Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Subaru Impreza, 2012-2016

[Autos_Editor]

Some tips and advice to shop smarter for Canada's popular AWD compact car.
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[Noto]

Thank you for putting the oil b!tching to rest!  Our 2011 (Forester) has never required a top up between oil changes (done every time won't tires are changed over)

We have literally zero complaints with ours except that my wife parks like a dink and the paint has not fared well to such abuse (elsewhere it's perfect).

Regarding the eyesight complaints, note that the radar-based systems can become inoperative when covered even partially. Snow/ice, bugs, leaves, and even just being dirty. Eyesight is the smarter system.

[jpd]

@NO-SAN.  Subaru has put 3 new engines in a year in my sister in law 2015 Forester because of the excessive oil consumption!! Is it pointless?

[Ex-airbalancer]

@NO-SAN.  Subaru has put 3 new engines in a year in my sister in law 2015 Forester because of the excessive oil consumption!! Is it pointless?

Careful, he may sue your ass for disagree with him   

[84im]

2014 & 2105 Forester and Impreza vehicles are still turning up with oil consumption problems.  There's seems to be fewer, but it's still happening.
No-san, you got a good one.  Consider yourself lucky.

[theonlydt]

148hp, drinks oil, poor seating, road noise, 5 speed...

Nothing about this generation does anything for me.

[Noto]

Laying to rest as in the article... Not as in your sister in law's vehicle.

[Trainman]

Subaru's may be getting more mainstream but you still need to be willing to put up with some idiosyncrasies if you want one.  Justin's mention of the interior quality, and the head unit are examples.  They are a relatively small company and they must be limited on their R&D spending.  I like mine because I can appreciate the engineering that goes into them.

@NO-SAN.  Subaru has put 3 new engines in a year in my sister in law 2015 Forester because of the excessive oil consumption!! Is it pointless?

The 2015 Forester has a different engine than the Impreza covered in the review, so not sure how your SIL's unfortunate woes apply here?

I can say that my '09 Forester with almost 200,000 kms on it and my '16 XT now with 14,200 kms did/have not burned any oil, but those too are not relevant.

[84im]

The 2015 Forester has a different engine than the Impreza covered in the review, so not sure how your SIL's unfortunate woes apply here?

This oil consumption problem covers both the forester and the Impreza.

https://www.cars.com/articles/2011-2015-subaru-oil-issue-1420688744757/

[2JDM]

Can Subaru ever get engine reliability right?

[johngenx]

Can Subaru ever get engine reliability right?

Not for a while.  The old 2.2L engines were rock solid, and all 2.5Ls following have had issues.  The 3.0L H6 looked good, but turns out it just makes it longer until the head gasket gives out.  And unfortunately fr H6 owners, when it goes, it goes bad.  At least with the EJ25 (2.5L fours) there's lots of them racking up mileage with an external leaking gasket that is annoying but not critical.

The 2009 Forester gave us hope - no one seemed to have any issues.  Whoops.  Now, as owners reach 200K, they're also replacing head gaskets.  Subaru managed to make it last longer, but in today's market, a major engine repair at 200K is pretty -poor in terms of build quality.

I love many things about Subarus - but owning one can take patience and perseverance.

[2JDM]

Can Subaru ever get engine reliability right?

Not for a while.  The old 2.2L engines were rock solid, and all 2.5Ls following have had issues.  The 3.0L H6 looked good, but turns out it just makes it longer until the head gasket gives out.  And unfortunately fr H6 owners, when it goes, it goes bad.  At least with the EJ25 (2.5L fours) there's lots of them racking up mileage with an external leaking gasket that is annoying but not critical.

The 2009 Forester gave us hope - no one seemed to have any issues.  Whoops.  Now, as owners reach 200K, they're also replacing head gaskets.  Subaru managed to make it last longer, but in today's market, a major engine repair at 200K is pretty -poor in terms of build quality.

I love many things about Subarus - but owning one can take patience and perseverance.

Yet the resale of Subarus are crazy high, up there with Toyotas and Hondas. 

[johngenx]

Yet the resale of Subarus are crazy high, up there with Toyotas and Hondas. 

Yes, indeed.  And that's fairly recent, in the last 5 years or so.  When we bought our Forester in 2004, Subaru resale was terrible.  Buying a used 3yr old model meant saving approx 50% (or more!) compared to new.  We paid 45% of comparable new for our 3yr old Forester with remaining warranty, etc, etc.

[chignectohead]

Two and a half years ago, I had a 2014 Impreza as a loaner for a week. The interior was beyond cheap on the lousy side, the ride boundy with lots of up and down jiggling, and the steering slow and artificial. It was a hatch and very, very noisy at highway speeds. Nasty.

This week I'm driving a 2016 Impreza, while Subaru, who no longer supply rear shocks for my '08 Legacy GT (good God, there's manufacturer backup for you) get in some aftermarket something or other replacement. Even with shot rear shocks, my old LGT at least tracks straight down the highway. This Impreza, a sedan, while much  quieter than the '14 hatch, wanders all over the place on the highway seemingly at random, the steering is now too quick so corrections are darty and driving the dam thing is a chore. On two laners, no problem, and the ride is much better as is the interior than the '14. Then there is the driver's seat - apparently Subaru thought Westjet's economy seats are wonderful, what with a whole one inch of padding. 20 minutes and I had numb bum. Yuck. and trying to stop the driver's window on the way down, because it assumes auto down I guess, is an exercise in frustration - it just rushes back up. Useless. The engine is the usual Subaru naturally aspirated wimp. Much noise and fury after 60 kph yet not much motivation when prodded. As a whole? Uninspiring.

Frankly, the old square Chev Cruze I rented a few months ago is far superior in all ways to the Impreza as a driving machine, except for lack of AWD. Bombed around the Okanagan in that Cruze, no problem and discovered its cornering limits as it is consistent. Nice car. Great ride, quiet, sproingy steering feel but quickly adapted.

Anyway, fixing up the old LGT is worth it to me. It make both these cars seem like tin boxes. I'd say these newer '12 to '16 Imprezas are a car that needs to be driven a good half hour or more to see whether you can figure out if the thing actually suits you. Presumably the Crosstrek and WRX have the same basic seats. if they do, scratch them off my list - the seats and steering are what you really have to be happy with.