Subaru Impreza Generations: Through The Years

No car has influenced the success of Subaru in the same way that the safe, sporty, and small Impreza has. We go through the years of the Subaru Impreza.

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The Subaru Impreza has seen massive success in the US automotive market since its introduction. Since first coming on the automotive scene nearly 30 years ago, it’s arrived on our shores in five distinctive generations. It’s had many body styles, numerous hopped up trim levels, and featured some of the most polarizing designs ever. Today, we go back through the years and take a look at the Subaru Impreza from its days as a rally superstar to its current almost luxurious underpinnings.

First Generation Impreza (1993-2000)

The first Subaru Impreza was released on October 22nd, 1992 as a front or all-wheel-drive sedan for the 1993 model year.
A wagon version was also available at launch with a two-door coupe added later.
Four different four-cylinder engines including a 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter were available at launch.
Breaking from convention, Subaru used a boxer configuration that placed the cylinders lower in the chassis.
Boxer engines use cylinders that are opposed by 180-degrees. The configuration naturally reduces vibration and imbalance.

In markets outside of the US, a turbocharged version called the WRX was available with 240 horsepower on tap.
WRX stands for World Rally Xperimental, a callback to the company’s heavy involvement in the WRC.
In 1994, the US market received the Outback Sport, which was essentially a lifted Impreza Wagon.
A larger 2.2-liter four-cylinder became available for the USDM Impreza in 1995.
In 1997, the Impreza was updated with new exterior styling and updated the lineup to eliminate front-wheel-drive versions entirely.
The Subaru Impreza 22B STI was introduced to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary and a recent win in the WRC.

Less than 500 examples were made of the 22B STi and according to many reports, the first batch of 400 sold out in less than 5 hours.
Subaru introduced a one-off Impreza 2.5RX car to gauge the US market’s interest in a turbocharged trim.
That 2.5RX still exists today at a Subaru dealership in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
In 1998, Subaru released the Impreza 2.5RS in America. While it didn’t have the turbocharged engine, it was still special.
Under the hood of the 2.5RS was a 2.5-liter engine good for 165 horsepower. It also featured a large hood scoop and vents.
The RS 2.5 was one of the few Subaru cars to be sold from the factory with a hood scoop, but no turbocharger.

Second Generation Impreza (2001-2007)

In 2000, Subaru changed the market with the introduction of the GD generation of the Impreza. It used the distinctive bugeye headlights for its first year of USDM sales.
The very first Subaru Impreza WRX was sold in America with a turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine making 227 horsepower.
Subaru leveraged its power and rally-inspired technology to market it as a German sports sedan killer.
Two other engines, 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter both naturally aspirated, were available on lower trims.
A year later in 2002, Subaru made a serious change to the Impreza that included the styling on all trim levels.

First, the front clip of the vehicle, from the A-pillars forward, was redesigned with what is now known as “Blob-eye” headlights.
Then, in 2004, Subaru introduced the all-new Impreza WRX STI trim level featuring 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.
Truly a rally-inspired sports sedan, the Impreza WRX STi four-door was only sold with a six-speed manual transmission. Air conditioning wasn’t even standard.
The WRX STI was noticeably slower to rev than rivals like the Honda S2000, but above 4,000 RPM it was a rocket ship.
In 2006, another Subaru Impreza facelift took place with new “hawk-eye” headlights. Aside from the facial changes, the Impreza remained nearly unchanged until 2007.

Third Generation Impreza (2008-2011)

In 2007, a brand new platform was introduced with a far more slippery Subaru Impreza body installed on top.
The only Impreza body style was a five-door hatchback at the original launch. Then in 2008, a regular four-door sedan was introduced.
In the same year, the WRX wagon was axed. It has yet to return to the US market.
Generally, the new Impreza’s reception was lukewarm. Gone were the rally-derived styling cues and light footed driving dynamics.

In their place stood a more mature Subaru Impreza, but a far less inspiring machine.
The Outback Sport returned. Again, it was basically an Impreza with a lift kit.
All Impreza’s initially used a 2.5-liter engine in both turbocharged and naturally aspirated versions.
The WRX and WRX STI lose the Impreza nomenclature from this point forward.

Fourth Generation Impreza (2012-2016)

The fourth generation Subaru Impreza arrived in 2011 with both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan versions.
The base model for the US market features a 2.0-liter engine and a five-speed manual transmission. A CVT is also available for the first time.
The WRX and WRX STI continued to be produced in their third generation form until 2014.
A new Impreza Sport is offered with larger fenders, a roof rack, and other sporty trim. Unlike the Outback Sport of previous generations, its ride height is unchanged.

Subaru’s Advanced Driver Assistance System, EyeSight, is introduced for the first time. It provides radar-guided cruise control, lane-departure warning and more.
To fill the gap that the Outback Sport left, Subaru introduces the XV Crosstrek which is an Impreza with a lift kit.
In 2014, the WRX was updated to the latest body style and platform. It is still on sale today despite the introduction of a new Subaru Impreza.

Fifth Generation Impreza (2017-Present)

The current version of the Subaru Impreza, introduced in 2016, sits on Subaru’s GK platform which is the basis for all future models.
The chassis itself now boasts a 70% improvement in overall rigidity over the fourth-gen car.
Like previous versions, the Impreza comes in both a five-door hatchback or a four-door sedan.
Aimed at a more luxurious ride, the suspension has been tuned for comfort over handling.
To aid in handling, some models feature torque vectoring technology.

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Under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque.
Depending on transmission and trim configuration, the new Impreza gets anywhere from 26 to 30 mpg combined according to the EPA.
It’s also been given a five-star crash test rating by the NHTSA and awarded a “Top Safety Pick” by the IIHS.
Subaru has announced that an all-new WRX will join the lineup for the 2022 model year as a separate model from the Impreza.