2016 Subaru Impreza

Showing the 2016 Impreza Base. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
27–31 mpgcombined; city 24–28, highway 33–36; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$10,750 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
75filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 Impreza. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Impreza. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or other19000
Electrical system14000
Power train13100
Air bags8301
Vehicle speed control8401
Service brakes6200
Steering5100
Exterior lighting4000
Structure4000
Visibility/wiper4000
Engine3000
Seats3000
9 more parts
Suspension3000
Electronic stability control (ESC)2000
Fuel/propulsion system2100
Seat belts2000
Forward collision avoidance1000
Latches/locks/linkages1000
Service brakes, hydraulic1100
Visibility1000
Wheels1100

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 200656
  2. 200768
  3. 2008209
  4. 2009113
  5. 201046
  6. 201158
  7. 2012243
  8. 2013250
  9. 2014108
  10. 201579
  11. 201675
  12. 2017125
  13. 2018151
  14. 2019194
  15. 202085
  16. 202114
  17. 202214
  18. 20234
  19. 202432
  20. 20255
  21. 20261

Every Impreza year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Impreza over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Exterior lighting: brake lights

NHTSA campaign 19V149000 · reported Feb 28, 2019 · 1,303,530 vehicles potentially affected

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 the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

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.

Remedy: 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 number for this recall is WUE-90.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 359 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Impreza, the latest on Oct 5, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (157), equipment (138), power train (36), unknown or other (27), engine and engine cooling (22).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2016 Impreza.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Impreza
All-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (AV-S6)Regular Gasoline28 / 36 / 31
Impreza
All-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline25 / 33 / 28
Impreza Sport
All-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (AV-S6)Regular Gasoline27 / 35 / 30
Impreza Sport
All-Wheel Drive		2.0 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline24 / 33 / 27

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data