 41visibility 26	19–22	9	$2,800–4,000	Dossier →
2007	68	air bags 27engine 8power train 8	19–22	9	$2,800–4,000	Dossier →
2006	56	air bags 20engine and engine cooling 7power train 7	18–22	9	$2,800–4,200	Dossier →
2005	75	suspension 17air bags 12fuel/propulsion system 9	18–23	9	$2,650–4,200	Dossier →
2004	96	fuel/propulsion system 24suspension 17air bags 14	18–22	9	$2,800–4,200	Dossier →
2003	62	fuel system, gasoline 13service brakes, hydraulic 13fuel/propulsion system 12	20–21	8	$2,950–3,800	Dossier →
2002	292	fuel system, gasoline 88service brakes, hydraulic 60suspension 50	20–21	8	$2,950–3,800	Dossier →
2001	11	service brakes, hydraulic 4tires 3air bags 2	21–23	6	$2,650–2,950	Dossier →
2000	41	power train 12suspension 8service brakes, hydraulic 4	21–22	2	$2,800–2,950	Dossier →
1999	22	suspension 6power train 4service brakes, hydraulic 3	22	6	$2,800	Dossier →
1998	30	power train 13suspension 13engine and engine cooling 8	21–23	6	$2,650–2,950	Dossier →
1997	30	air bags 6power train 5wheels 5	23–24	5	$2,550–2,650	Dossier →
1996	20	air bags 5service brakes, hydraulic 5seats 3	22–24	7	$2,550–2,800	Dossier →
1995	46	air bags 23engine and engine cooling 7electrical system 5	22–24	10	$2,550–2,800	Dossier →
1994	8	power train 3equipment 2suspension 1	22–24	8	$2,550–2,800	Dossier →
1993	33	visibility 17air bags 11service brakes, hydraulic 5	22–24	8	$2,550–2,800	Dossier →

Evidence snapshot generated August 25, 2026. “Not indexed” means NHTSA holds no complaint record matching this exact year, make and model — not that no fault occurred. Recall campaigns are not summarised here: NHTSA publishes no bulk recall dataset, and fetching them per year would take longer than the page should. Each year’s dossier shows its recalls in full, live from NHTSA.