Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Impreza, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 14 | 19% |
| Power train | 8 | 11% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 7% |
| Air bags | 4 | 5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Engine | 2 | 3% |
| Structure | 2 | 3% |
| Air bags | 2 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I contacted Subaru in Mentor Oh at adventure subaru under TSB 19V065000 and was told to take it in to get looked at, my issue when I purchased the car at 67k miles i found that the car had a loud clunky sound while steer
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Hello, I just purchase this vehicle from a dealership, 615 auto sales. After purchasing the vehicle I decided to go and get the recall done that was never done to the vehicle at the repair shop they did the recall but th
NHTSA complaint: Steering
While driving a multi lane road with traffic going same direction in front of me, if one or more cars begin to slow for a left or right turn, the auto braking feature begins to slow and will try to stop my car. Problem
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
The hood latch system failed and flew open while driving on the highway smashing the windshield. I was unable to see driving, glass shattered everywhere. The car was serviced three weeks prior and there was no notation o
NHTSA complaint: Structure
The seat foam has degraded and exposed the metal frame through the seat cover on the driver side front seat. It is not safe to drive with a metal frame being exposed. A service bulletin (12-232-18 dated 2/6/2018) indicat
NHTSA complaint: Seats
Key will not turn past ACC after driving and so will not allow key to be removed from the car. This is a sporadic issue but could be a safety concern if needing to leave the car for an emergency as it runs down the batte
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
We keep on having to replace our headlights. We just got one replaced 5 months ago and it’s out again. This will be the fourth time in three years. No one can figure out why the headlights keep burning out.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Engine light came on. Checked it, the failure was the transmission solenoid. It reported that a failure was about to occur. Brought it into the Subaru dealership because the will not sell any transmission parts to repair
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Subaru Impreza. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's n
| Reliability raw | 78 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 72 | good |
| Depreciation | 97 | excellent |
| Performance | 55 | average |
| Efficiency | 54 | average |
| Safety | 100 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 14 of them (19%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 78/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.