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The 2016 Subaru Impreza has 75 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2016 Subaru Impreza has 75 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 12 complaints (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Impreza | 249 | 4 |
| 2014 Impreza | 108 | 3 |
| 2015 Impreza | 79 | 2 |
| 2016 Impreza (this page) | 75 | 1 |
| 2017 Impreza | 125 | 7 |
| 2018 Impreza | 149 | 5 |
| 2019 Impreza | 194 | 5 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2016 Subaru Impreza SW AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The passenger seat sensor has been going off when nothing is in the seat. Because the sensor thinks something is in the seat the airbag for the passenger side is turned on. After going to the dealership, quirk Subaru, in bangor maine, they told me my cell phone was setting off…
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 then ask me where did I purchase this vehicle from then I…
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and while attempting to avoid a collision with a second vehicle, the contact lost control of the steering and crashed into a tree. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle…
I was driving to a thanksgiving gathering, when all of a sudden the car julted. It was very odd felt almost like a pin was put in the transmission forcing the tires to stop spining. But was very brief. After another 0.5 miles of driving on the freeway at 70mph it happened again…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Subaru Impreza is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2016 Subaru Impreza does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.8/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 12 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 75 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 12 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 75 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.