2012 Subaru Impreza consumer reviews

This is my first and last Subaru. Prior to buying this car I heard nothing but good things about Subaru but this car has changed my mind. During my first few months of ownership there was hail damage from a hail storm. None of my other vehicles were damaged even though they experienced the same storm. After fixing the hail came fall (acorn season). The body of the car is now riddled with little dents from acorns. Yet again, all of my other vehicles have had acorns falling on them for years and none of my other cars were ever damaged by an acorn. From my understanding Subaru moved to a thinner sheet metal for this car. Big mistake and drop in quality. During my first winter I started having oil problems. I am now just over two years into owning this car and I need to add oil every couple thousand miles. Subaru seems to think there is nothing wrong with this. I have owned other cars that were properly maintained to well above 200k miles and they did not consume as much oil as this car does. I am well past the break-in period for the car so there is no reason it should be consuming this much oil.

I owned a 2001 Forester, which I sold after 11 years and 250K miles. I loved every nut and bolt of it, so I was excited to see the redesigned Impreza with improved MPG. No way. The gas mileage averages 25-26 city and 28-29 highway; this is barely improved over the Forester. The car burns oil between oil changes, not as bad as some owners have reported, but about 1 quart between each change. The car is so shabbily and cheaply made, Subaru should be embarrassed--road noise, rattles and squeaks; one of the screws that holds the license tag has come loose since the day I bought the car, and the headlamp assembly has fallen off twice. The radio is awful--the volume goes to zero whenever it's turned off--and the headrest had to be removed because it hits the back of my head and pitches my head forward. I can't wait to be rid of it.

I bought the 2012 Impreza Premium with the all weather package with the 5 speed manual transmission brand new. Overall it is a quality car with a very comfortable ride/seats, no mechanical issues with 42k miles driven, the AWD is rock solid, and the gas mileage is great! The safety features are very good and the 12's A-pillar has been moved over a few inches to allow greater driver visibility. I the price is very affordable too. However, I do have a few complaints. First, the car has the get up and go of a slug going through a jar of molasses in January. Granted, it isn't a performance car like the WRX, but the acceleration is an issue if I'm trying to merge onto a highway going up hill and meeting the traffic (often going 80+). This is the reason why I'm now shopping around for a different car, its my biggest complaint and a possible safety issue dealing with some of today's bozo drivers. Maybe they could put a in a small turbo (similar to what the Chevy Cruze does) for some extra power. Second, the car needs a 6 speed manual transmission (Subaru: get with the times!). A 5 speed isn't doing anyone any favors and is outdated. Third, the stock speakers are just awful! I think you can jam out harder using the elevator speakers at Sears as compared to the stock ones in this car... Be prepared to upgrade both this and the stereo head unit! Third, the A/C is woefully under-powered. My Subaru dealer says its due to the 2.0L engine not having much oomph behind it as compared to the 2.5L the 2011 Impreza had. This does not bode well on a hot PA summer day as I now have to destroy my MPG to crank the A/C on max blast. The interior/exterior style is very blah, not much going for it, but then again I don't really consider a cars 'style' a make or break factor. Overall it is a very safe, reliable car that gets good MPG (I average 33 for mostly highway driving). But Subaru needs to address the performance issue and make the driving experience (stereo and A/C) better in the standard Impreza before I consider buying another one. I did look at the WRX but they were too pricey for my budget.

I have the 2012 Impreza and it currently has 43k miles on it. From my very first oil change to my last, my car consistently and excessively burns oil. Two weeks ago I was down almost 3 quarts of oil and I wasn't due for an oil change for another 2k miles. Subaru refuses to acknowledge that this is a problem. I did the oil consumption test about 6 months ago and Subaru said "there's nothing wrong with your car". I hear the same tune from Subaru which is "it is normal for a car to burn oil every 1100 miles". Services managers have been nothing but rude to me and consistently tell me there's nothing wrong with my car, and there is nothing they can do for me. I find that shocking. Not even 2 years into my Subaru, we are trading it in this week. I feel horrible for the person who gets it after me. I understand any car can have issues but the way Subaru has handled this is un-exceptable. I've heard many other people with newer Subarus (2012 and newer) complaining about oil issues. I also feel unsafe in the car - it is so low to the ground I can't see anything but the car right in front of me. First Subaru.... Last Subaru... Never again

This was my first Subaru and like others here I eagerly awaited the (delayed) release of the "improved mileage" 2012 Impreza. I purchased the base model in January 2012 after thorough research because resale value, reliability, reputation, and economy are important to me. After 20 months and 11,000 miles I've come to the conclusion this car does not meet, much less exceed, my expectations. On the up side, the interior is comfortable and roomy and the cargo space has been adequate for me in every instance. The AWD drive gives me peace of mind in the winter and I'm happy with its performance in the snow, especially compared to my former Honda Civic. Now for the negatives.... the whiny transmission takes some getting used to, along with the delay in engaging the gears. When shifting into gear, it's necessary to remain braked for a long moment until it kicks in. It's noisy on the highway and, like others, I've never experienced 36mpg, 32 at best. I drive mostly in town and, if the electronic mpgs are accurate, I get 22-24. I was definitely spoiled by my 2004 Civic's 32/42 mpgs and, while I expected to give up some for the benefit of AWD, I specifically chose this car for the additional fuel economy over an SUV. I dislike the placement of the electronic screen, it's hard to read in the daylight. The visors don't extend to block out sunlight from the top center of the windshield. There's noticable surface scratches under the handles of each door even though I rarely carry passengers. I find oil changes inconvenient because the dealerships do not have adequate extended hours nor drive in service. But my biggest peeve at the moment is that I've just discovered the fabric upholstery on the driver's side has worn through to holes at the point on the seat back where I slide in and out. I've never in my life seen this kind of upholstery wear, not on my 12 year old sofa, nor on any car I've ever owned. I seriously wanted to love this car, in fact was a bit proud to be a Subaru owner, but now I'm considering trading this vehicle in for another Honda, a brand which has exceeded my expectations in every area of ownership.

Within one year, major rattles on dashboard, front pillar trim also rattles, cvt transmission like a rubber band swings wildly, not smooth. Using the paddle shifters is essential for better control at times. The engine braking is excessive; why shld i have to give it gas when coasting downhill to do 55mph? While mpg is 34 for some driving, if you want a highway cruiser, dont expect to get over 30mpg or be very comfy. ipod does connect, but it doesnt charge & cant control through stereo. Traded it in!

14 months and 18,000 miles of ownership, this car has left serious doubts as to its long term dependability and it seems as though this car is a bad investment. At start-up, the engine would curiously rev up over 3,000 RPM and back down to under 1000 RPM for the first 4 minutes. After it's warmed up, it idles normally. The interior is quite cheap and damages easily. The seat's fabric have already separated at the seams, and the weaving pattern is coming undone. The molding by the seat belt return is very damaged from the seat belt retracting. But not as damaged as the exterior paint... The paint and clear coating on this car is laughable. With quality paint application, its actually difficult to "key a car" and leave scratches (due to the effective clear coating). You'd really need a sharp key to create damage. The car's exterior paint scratches almost on command. (major scuffs from full reusable grocery bags being placed on top of the trunk and hood). In addition, it has major gouges in the hood from salt trucks. 4 cm craters visible from far away. The next step is rust and all of which isn't covered under the warranty. This is a huge out of pocket expense that will be needed on a yearly basis in regions that experience snow. I've never driven a car with worse exterior paint performance in winter weather, and each car I've driven hasn't been as heavily advertised for being built for driving in winter conditions. Major fail bomb, Subaru. You're lack of effort is showing.

Groove Subaru is the BEST dealership I have ever done business with in buying a car. Dan Cassin and his Manager Dean Harrison were the most knowledgable and understanding professionals I,ve ever met. They listen to what exactly I wanted and they delivered at a timely matter. Let me tell that Groove Subaru is the only place too buy a Subaru in Denver they are GREAT.

I've put about 15,000 miles on my impreza and I love it. After reading these reviews I can relate with each person. There have been times where I got about 18 mpg... but I was hammering on the accelorator at every stop light and freeway entrance. There were other times where I got 38mpg. I drove it like I imagined my grandma would drive it. My best tank of gas ever was 45 mpg on a road trip. When I drive like me I get about 30mpg, which for awd all the time is frikin fantastic. I have zero complaints about this car. Sure, it has a little road noise when compared to a larger car like the camry, legacy, and accord but compare it to a civic, corrolla, or sentra and its as quite as a dream. Long story short, if you want awd for $20,000 you cannot find a better car period! Actually, If you want any new car for $20,000 at all, you cannot find a better car!

Pros Sharp looking Good visibility Like the CVT, works better than expected. Good dry weather handling Effective seat heaters Reasonable acceleration as long as you don't expect a WRX. Cons: Very poor mileage - 19/26 independent of weather Study of mileage data from 200+ owners agree on above Inaccurate trip mileage computer (annoying) Horrid cold weather tires More horrid in snow and ice. Makes a great sled Windows freeze shut in Minnesota winters Read spoiler only spoils the car wash. The back hatch is perpetually dirty. Rusting is inevitable even with frequent washing. See windows freezing shut above. No interior floor lighting option, and it needs one. Center console is set too far back to use without turning around to open it. My other Subaru, a 2011 Forester 2.5X Premium, is absolutely superb. Wish I had bought a 2nd one. No, the windows do not freeze shut. May be good in a city, but DEFINITELY not for the country.