Buyer Research

2016 Subaru Impreza — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $10,000–$14,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 15 Subaru Impreza years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

The last fourth-generation Impreza, 75 complaints, one recall. The record is small and its top items are a key that will not come out of the ignition, a CVT that loses power on the highway, and an occupant sensor. Subaru extended its CVT warranty to 10 years/100,000 miles on earlier years of this generation after a wave of failures — worth knowing, and expired by age either way. An honest, unexciting all-wheel-drive compact; the CVT's fluid history is the thing to ask for.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 75 owner complaints for the 2016 Subaru Impreza, and 1 recall campaign.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. The largest single group is electrics and electronics at 19%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.

One recall campaign covers this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2016 Subaru Impreza

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

Key will not release from the ignition; melted fan switchLow

The largest cluster, and a Subaru-wide one: the key stays in the ignition after shut-off until the car is restarted, sometimes several times. Subaru issued a service bulletin; the fix is the ignition switch or the shifter's park-position switch. One owner's climate fan dial melted and cost $1,200 at a dealer — a rare one.

Repair cost (estimate): $150–$500

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (14).

CVT loses power at highway speed — jerks, then stops pullingHigh — wallet impact

13 complaints, one after a crash: at 67–70 mph the car jerks, stops accelerating and coasts to a halt with the dash lit. Subaru extended the CVT warranty to 10 years/100,000 miles on Imprezas through 2015 after failures of the torque converter and valve body; whether the extension reached the 2016 is a dealer question, and either way it is expired by age now. A replacement is a big bill on a cheap car.

Repair cost (estimate): $3,500–$5,500 — about 46% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (13).

Passenger occupant sensor drops out; a sudden-acceleration report while parkingLow

The passenger airbag light coming on with an adult in the seat, intermittently — a seat sensor. And one owner's account of the car surging while parking. Eight complaints, three after crashes.

Repair cost (estimate): $200–$700

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (8).

Brake light switch can fail — no brake lights, no start (recall)Medium

Recall 19V149 covers 2008–2016 Imprezas among 1.3 million Subarus: the brake light switch can be contaminated and fail, so the brake lights stay off and the push-button start will not work. Free.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed

Source: 1 NHTSA recall campaign on this model year.

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Any hesitation or jerk at highway speed
✗CVT fluid never changed
✗Brake lights out — check from behind
✗A key the seller removes with a knack

Good Signs

✓CVT replaced under Subaru's extension with paperwork
✓CVT fluid changed at 60k
✓Recall 19V149 closed
✓Oil consumption checked — the FB20 engine in this car improved on the older FB25's appetite