Used 2012 Subaru Impreza Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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One of the bettter vehicles, but not perfect
nyken, 09/21/2012
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
49 of 51 people found this review helpful
I purchased the Impreza Sport Premium two months ago and have put almost 2K miles on it . In general I am very pleased with the Impreza. The styling is far better than for past Impreza models. The interior is roomy and comfortable.Visability is excellent. It drives and handles very well, almost sport like. Gas mileage has been just about what is advertised. I am getting 30 MPG for a mix of highway and city driving. Now all that being said there are a few things about this vehicle that I am not that impressed with. First is the amount of road and tire noise. It is downright loud on some road surfaces. There is also a delay in shifting from reverse to drive.
Oil consumption problem
gailbk, 03/05/2014
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Limited 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
40 of 42 people found this review helpful
I am experiencing a significant problem with my Subaru Impreza 2012 with excessive use of oil and the oil light going on. I understand from the service people that this is caused by "blowback" past the cylinders, causing excessive oil use, inconvenience to owners, and an inflated cost of ownership (synthetic oil is $8/qt.) Subaru insists this is normal but when I traded in my Lexus at 257,000 miles with never an additional drop of oil between oil changes, I certainly didn't expect to trade it in for an oil guzzler like the Subaru Impreza. Subaru will do nothing and insists this is normal - - at least for them! Any ideas how to pressure Subaru? It was fixed for the 2014 model.
Very Disappointed
greg1971, 01/10/2015
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Limited PZEV 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
25 of 26 people found this review helpful
I purchased my car in February of 2012. Like a lot of other users I noted that my oil usage was terrible. On January 6, 2015 I was in a serious car accident in which I struck the rear end of a truck. My airbags did not deploy and the vehicle immediately caught fire after impact. I am very lucky to be alive, but cannot get any kind of straight answer from Subaru as to why the airbags failed and why a fire started, nor have they expressed any interest in examining the car further.
Big Improvement
bng77, 01/13/2012
2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
51 of 56 people found this review helpful
This car is light years ahead of the previous generation Impreza. It looks better, has a much nicer interior, has more room for both passengers and cargo, and handles much better. The 2nd generation CVT is much smoother and more efficient than the old 4 speed automatic transmission it replaces. I just drove it about 60 miles in a snow storm, and even with the lower resistance tires Subaru has switched to, it handled great. I have been averaging 31 MPG in mixed driving which is right where the EPA says it should be. I was able to coax 35 MPG out of my last tank of gas by driving the car more like you would a Prius i.e., easing up on the gas pedal while cruising letting the CVT do its thing.
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.
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- Performance
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- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
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