Buyer Research

2021 Subaru Impreza — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $13,000–$19,000. 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

Fourteen complaints is not a reliability rating; it is fourteen people. What the record does hold is two recalls that matter more than any of them: a left-front lower control arm weld that can let the arm separate from the crossmember (Subaru told owners to stop driving until it was inspected), and a CVT shifter cable nut that can work loose. Run the VIN on NHTSA before anything else. Beyond that, the complaints are EyeSight braking hard for a car that was not there and windshields cracking from the defroster edge, both of which are known across Subaru's lineup in these years. If both recalls show closed and the windshield is original and uncracked, this is a sensible, all-wheel-drive compact with a 2.0L that is not known for expensive faults, and the price should reflect that.

What we checked

Checked against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 14 owner complaints for the 2021 Subaru Impreza, and 2 recall campaigns.

That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (3), glass, wipers and mirrors (3), throttle and cruise control (2). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.

2 recall campaigns cover 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 2021 Subaru Impreza

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

Left-front lower control arm weld may fail and let the arm separate (recall)High — wallet impact

Recall 21V675 covers 2021 Imprezas whose left-front lower control arm weld may not hold; a separated arm can push the tire into the wheel well and take steering with it. Subaru told owners not to drive until a dealer had inspected the weld and replaced the arm if needed, free. Put the VIN into NHTSA's recall lookup and ask for the dealer paperwork. At the car, crouch at the left front wheel and look at the arm's inner mount for fresh paint, a bright new part, or a weld that looks nothing like the right side — any of those means the work was done.

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

Source: 2 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

CVT gear selector cable nut may loosen and the shifter stops selecting gears (recall)Medium

Recall 21V024 covers 2021 Impreza and Outback CVTs where the select lever cable nut was not tightened to spec; if it backs off, the shifter can move without the transmission following, including out of Park. The fix is an inspection and a tightened nut, free, from February 2021. On the test drive, cycle the shifter through every position with the brake held and feel for a crisp detent and a matching letter on the dash each time; a shifter that feels vague or needs a second try is the symptom.

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

Source: 2 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

EyeSight brakes or slows hard for a car that is not thereMedium

Five of the fourteen complaints are the same event told two ways: adaptive cruise dropping from 55 to 44 mph on an empty highway, or the collision system braking hard for a car that was already turning off, with the driver nearly rear-ended. Subaru's answer to one owner was sun glare. The camera pair lives behind the windshield, so a replaced or cheap aftermarket glass, a dirty inside surface, or a skipped recalibration all make it worse. Ask whether the windshield is original; if not, ask for the recalibration invoice. Drive a stretch of highway with cruise on and see how it behaves.

Repair cost (estimate): $250–$600 for an EyeSight recalibration if the glass has been replaced

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the driver-assist and automatic braking systems (3), throttle and cruise control (2).

Windshield cracks on its own from the defroster edgeMedium

The VISIBILITY cluster is mostly windshields cracking in a J shape from the bottom edge near the defroster vents with no impact, in cold weather, and one owner was on their second replacement. Subaru covered the first one for that owner and charged for the EyeSight recalibration. This complaint runs across Subaru's lineup in these years. Look along the bottom edge of the glass with the sun behind you, and price a replacement as a Subaru-spec windshield plus recalibration, because a cheap glass is what leads to the phantom braking above.

Repair cost (estimate): $500–$1,200 including EyeSight recalibration

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under glass, wipers and mirrors (3).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Seller cannot show recall 21V675 (control arm) closed on the VIN
✗A crack starting at the bottom edge of the windshield near the defroster vents
✗Shifter that needs a second push to find Park or shows a different letter than the gate
✗Cruise control that surges or slows on an open road during the test drive

Good Signs

✓Both recalls shown complete on the NHTSA VIN lookup with dealer paperwork
✓Original windshield, or a Subaru-branded replacement with a recalibration invoice
✓Adaptive cruise that holds a steady 55 mph over a few miles of open highway
✓CVT fluid inspected or changed by a Subaru dealer with a receipt