Subaru Impreza GK/GT (gen 5) (2016-2021)
Verified46 reviews
Good car but gas consumption is high – I bought brand new in 2017 under 24,000 is the basic model as I just need this car for work purposes At this moment the car just over 130,000klm. Only 50,000 and 100,000 klm service was done in local repair shop, every 5,000-8,000 klm I DIY engine oil and oil filter change which cost me less than $100 each time. Boot size is unbelievable good, I… Read more
can put 2 large 150cm luggage and 2 small luggage without block the mirror view, this is a SUV size capacity Car use more than 10 litres per 100klm most of the time. 91 or E10 feel no power and noise from the engine Acceleration is poor if you want to over take in the freeway AWD feel excellent when the road condition is bad, you just feel comfortable and safe.
Only 1 repair record was one of coolant pile near the engine leaking cost me around $600 including engine carbon clean service. Overall I feel satisfaction consider I saw so many negative comments
Reliability a thing of the past – Bought vehicle second hand at 16 months old, 13k due to Subaru’s reputation as a reliable manufacturer to teach my son to drive in. Firstly, for handling in the wet and dry, this is the best vehicle in its class. Economy is probably the worst, but they go hand in hand due to AWD system. 6 months after the warranty ran out @ 47,000 kms , I… Read more
suffered a complete seizure of the air conditioning compressor, destroying the accessories belt and rendering the car unusable. The air compressor, model 73111FL000, was first used in the Impreza 2 months before my vehicle was manufactured, 3.5 years earlier. Because of this (and COVID), Subaru had no spares (2K ea), no wreckers had them and the vehicle ended up sitting around for a month until we managed to free the clutch in the compressor so we could refit the accessory belt and use the vehicle (no aircon). Subaru had denied a goodwill claim and even said the vehicle had not been serviced correctly and was behind. According to them, it should have been serviced every 6months, 7,500kms, not the 12 months, 15,000 kms listed in the service book. Apart from being their excuse, the servicing of the vehicle has nothing to do with the reliability of the A/C compressor at that stage of its life. From reading some of the other reviews, I think the Subaru reliability is a thing of the past and I’d be disappointed if I’d bought a ‘Cherry’ vehicle and the aircon compressor had failed at 47,000 kms. The only good thing to come out of this was I had seriously been considering buying a brand new WRX and this experience has saved me from a bigger mistake.
Subaru Impreza hatchback – It took 6 months to get the car but it’s a great little zippy car . The salesman I dealt with was average. And in general my overall experience with Berwick Subaru was a bit crap - lucky I like the car ! Hasn’t got all the mod cons like other cars but overall a good ride. Show details
Ted, congratulations on your new vehicle, we… Read more
Reviews with attachments
Great car to drive with all the features, just lacking the guts – I have owned and driven my Subaru Impress Hatch for 2 years and am still impressed by the reliability, comfortable driving and myriad of gadgets available to me. The handling is great with Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system, and the ride is comfortable and quiet. The entertainment system is good, can be a bit hit and miss with the Android Auto but… Read more · 1
when it's working it's great. All of the seating is spacious even with a full car and the boot space is impressive, even bigger than the XV. The big downside of this car is the sometimes sluggish CVT engine, which can sputter and gurgle when taking off from a standing start and trying to put some acceleration into the vehicle. At higher speeds there is no problem, but when you put your foot down it's like the car doesn't know what to do, and has to think about upping the revs before it actually does it. I love my Impreza, but I wouldn't be doing much racing, or towing with it.
In-depth reviews
Great cars, but watch out, my aircon failed completely a week after the warranty ran out and they denied – This is our third Subaru. I probably should have learnt my lesson but I honestly like the cars. The week after my Liberty warranty ran out the hifi failed. I was quoted $2,000 to get it fixed (it as the 3RB special edition audio system with multiple amplifiers so while expensive not out of the realms of possibility). Now, my third Subaru, the… Read more
top of the range Imprezza. 3 years and one week the air-conditioning completely failed. I took it straight to the dealer and they had it for a few days. They said it needs a new PCR value and a new compressor and at least, $2,000 with the parts needing to be shipped from Japan. After a few days they rang me up and told me to come and get it and get back to them if I want to get it fixed. The dealer said they would contact Subaru Australia to ask if it can be covered under warranty and he said they denied it as it was one week out of warranty.
I contacted Subaru Australia and there told me they don't have computers so they have no knowledge of the request but if it is out of warranty that is just too bad.
Does anyone else think the aircon in a 3 year old car with 27,000km on it should fail completely when the car has been serviced regularly?
120K spend over 12 years and this is how they treat you?
Hi @ mianos, We're sorry to hear of your… Read more
Great car – This car replaces a 5 year old Mitsubishi Lancer which has been faultless since new. The Impreza was bought as my wife’s car and is the top of the range. The selling point for me was the 5 year warranty as per our last car and it is the only small car with heated external mirrors which are important in cold cloudy conditions common where I live.… Read more
It came with 18 inch rims and low profile tyres which I had replaced with 17’s as I live on a corrugated dirt road. It still has a harsher ride than the Lancer but is quite acceptable. The Impreza has the ‘eyesight’ system which is brilliant. Lane departure, adaptable cruise, excellent gps System which can be voice activated, LED lights which are self levelling and automatic. This car will drive itself on a country road with painted lines on both sides of the road.there are other features too many toname but the best for me is the lights which follow the steering. I live in the ADELAIDE Hills and drive a twisty road twice daily. These lights seem to shine around corners that are 90 degrees. The car is only a few weeks old and the radio is often distorted like a faulty connection. The dealership did an upgrade at first 1000kms check and this has made it worse. I have since found that problem is common and Subaru is trying to develop a fix. My neighbour’s Car has the same problem and hers is 2 yers old. Other aspects of the radio system such as phone, cd’s etc are excellent but I will not be a happy Chappy if mine is still not working after 2 years. The only other aspect of the car that has me worried is the ground clearance o ver drains and gutters, I have scraped the bottom a couple of times on my neighbours drive but there doesn’t seem much to be damaged underneath. The suv version has more clearance but I want a low, safe driving car as we do a lot of long fast country drives.
The all wheel drive system seems faultless. The gearbox is responsive and does not ‘flare’ like the old Lancer. The motor is starting to loosen up and seems to have enough power to cope with most situations but it would go better with the 2.5 when fully loaded. the first time I did a quick trip on loose gravel a bit if rock intruded into the gap between the rear disk and the backing plate which meant a long trip home with a screeching noise . The dealer said he had seen it a couple of times before. Personally I can see no reason for this plate, my other cars don’t have one. seats are heated but I have never used them in the old car. They are very comfortable, switches and instruments are clear and easily accessible and there is more information available than I’ll ever need. It has a Digital speedo as well as the old fashioned round dial and my wife loves this as she can see the speed easily from the passengers seat and stop me speeding.
My wife finds the car easy to drive and park and rear cameras and sensors are a great aid here. If. It lasts us the 5years without a problem I will be very happy. Please fix the radio!
Almost perfect - beware of Harmon Kardon radio! – Got it in Dec 2017. Great to drive - had a Subaru Forester before (2007) and it is a huge difference. This new model is almost self-driving due to Eye Sight system, adaptive cruise control (best I've seen ever) and keeping itself in line. Able to drive on cruise control all the tome even in road jam - car will stop itself and you have just ti… Read more · 2
flick "resume" on cruise to start moving when car in front is gone forward.
The disadvantages are: poor motor power - enough for city, but to pass on motorway or just accelerate urgently - no chance. And I am not a street racer or teenager - even my Nissan Navara is way more active responding on accelerator!
Next problem - head unit - known problems with it (heaps of faults reported on different forums!). My one was very selective what it wants to play and when also refusing to start at all at times. Resulted in a month long process, involving main office of Subaru as local dealer was not able to sort such an issue. As result - unit replaced and new one is working perfect. But time was waisted and impression from a brand new car lost.
Noise level is still high, but already way better than in old models.
I hate that "start-stop" system! You have to disable it every time you turn the car on - no chance to turn off completely (legal way I mean - read forums for solution, but it can affect warranty, so have to keep it as is at the moment). The problem is not only it restart car on every crossroad as you have to stop, but it turns off air conditioner and in summer it is hard to accept!
Running costs are higher than in Toyota for example, but lower than my Navara's.
Surprisingly comfortable to sit - I am very large and fat (that is the reality, unfortunately) person and hardly fit anywhere at all, but here feel like in my home chair.
Positive reviews
Fantastic Intelligent Car – After doing a lot of research and test driving I decided on the Subaru Impreza Premium 2019. The car is brilliant with all the safety features, great fuel economy, all the technology & gadgets, pools sporty and a very smooth drive. I would happily recommend Subaru, especially the impreza. Show details · 1
Safety features are a life saver – The collision avoidance system is a life saver. This car is so intelligent it is amazing. Smooth and effortless to drive. Superb build quality. Yes servicing is a little on the expense side but not a deal breaker. Packed with too many features to list. At the very least it is worth a test drive if you are in the market for a new car. The only… Read more
annoying thing is the auto engine stop, yes it can be turned off with a push of a button but every time the car is re started you have to de activate it again. Again not a deal breaker.
Great car good value – I bought this impreza top of range in January 2018, now it is the time to put my review with about 20K driven. It is a well design car easy to handle, only with minor things to improve such as the GPS does not have live camera detection. But overall, I recommend this car if you consider to buy one. My buying experience with the dealer was so bad, the sales person was too aggressive and not polite, but the services department is good and helpful. Show details
Negative reviews
Deranged Service Pricing – I own a 2017 Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L. Bought brand new, first owner. The car is alright but nothing special given what's available in the market right now. The service pricing is ridiculous. It's more than some prestige brands. The dealership network is thin and you have to book weeks in advance to bring your car in. Even then, service pricing is… Read more
absolutely unhinged. For a 75,000 km service, I got quoted $825. Yes you read that correct. Will be offloading the car soon and never buying this brand again.
Build quality is a 6 out of 10. Lot's of rattles and squeezes keep emerging.
Engine is very loud and smokes a lot in the morning.
Overall, I was one of the few who really wanted to like this brand but they are operating in a different reality.
Hi @ Revco, We're sorry to hear of your… Read more (+1 reply)
Did some one say POOBARU?? – 3 recalls and an issue that sits there like an elephant in the room. No one wishes to address it, or rectify it. Their main goal is to find excuses and reasons for why you are not doing things properly, because this then deflects the issues off their nasty cars. I have tried having these issues fixed for over 12 months and I have given up! they… Read more
will not replace my lemon. They will not even replace for another second hand in another brand from their car yards. Auto nexus are absolutely useless at their online customer support and this is then fed through to the car yards.
Cant wait to be rid of this crap box they call safe!!
Hi @ angelina, We're sorry to hear of your… Read more (+5 replies)
Subaru Impreza Battery Drain Still Happening on New Model (G5) – Just bought a brand new 2019 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium outside looks cool but unfortunately got battery drain issue, after park a few days got battery flat & can not move as died, it happened several times & have to go services check, understand it is an reported problem for Subaru 4th Generation but surprisingly it still not being fixed on update model, My advice - never buy a Subaru or you just waste your money ! Show details
Hi @David, we're sorry to hear about the battery… Read more
Find out how Subaru Impreza GK/GT (gen 5) compares to other Cars
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Recent reviews
Perfect daily drive – I use my Subaru Impreza for a daily commute of about 50km. The adaptive cruise control makes driving in traffic a breeze, with the car braking and accelerating for me. It is a very comfortable ride and is very efficient for a 2.0L engine. The car has a yearly service schedule completed by Subaru, and has had no issues to date. Show details
Average, don't expect much – Fuel economy is poor, and the car runs terribly on 91. Don't even bother with E10. So expect to be paying for premium fuel. Urban fuel consumption is poor. 10-12l/100. 6.5/100 on the freeway. Subaru's official readings are difficult to match. Vehicle is extremely lethargic and slow, which is difficult because you don't have the power to overtake… Read more
on freeways. Not suitable for hilly areas. Servicing is a rip-off. Apparently you need a tyre rotation every service? First one cost $400+. Not happy. AWD and handling are good. Entertainment system doesn't connect at times. Adaptive cruise is wonderful.
Great car – Use car daily to work. Had it for 6 months so far no issues. Only need yearly service. Don't really do much off road mostly city driving. Love all the safety features, hazard detection and automatic braking. Connectivity is really smooth and simple. Also has multiple profiles so different family members can use and just put their profile on and sets the car up for you Show details
Not happy Jan – Purchased new in 2017, car is now a little under two year old with 17K on the clock. Serviced by selling dealership only. CVT transmission is a lemon. Continually changes up to a higher ratio when you attempt to accelerate, which has a retarding effect on the engine. It is so bad I initially thought the engine was miss firing but after talking… Read more
to the service manager I was told it is "a characteristic of this type of transmission" and there is no "fix". What a load of bull. I see Subaru USA has acknowledged a problem with this transmission and is offering the 1.5 million Subaru owners an extended warranty in an attempt to head off a class action. Why has Subaru Aust got it's head in the sand, they need to fix the problem, it won't go away. Never again will I purchase a Subaru.
Love – I bought my Impreza a yr ago, I love my car. The only thing Im concerned about is the speaker, sometimes it gets muffled and I asked at my last (first) service for them to look at it. They said it could be apart of the software and just need an update but it still happens every now and then. I will mention it again at my next service. Other than… Read more
that, I love this car. Drives beautifully and reminds me of my Honda Civic- I would've have bought another civic except I didn't like the new civic shape.
2016 MY17 Impreza – I just bought this a few days ago from John McGraths Canberra in great condition and only $18,300.00. While people.complain about the power on these, it is not a WRX so don't expect a race car. It has plenty of power and sits the highway great on cruise control. Full car still smoothly Powers up all hills. The added features for adjusting speed to the car in front is amazing. Would recommend to anyone. Show details
Underperforming but still good value – We have a 2017 model and the biggest issue we have is that it needs higher octane fuel. We have taken it back 3 times due to uneven acceleration going up the slightest incline . We have solved the problem with using higher octane fuel. It just doesn't run well with regular 91 octane fuel. The towing capacity is pretty marginal as your not going… Read more
to tow much more than 500kg after you put passengers in the car. The cargo space is great and with the flat fold seats you can really load it up.
The bluetooth on the head unit can be extremely frustrating. It works 90% of the time, the other 10% of the time you need to turn the car off for a couple of minutes to fully reboot. Seems to be worse with Apple.
The fuel economy is nowhere near what is claimed but thats par for course I think.
We were supplied the Impreza as a work vehicle and it handles OK and the interior is really nice for a car at this price point. In 18 months nothing has failed and it has been perfectly serviceable .
Would I buy one with my own money ? Maybe as there really isn't anything else at this pricepoint with this much space . The previous workcar was the much maligned Holden Cruze and we actually preferred that.
After 3 years of mundane driving it has not missed a beat . I'm still not sold as it's just so… Read more
Subaru Impreza Sport Hatch – Love my Impreza not only does it have all the bells and whistles like sat nav, sunroof, reverse camera, heated leather seats, bluetooth plus lots more it drives like a dream. I feel really safe on the road with the all wheel drive and ABS brakes. Truly the best car I have owned. Show details
Great quality of build – For the price range it is an awesome car. This car is competing with likes of Corolla, Golf and i30. The Good: It has great build quality and interior feeling. very spacious. lots of space for back seats. full of safety features. great seats. has 3 screens that show all information you like. drives well. high visibility. The not so good: A bit… Read more
expensive. the AWD is probably not necessary for Brisbane, but you are paying for it anyway. Aircon is not the quickest to cool down cabin on a sunny day.
Find out how Subaru Impreza GK/GT (gen 5) compares to other Cars
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Exceptional value car – We purchased new this 2018 i-S hatch in June. It replaced 3 y.o. Mazda3 GT It is quieter and better than the 3 in every regard. Not much slower or thirstier than the 2.5 either. It's funky design, ultra high resolution graphics screens continue to wow. Outward vision is exceptional Super plush ride soaks all the bumps, but still corners… Read more
like it is on rails!
Looks way more expensive in and out than it is.
No issues, would recommend it and Subaru generally.
Safety and performance – I bought the 2017 Impreza, top of the range sports, after my own vehicle was written off. As my first new car purchase i was nervous about depreciation and a new car loan. Safety was one of my highest corners after experiencing what happens when you are in a car accident. Subaru is a brand that the car wrecker suggested when towing away my old… Read more
vehicle- he said they never have broken down subarus- they just keep going. Well, since I've got my Impreza I have driven through storms, floods, heat waves and other difficult driving conditions, Subaru is built to handle roads whilst providing passenger and driver comfort and safety. I have 100% confidence in my vehicle and highly recommend others consider buying one.
"Very happy/ With many thanks" – Early days, however very happy with the way this car handles the road, a very smooth/safe drive, with full marks 10/10 for all the safety feathers. Lovely comfortable warm leather seats and plenty of leg room with a very attractive, tasteful interior, a nice easy to follow dashboard, well designed. A very reliable small car 9/10. Show details
Almost perfect – Purchased this car new "MY17" for my wife as we live in the country where roads are average or worse. It drives great, Handles great and sticks to the road better than most of the racecars I've driven over the years. For an AWD 4 cylinder, it's fuel usage is great too, we average 6.8l per 100km. Interior is very modern and not cheap looking… Read more
like most new cars.
Only things I dislike about it is it's slightly underpowered "it could use another 10kw" however this could be because of the CVT instead of a conventional auto and the auto stop/start, which you can't disable permanently. and I keep forgetting to switch it off.
The eye sight function works a treat. I was sceptical at first but the car spotted a roo before I did so it does the job it's supposed to.
Having the cruise "control", missile lock is a nice touch although ours is missing the FIRE button.. :P
Amazing car, almost perfect – I’ve got to say, this car has everything going for it! The drive is so smooth, the car is flooded with technology & the sound system is brilliant. I chose my 2017 Impreza i-S 2.0 litre based on how great the interior looked, but what I got was even better - the AWD is out of this world! I definitely recommend. The only issues I’ve had is with the… Read more
infotainment system. The first 6 months it was full of glitches, however that seems to have fixed itself after a few updates.
Perfect Car in any situation...Safe in your Space – Got this Impreza Sports Wagon in January 2016 brand new Pearl White and driving it made a huge difference in any type of weather. It handles nicely on the road, the noise levels are at a minimum. There is one annoying miss with the car as the windshield will pitch a noise when extremely cold and it's a car fail... You tend to forget about it, as… Read more
it doesn't happen too often, but is a feature you don't want and I guess happens in most Subarus.
One other nice thing is if something is wrong the car will turn off all unnecessary running parts of the car so you can use the car's power to get it to the dealer/mechanic to look at.
I forgot to tighten the gas cap on my car and the computer system notified me something was wrong, shut down unnecessary systems and I drove it to the dealership where they tightened the gas cap reset the system and probably laughed their butts off.
I love this car and would buy another.
Safest car – I like the eyesight feature so much that I don’t feel safe driving other cars. Eyesight feature makes you feel safer. Although it does overreact sometimes if you are deliberately too close to Car in front, but it is for your safety. Cage construction in the body and heaps or airbags. Cruise control works with eyesight and it’s awesome. Show details
What a beauty – All Imprezas also have a system called Vehicle Dynamics Control that brakes the inside front wheel (17-inch alloys on 205/50 Bridgestone tyres on the 2.0i-L) to improve turn-in. Indeed, the Impreza tucks in with alacrity, something the old model never did.The stiffer chassis, fettled suspension and revised AWD system make the new Impreza a pretty… Read more
good drive for the segment. The springs are quite soft, giving the car a loping ride that eats up bad roads, but the dampers help the body recover swiftly after hits.
An Amazing Car! – Purchased about 15 months ago and been loving it ever since! Handles superbly on the road, even on winding or wet roads...it feels really safe! Love the feature which stops you from rolling back on a hill start! It has a powerful 2L engine but is still fuel efficient. Heaps of cabin space and very reliable. Show details
Best car I drive ever – Nice steering wheel,multiple function on it. Exceptional handling experience.It has AWD,you do not need to worry about it’s safety issue,even on the wet road.It also equips Eye-Sight tech,which monitor road situation,preventing crash and enabling drive to take action before the accident.Regarding cabin space, It is like an SUV, back seat passagers… Read more
have enough leg rooms.In terms of dashboard, it has two screens,top one shows basic info,such as temperature,date and fuel consumption.And the bottom one have more functions,such as media,map and apple carplay.Impreza only has its service either 12500km or 1 year, and has capped service cost.
A Perfect Car – I just love my Impreza. If I do not drive it for a day, I miss it. Very easy to drive and handle. Bought this car nearly 10 months ago after reviewing other options. It ticked my options of getting a powerful car which is cost efficient. The AWD option makes it look like a heavy car from outside but its very easier to drive. Show details
This is perfect. Love our new car – We just love our new Impreza. A huge thank you to Subaru Springwood, QLD. No pressure to buy and a price we couldn't refuse. Wonderful staff, they answered all our questions honestly. The car exceeds all our expectations. Drives like a dream and has great fuel economy. We thought it might be a little small for our needs but we can fit more than we thought in it, especially with the fold down back seats. Show details
A pleasure to drive – The handling is exceptional especially in wet weather, the engine runs quietly and the safety features give excellent piece of mind. I love most things about the interior, good visibility through the windscreen and the controls are very high tech. I would like to be able to easily shut off the screen when not in use. I prefer to use google maps… Read more
than the navigation system that is standard. The search for POI could be changed to add a search function instead of sorting through the a-z list.
The running costs are good it is designed to take the 91 unleaded and I drive 100km a day so it is works out about $8-10 a day to get to work.
Brant Morris at Subaru Geelong was great in the process of test driving, purchasing and driving away the car.
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Hi Matt, We are sorry to hear of your Air… Read more