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The 2018 Subaru Impreza has 149 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 2018 Subaru Impreza has 149 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is lighting at 62 complaints, typically surfacing around 21,000 miles (~$250 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Impreza | 79 | 0 |
| 2016 Impreza | 75 | 0 |
| 2017 Impreza | 125 | 3 |
| 2018 Impreza (this page) | 149 | 1 |
| 2019 Impreza | 191 | 3 |
| 2020 Impreza | 85 | 0 |
| 2021 Impreza | 14 | 1 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
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: 2018 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: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 16,136 mi. 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: 7.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — 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.
My car was involved in an accident and one headlight was smashed. I found out from my body shop that was my car was recalled and they have no way to fix my headlight. I called Subaru and they told me that the body shop could just put another head light in. But when I talked to…
About two weeks ago when the first frost hit I noticed there was a windshield crack but it looked unrelated to an impact crack as it came from the side of the windshield and extended towards the center. After getting the windshield replaced one week later while sitting in my car…
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time…
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 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.
The 2018 Subaru Impreza is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.4/10 — around 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 lighting first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 62 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 21,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $250 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 7.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 149 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is lighting. Typical failure occurs around 21,000 miles. 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 lighting, with 62 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 21,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $250 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 69,000 miles. 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 149 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, 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.