Used 2012 Subaru Impreza Consumer Reviews
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Exactly what you're expecting
iliketoshift, 01/13/2014
updated 07/19/2021
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
27 of 30 people found this review helpful
I think my dates were off by a year 0. The car had it's first real issue at about 105K - o-ring in the AC system failed. Only needed a replacement and recharge. -- at 10 years it's at 111K, burns about a quart of oil per oil change. Needed some work on the rattling heat shields . Used mostly for short trips in town and very local commuting. Also needed a small AC service last summer. Still feels fine. The interior don't show much wear. I don't think it's so useful that edmunds pings you every 6 months to update your review, but whatevs. at the 9 year mark the original owner had an opportunity to pass this car to someone else in the immediate family. however it's still driven by me a few times a month. I think everything I've said holds. it's at 100 K miles and some change and no problems. At 8.5 years, I'll add: The car is just under 100000 miles, and there have been no problems with it at all. Yet, I still dislike this car every day because it's loud on the inside, underpowered, and doesn't have much character. No one wants to drive in my car either, even though the interior is in fine shape. I added a Carplay compatible stereo with backup cam, and it's been a nice addition. I also added LED headlights - the verdict is still out about that. I truly hope I get a different car next year, but that's a tough decision because this Impreza has cost so little to operate. At 5.5 years, here's my honest appraisal. This Impreza is the best AWD appliance vehicle out there. If you want a car that's no frills on the inside, sticks to the road like glue in rain and snow, and gets pretty good millage - this is the car for you. Unfortunately I've come to terms that this vehicle is not for me. I have several ergonomic nits to pick, the drive is pretty lifeless, the engine is adequate, the AC barely keeps up on a 95 degree day, the interior is loud compared to most other vehicles, and the rear defroster barely melts anything but the slightest frost. If you're simply using your car to get groceries, go on a road trip, or drive into the city for a night the Impreza will be fine. If you're a commuter and you don't ever take a few seconds to think about what you're driving, go Impreza! But if you often reflect upon your ride, it will be a disappointment. That's where I am. OTOH, mechanically the car is solid with no failures in 5 years and probably about 34 MPG overall. Because the car excels at the major task it needs to accomplish, I just can't get rid of it. So if you're an average driver who prioritizes AWD hatchback, go for it. But if you think some of the wrx pedigree is going to wear off - or this car is close enough to the refinement and thoughtfulness of a best-in-class-high-trim compact, you should look elsewhere. If you like cars and talk about cars, don't get the Impreza. But if you like cars and someone comes to you for a recommendation of a solid, safe, reliable automobile, have the Impreza on your short list.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
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- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Oil Burner, MPG not as advertised
movingon1, 03/15/2014
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
I bought the hatchback with a manual because I was looking for versatility with good mileage. Functionality wise, I'm happy. I'm 6'2" and the car is comfortable on long road trips and you can fit a surprising amount of stuff in the back, especially with the seats down. Also, the car is amazing in the snow. BUT- as others mentioned, the car has started burning oil at 30,000 miles! Almost 2 quarts between oil changes. Add to that the well known not-as-advertised MPG, and I am thinking about trading it in. I have logged every single tank on Fuelly. In the winter, 22 city, 27 highway. In the summer, 25 city 30 highway. It's rare to do better than 30 on the highway, but I drive 70-75.
Scoobie II
2ndsubie, 03/10/2012
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
I recently purchased a 2012 Subaru Impreza Premium with a 5 speed manual. This is the second Subaru I have owned. I had a 2002 WRX for 10+ years and I was sold on Subaru vehicles ever since. The build quality (100% Japan), reliability, handling and overall performance make these vehicles a "no brainer" in my mind. I did a ton of research prior to selecting my new Impreza. I read numerous reviews both positive and negative. I take what I read on the internet with a "grain of salt." It took some time to locate and test drive an Impreza with a manual transmission. I was sold from the moment I placed the vehicle in 1st gear and hit the accelerator!
Exactly what I was looking for
mountaintundra, 02/12/2013
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
I haven't been this excited about a car since I had a Citroen CX GTi (in England) in 1982! And the amazing part is that it's a fairly basic car that I love. It has leg room and head room that you expect from a bigger car, comfy seats, decent handling, AWD, and awesome gas mileage (35 average in the summer). It's not perfect, but it does everything I want it to do, including starting at -27F without a block heater and going through snow without drama. Very impressive. This is our 4th Subaru. We drove the competition and there is nothing available that I would rather have.
My experience with my 2012 Subaru Impreza Sport
Loren Rochester, 07/30/2015
updated 02/04/2016
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 28 people found this review helpful
I was very excited to get this car... good gas mileage and All-Wheel drive seemed like a perfect fit for Wisconsin. I liked everything about the car except three things: 1) The transmission went out at 66,000 miles, 6000 miles out of warranty. The dealership told me it would cost $8500 to replace it with a new one, or they could put a used one in for $4500. I called Subaru Corporate and after three days of investigation, they said it was up to the service manager. I went to the dealership and raised hell. Virtually all of my miles were interstate travel with very little elevation change, no stop and start traffic. After some phone calls, the service manager got the price down to $1500 for a new transmission. I was still mad, but didn't feel I had much choice; $1500 was better than $8500, and I still had to make payments on the vehicle. 2) I was surprised one day when the oil light came on early in my ownership. The car didn't have that many miles on it. The car was, in fact, low on oil. From that point forward, I went through a quart of Mobile 1 0W20 about every 3000 miles. I checked it every time I filled it up. I am over 60, and have never had a car that went through a quart of oil between oil changes. Recommended oil changes were 7000 miles with synthetic oil. The dealership wanted $85 for an oil change. I bought Subaru filters from the dealership for $5-$6, and bought Mobile 1 0W20 from Walmart for about $26 for a 5 quart jug, and changed the oil myself religiously every 7000 miles. I just traded the car in, three years old, and it was going through a quart of oil every 2000 miles. I had this problem when the transmission went out, and talked to the service manager about it. He did not act the least bit surprised. BTW, if you buy quarts of Mobile 1 synthetic, they are about $8 a quart, so this is not paltry change being spent on oil, I obviously bought 5 quart jugs and had them on hand all of the time. 3) For about the last 9-12 months, the car did not start very well. I usually had to crank it for a few seconds, quit, then crank it some more with the gas pedal pressed down, then it would start. The oil thing and the starting thing I have found are common complaints. I traded the Impreza in on a Ford Focus. I put about 33,000 miles on a car per year, and the Impreza had 99,920 miles on it. This is the first time in decades that I got rid of a car with fewer than 170,000-180,000 miles on it. I didn't trust it. I'm not sure that the Focus will be any better, but I got a 4 yr.-100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on it. I'm sure it won't be as good in the snow, but I can work around that. IMHO opinion, Subaru should have replaced the transmission gratis. Using the 0W20 oil is not a good idea in my opinion. They are doing it to improve gas mileage, but I think it is blowing past the pistons. The Focus uses 5W20. As far as starting difficulties goes, I don't have a clue what the problem is. If they would have taken care of the transmission and they had proven that they had solved the oil thing, I would have considered another Subaru. This was my first, and there seems to be a lot of loyal Subaru owners out there, but I will probably not consider another.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
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