The 2012 Subaru Impreza is a wagon that came with a choice of 2.0L 4-cyl and 2.5L 4-cyl engines. At 14 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Manual 5-spd, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Manual 6-spd |
| Drive | All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline, Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 17–27 city / 23–35 highway / 19–30 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,250–$4,350 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 296–468 grams per mile |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 2,902 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,299 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 8 configurations: Impreza AWD, Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport AWD |
| Age | 14 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls covering the 2012 Subaru Impreza. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating…
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and…
Risk: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012 model year Subaru Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicles (except WRX/STI models) manufactured April 21, 2011, to February 16, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may deactivate if a front seat passenger operates a device that is plugged into…
Risk: If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year…
Risk: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2012 Impreza sedans and wagons (except wrx/sti models), manufactured from april 21, 2011, through november 15, 2011, and legacy and outback vehicles manufactured from october 17, 2011, through november 23, 2011. These vehicles may be equipped with a brake master cylinder that could malfunction…
Risk: The driver might misjudge the amount of brake pedal travel required to achieve the desired stopping distance. This could occur unexpectedly and without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 243 complaints about the 2012 Subaru Impreza with NHTSA. 10 reports involved a crash and 4 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 6 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Subaru Impreza, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sw, AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | 9.9% |
| 4 Dr, AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | 9.9% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 522 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2012 Subaru Impreza. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2012 Subaru Impreza.
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
The Office of Defects Investigation opened this investigation on April 10, 2015 based on 26 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire reports involving the passenger frontal air bag in MY 2012 Subaru Impreza vehicles.These vehicles use a capacitive type Occupant Detection System (ODS), which is intended to classify the occupant of t
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2012 Imprezas that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2012 Subaru Impreza; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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