Subaru Impreza Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2002 draws 2.94 complaints per run and the 2016 1.24, a 2.4-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 65.4% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Air Bags, with 416 complaints, typically at 4.9 years.

Subaru Impreza years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Subaru Impreza — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2025	1.25	5	4	too new
2024	1.52	32	21	too new
2023	1	4	4	too new
2022	1.08	14	13	too new
2021	1.27	14	11	too new
2020	1.39	85	61	yes
2019	1.88	192	102	yes
2018	1.7	150	88	yes
2017	1.5	120	80	yes
2016	1.24	72	58	yes
2015	1.26	73	58	yes
2014	1.44	101	70	yes
2013	1.61	241	150	yes
2012	1.71	222	130	yes
2011	1.17	48	41	yes
2010	1.36	38	28	yes
2009	1.77	94	53	yes
2008	1.97	179	91	yes
2007	1.45	58	40	yes
2006	1.33	53	40	yes
2005	1.33	65	49	yes
2004	1.51	77	51	yes
2003	1.69	54	32	yes
2002	2.94	238	81	yes
2001	1.14	8	7	yes
2000	1.42	37	26	yes
1999	1.17	14	12	yes
1998	1.35	23	17	yes
1997	1.05	21	20	yes
1996	1.21	17	14	yes
1995	1.16	36	31	yes
1994	1	5	5	yes
1993	1.14	25	22	yes

ROWS 33·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 14 Subaru Impreza years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2002, 2008, 2019; the three worth hunting are 2016, 2015, 2005.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Subaru Impreza — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	320	14%	covered
1 year	230	24%	covered
2 years	242	34.6%	covered
3 years	237	44.9%	you pay
4 years	236	55.2%	you pay
5 years	237	65.5%	you pay
6 years	204	74.4%	you pay
7 years	144	80.7%	you pay
8 years	112	85.6%	you pay
9 years	92	89.6%	you pay
10 years	95	93.8%	you pay
11 years	54	96.1%	you pay
12 years	30	97.4%	you pay
13 years	26	98.6%	you pay
14 years	20	99.4%	you pay
15 years	13	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 34.6% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 65.4% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 21% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Subaru Impreza, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Visibility/wiper — reported at around 3.9 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Air Bags at 4.9 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Subaru Impreza — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Air Bags	416	4.9 yrs	79	2
Power Train	271	4.5 yrs	6	1
Engine	248	5.4 yrs	9	11
Service Brakes	234	3.9 yrs	41	3
Electrical System	219	4.9 yrs	7	19
Unknown Or Other	215	4.7 yrs	8	6
Visibility/wiper	197	2.2 yrs	1	—
Exterior Lighting	194	4.2 yrs	4	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Impreza's vehicle class. Per production run, the Kia Soul draws 11.34, the Honda Fit 3.24 and the Honda HR-V 3.01, against 1.61 for the Impreza. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Subaru Impreza — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Impreza	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Kia Soul	5,584	39	2010–2026
Honda Fit	2,196	94	2007–2020
Honda HR-V	1,836	37	2016–2026
Buick Envista	90	5	2024–2026
Kia Niro	111	29	2017–2026
Infiniti QX50	281	23	2014–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Subaru Impreza

Recalls183 campaigns Fuel economy32 mpg best Common problems2,763 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space25 cu ft Used prices5,014 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1993–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Subaru Impreza reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.61 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Impreza years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2002, 2008, 2019. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2016, 2015, 2005. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Impreza problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Air Bags, typically at 4.9 years, followed by Power Train.

Will the warranty cover Impreza problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 34.6% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 21% of the complaints here.

Is the Impreza more reliable than the Kia Soul?

Yes: 1.61 complaints per production run for the Impreza against 11.34 for the Kia Soul.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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