Subaru Impreza Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,788 NHTSA complaints, the Subaru Impreza years to avoid are 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 — the worst logged up to 2.7× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 209 | 128 | 15 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 112 | 73 | 15 | CAUTION |
| 2010 | 45 | 27 | 15 | SOLID |
| 2011 | 57 | 25 | 14 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 242 | 111 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 248 | 136 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 108 | 47 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2015 | 79 | 38 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 75 | 30 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 125 | 39 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 149 | 20 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 191 | 33 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 85 | 12 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 14 | 6 | 2 | N/A |
| 2022 | 12 | 8 | 1 | N/A |
| 2023 | 4 | 1 | 2 | N/A |
| 2024 | 29 | 13 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Subaru Impreza. Full methodology.
Common Subaru Impreza problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Subaru Impreza are engine, body, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Secondary air pump overheating / relay failure
· Subaru Impreza 2013–2014Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 95 engine complaints across 2013–2014, typically 79,268–92,325 miles.
Firewall spot weld failure causing pedal assembly instability
· Subaru Impreza 2008–2010Corroborated by 13 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 61 body complaints across 2008–2010, typically 54,000–124,000 miles.
Passenger airbag occupant detection system failure
· Subaru Impreza 2012–2013Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 63 electrical complaints across 2012–2013.
Why these years stand out
2008 Subaru Impreza: 209 owner complaints on federal record, 128 of them severe, plus 15 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
2012 Subaru Impreza: 242 owner complaints on federal record, 111 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
2013 Subaru Impreza: 248 owner complaints on federal record, 136 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
2017 Subaru Impreza: 125 owner complaints on federal record, 39 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
2018 Subaru Impreza: 149 owner complaints on federal record, 20 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
2019 Subaru Impreza: 191 owner complaints on federal record, 33 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Impreza.
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FAQ
What years of the Subaru Impreza should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Subaru Impreza years to avoid are 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Subaru Impreza?
No single Subaru Impreza year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Subaru Impreza verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Subaru Impreza's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Subaru Impreza before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Subaru Impreza reliable?
The Subaru Impreza's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,788 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Subaru Impreza?
The most-reported problem area for the Subaru Impreza is engine, followed by body and electrical. Confirmed failures include secondary air pump overheating / relay failure, firewall spot weld failure causing pedal assembly instability, passenger airbag occupant detection system failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Subaru Impreza across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Subaru Impreza, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.