Is the Subaru Impreza Reliable? Well, the short answer is yes – but it depends. Many owners on popular forums, communities, and expert automotive platforms Reddit and NASIOC report hitting between 150,000 and 200,000 miles with a basic regular maintenance routine. Additionally, consumer watchdog Consumer Reports ranks the Impreza and Subaru highly for reliability in recent surveys.
With that in mind, owner threads repeatedly flag specific older models for certain trouble spots (older EJ engines and some mid-2010s CVTs). Therefore, the real question isn’t “is it reliable?” but rather, “which model year and how well has it been maintained?”
As one user on Reddit put it, asking about the Subaru Impreza’s overall reliability is too generic, and reliability ultimately depends on individual car owners’ goals and their maintenance skills. Simply put, the reliability of any car generally depends on the owner and their dedication to repairs and routine maintenance.
What owners say: common positives and problems
Subaru has built a name over the years for having models with drivetrain durability, all-wheel-drive traction, and simple, easy-to-repair layouts – sentiments that are echoed in most Subaru owner communities. According to seasoned Subaru owners and specialists, routine oil changes, timing belt or chain service, and CVT fluid care are the perfect recipe for a trouble-free Subaru for years.
On the flip side, owner reports and complaint databases show recurring themes on older EJ-series engines in Subaru Impreza, which are likely to suffer from head gasket/oil consumption problems. Based on confessions from Subaru Impreza owners on forums like Reddit, specific Impreza models (early 2010) have higher engine complaint counts and CVT transmission issues. Both CarComplaints and NHTSA have documented these issues.
“On older model years, the EJ engines have more of a tendency to blow the head gasket, so changing your oil and checking your coolant should be a religious practice, but not something to be anxious about. The newer FA platform doesn’t seem to have the same issues,” a Subaru Impreza owner on Reddit disclosed.
Buying and maintenance advice for new Subaru Impreza owners
They say, “A car is as good as the owner who maintains it.” Still, if you want a trouble-free Subaru Impreza ownership experience, pick the right model year unit. Based on reports and previous owner confessions on popular forums, later generations of the Subaru Impreza, specifically the FA and FB engines, were designed to replace the problematic EJ designs and the years following the CVT fix.
Additionally, before buying a used Subaru Impreza, check its service history, including the oil and coolant records, CVT service receipts, and any head-gasket work. Lastly, it is always a good idea to perform Pre-purchase checks, which include compression tests, CVT test drives, vacuum leak inspections, and checking NHTSA and Carfax for any history of recalls for the Subaru Impreza model year you want to purchase.
Based on sentiments by previous owners, getting a Subaru Impreza with a manual transmission will save you a lot of headaches that you’d otherwise have maintaining a CVT transmission. Lastly, for careful owners and diligent buyers, the Subaru Impreza is a reliable compact car with strong owner satisfaction ratings.
