Used Subaru Impreza 4th Gen (2012-2016): Buyer's Guide

A 2012 or 2013 Subaru Impreza could burn through a quart of engine oil every 1,200 miles. Not from neglect. From a piston ring surface treatment that Subaru itself admitted was defective in a federal class action settlement. The fix arrived quietly in 2014 production, no fanfare, no recall notice mailed to owners of the affected cars.

This guide covers the full fourth generation (2012-2016, the GJ/GP chassis): the oil consumption saga and exactly which years it touches, the valve spring recall that didn't show up until six years after the car was built, the CVT reliability story, and the one model year that gives you the fixed engine without the compromises.

This Generation at a Glance

Subaru redesigned the Impreza from the ground up for 2012: new sheet metal, a longer wheelbase, a more steeply raked windshield, and a roomier cabin than the outgoing generation. Every trim got the same engine, the FB20, a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated boxer-four making 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. That's the whole powertrain lineup. No turbo option (that's the WRX, a different car and a different guide), no larger engine, no hybrid. Every Impreza sold in the US came standard with all-wheel drive, a rarity in the compact class where most competitors charge extra for it or don't offer it.

The generation got one significant update: a 2015 mid-cycle refresh brought a new front bumper, grille, and headlights, plus a standard backup camera and 6.2-inch touchscreen across every trim, and Subaru's EyeSight driver assist system became available for the first time (CVT only). 2016 carried the refresh forward mostly unchanged before the all-new fifth generation arrived for 2017.

The redesign pushed this generation up against compact competitors that were still charging extra for all-wheel drive or not offering it at all. Owner sentiment on forums consistently comes back to the same thing regardless of trim or transmission: this car handles snow and gravel in a way front-wheel-drive rivals from the same era simply don't. Ground clearance runs 5.7 to 6.1 inches depending on trim, enough for a snowy driveway or a rough gravel road without turning the Impreza into anything resembling an SUV. The tradeoff is a firmer, lower-center-of-gravity ride that owners generally describe as more fun to drive than plush, at the cost of some ride comfort competitors with softer suspensions offer.

Current pricing and inventory: Subaru Impreza market data, with per-year pages for 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Powertrain & Trim Breakdown

There's only one engine in this generation, so the story splits by transmission and, more importantly, by build date. The 2012-2013 cars and the 2014-2016 cars are mechanically different in a way that matters more than any trim badge.

FB20 CVT (2012-2016): The One Most Buyers Get

Most Imprezas on the used market carry the Lineartronic CVT, badged TR580 for this generation. It's the transmission most owners actually chose, and it's also the one most connected to the class-action settlement, because CVT and manual cars used the same defective piston rings.

Oil consumption on 2012-2013 cars. Subaru changed the surface treatment applied to the FB20's oil control piston rings partway through the 2012-2013 production run. Cars built before the fix can consume oil far faster than the dipstick interval assumes, with some owners reporting a quart gone every 1,200 to 3,000 miles. Subaru documented the change in TSB 02-145-13R and settled a federal class action, Yaeger v. Subaru of America, Inc. (D.N.J., No. 1:14-cv-04490), with final approval in August 2016. The settlement extended the powertrain warranty to 8 years/100,000 miles for affected vehicles and covers repair costs, rental cars, towing, and up to six quarts of makeup oil. To qualify for a free short block replacement, a documented consumption test has to show worse than 1/3 quart per 1,200 miles. If you're looking at a 2012 or 2013, get service records showing this test was run, or run one yourself before you buy.

2014 and later got the fix at the factory. Cars built after the running production change don't carry the same oil consumption risk. This is the single biggest reason to lean toward a 2014 or newer car in this generation over an earlier one.

Chain slip and pulley wear. The TR580 CVT uses a steel chain and variable pulleys instead of a belt. When the fluid degrades, hydraulic pressure drops, the chain slips under load, and the pulleys score. Early symptoms are a light shudder or stumble between 15 and 30 mph under light throttle, later progressing to a high-pitched whine or delayed engagement when shifting into gear. Once pulleys are scored, no fluid change reverses it. Subaru extended CVT coverage under Customer Satisfaction Program WTY-72; ask any dealer to check whether a specific VIN is still inside that window. Independent of warranty status, budget for a CVT fluid drain-and-fill every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Subaru's "lifetime fluid" language does not mean the fluid doesn't degrade.

FB20 Manual (2012-2016): Fewer Complaints, More Involvement

The 5-speed manual is a smaller share of used inventory but comes with a cleaner reliability story on the transmission side, since there's no CVT chain or pulley wear to worry about. It's not immune to the engine's issues, though.

Same piston ring exposure. The oil consumption defect and the Yaeger settlement cover manual-transmission 2012-2013 cars exactly the same as CVT cars. Manual driving style (more engine braking, more RPM variation) doesn't cause the problem, but some owners on forums report it makes symptoms more noticeable sooner, since a driver shifting a stick tends to notice a rough-running or oil-hungry engine faster than someone in a CVT car.

Slightly better fuel economy on paper, slightly worse in practice. EPA rates the manual 1-3 mpg combined behind the CVT depending on trim, which surprises people expecting the opposite. The FB20's low-rev torque and the CVT's ability to hold an efficient ratio account for the gap.

The Valve Spring Recall Nobody Remembers Getting a Letter About

Every FB20-powered 2012-2014 Impreza sedan (2012-2013 for the wagon/hatchback) is covered by NHTSA recall 18V772000: the engine valve springs can fracture, causing an engine malfunction or a stall. What makes this one worth flagging specifically for used buyers is the timeline. The recall didn't begin until December 26, 2018, which means a 2012 Impreza had already been on the road for six years, likely through two or three private-party sales, before an official notice went out. A previous owner who sold the car in 2015 or 2016 never saw a recall letter, because there wasn't one yet. A clean-looking title history doesn't mean this one was caught; check the VIN directly (see the checklist below) before you buy.

A second, unrelated recall, 19V149000, covers a brake light switch across 2008-2016 Impreza sedans and 2012-2016 wagons broadly: contamination can prevent the brake lights from working and can also block keyless-start ignition or shifting out of Park. It began in April 2019, with the same "check even if the previous owner never heard about it" caveat.

One recall you'll see mentioned in Subaru recall databases, 16V738000, covering a secondary air injection pump relay, applies only to turbocharged Impreza models (WRX/STI). It does not apply to the naturally aspirated 2.0i covered in this guide.

The Vehicle Speed Control Complaint Pattern

NHTSA's complaint database logs a cluster of "vehicle speed control" complaints on 2012 and 2013 Impreza models, roughly a dozen filed against each model year, describing sudden RPM surges or unwanted acceleration at low speed or from idle, most commonly reported around 40,000 miles. This never became a formal recall, and no confirmed root cause (like a specific throttle body part number) has been published tying it to a defect the way the piston ring issue was documented. Treat it as a complaint pattern worth knowing about, not a confirmed mechanical fault. If you test drive a 2012-2013 car, pay attention to how it behaves from a stop and at idle, and don't dismiss an odd rev flare as nothing.

Climate System Wear on High-Mileage Cars

Across the generation, AC compressor, blower motor, and evaporator complaints show up disproportionately on cars past 80,000-100,000 miles, more often on 2016 models than the class-action years, which tracks with a simple explanation: by 2016 the engine problems were behind Subaru, and what's left in the complaint data skews toward ordinary wear items and the added electronics from the 2015 refresh. A weak or intermittent AC blower isn't a red flag specific to this generation so much as a normal high-mileage compact car issue, but it's worth budgeting for on any example over 100,000 miles regardless of year.

What the FB20 Doesn't Have

Worth saying plainly: this is not the head-gasket-prone engine that gave older Subarus their reputation. That history belongs to the EJ-series engines, particularly the SOHC EJ25 used in Foresters, Outbacks, and Legacys of the 2000s. The FB20 uses a timing chain, not a rubber belt, so there's no $600-1,200 timing belt service at 90,000-100,000 miles the way many competitors need. Piston rings and CVT wear are real, documented problems on this generation; a blown head gasket is not one of the ones you need to plan for.

Trim Levels

The sedan and the 5-door hatchback (marketed as "Sport" trims) share the same engine, transmission, and mechanical issues. The hatchback's extra cargo flexibility comes at no reliability cost, so if you're cross-shopping body styles, pick on space and looks rather than expecting a mechanical difference.

Post-2015 cars in Premium trim or above add real value: standard backup camera, the larger 6.2-inch touchscreen, and cruise control that used to require the Premium package on the base 2.0i. EyeSight (adaptive cruise, lane departure warning) only became available starting with the 2015 refresh and only on CVT cars, so if that safety tech matters to you, it narrows your search to 2015-2016.

Options worth checking for on any trim: the moonroof and navigation package (Limited-only, and rare enough on the used market that it commands a real premium), heated front seats (bundled into Premium and above), and the All-Weather package standard on Sport hatchback trims but optional elsewhere, which adds heated seats and a windshield wiper de-icer strip. None of these options change the mechanical story above. A loaded 2.0i Limited from 2012 still has the same engine risk as a stripped 2.0i from the same year.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen

18V772000's official coverage stops at the 2014 model year for the sedan, so a documented 2015 or 2016 car sidesteps both the valve spring recall and the piston ring class-action window entirely. That's the generation's cleanest overlap: you get the refreshed styling and the fixed engine at the same time. A 2014 splits the difference: it has the corrected piston rings but keeps the pre-refresh interior and the smaller touchscreen, at a real discount versus 2015-2016 pricing. 2012 and 2013 aren't disqualifying, especially at the deep discount they trade for now, but only buy one with documented proof the consumption test was run and, ideally, the short block already replaced under the settlement.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

On any FB20, regardless of year:

• Start the engine cold and check the dipstick before you drive, then check it again after a 20-30 minute test drive. A quart low already, or visibly thin oil, is a red flag on a 2012-2013 car specifically.
• Ask for maintenance records showing oil changes at or under the 6,000-mile interval. Sparse records on a 2012-2013 car make it much harder to prove the consumption test was ever done.
• Confirm recall 18V772000 (valve spring) was completed if the car is a 2012-2014 sedan or a 2012-2013 wagon. Confirm 19V149000 (brake switch) separately; it's a different repair on a different timeline. Use CarScout's recall checker with the VIN.

On CVT cars specifically:

• From a stop, accelerate gently and listen for a shudder or hesitation between 15 and 30 mph. A healthy TR580 is smooth through that range.
• Ask when the CVT fluid was last changed. No record past 40,000 miles is a negotiating point, not a dealbreaker on its own.
• Have a shop scan for transmission fault codes even if the dash shows no warning light; early chain wear doesn't always trigger one.

On manual cars:

• Check for clutch slip under load (rev climbs faster than road speed increases) and confirm the clutch pedal engagement point hasn't crept toward the floor.

On every car:

• Listen for a popping or clunking sound from the front strut mounts during slow, tight turns (like a parking lot U-turn). Subaru documented this in TSB 05-61-16 for 2012-2016 Impreza 2.0L models; it's a known quirk, not usually a safety issue, but it's a useful negotiating data point.
• Inspect the front wheel bearings for play or noise, particularly on cars that spent winters on salted roads.
• Check that all four tires match in brand and wear depth. AWD systems like this one rely on very close tire diameter across all four corners; running mismatched tread depth for an extended period can load the center differential in ways that shorten its life. Uneven tire wear across the set is also a fast way to spot a car that's been driven with an alignment issue.
• Test the AC on a warm day if you can. Weak airflow or a compressor that cycles oddly is a common enough finding on higher-mileage examples that it's worth budgeting for even if it isn't a dealbreaker.

Running Costs

Both configurations skip the $600-1,200 timing belt job that trips up owners of belt-driven competitors, since the FB20 uses a chain. The CVT's real added cost is the fluid service Subaru's marketing undersells: budget for it every 30,000-40,000 miles rather than trusting the "lifetime fluid" label. A 2012-2013 car that's still burning oil noticeably, even after the recall and warranty work, should be budgeted with extra oil top-offs between changes as an ongoing cost, not a one-time repair.

FAQ

Is the 2012-2016 Subaru Impreza's FB20 engine reliable? The FB20 itself is a sound design that avoided the head-gasket problems of older Subaru engines. Its real weak point was a piston ring surface treatment used in 2012-2013 production that caused excessive oil consumption, corrected in 2014. Post-fix cars have a solid reliability record.

What year Subaru Impreza should I avoid? Don't avoid a whole year outright, but 2012 and 2013 need extra scrutiny: they carry both the pre-fix piston ring risk and the valve spring recall. Buy one only with documented proof of the oil consumption test or an already-replaced short block.

How many miles does a 4th generation Impreza last? A well-maintained FB20 with the corrected piston rings (2014 and later) commonly reaches 150,000 to 200,000 miles. CVT fluid changes every 30,000-40,000 miles matter more to longevity than any other single maintenance item on this car.

Is the Subaru Impreza CVT worth buying used? Yes, if the fluid service history checks out. The TR580 CVT is the transmission most buyers end up with, and Subaru extended its warranty coverage under a customer satisfaction program. A test drive that includes 15-30 mph light-throttle acceleration is the fastest way to catch a problem one before you buy it.

Does the 2012-2013 Subaru Impreza oil consumption problem affect resale value? It affects negotiating leverage more than published pricing, since most listings don't disclose consumption history. A 2012-2013 car without documented consumption testing or a replaced short block should be priced to reflect that unknown, even if the seller doesn't volunteer it.

Bottom Line

A 2015 or 2016 Impreza in Premium trim or above is the generation's sweet spot: the corrected FB20, the refreshed interior with a standard backup camera and bigger touchscreen, and no exposure to the piston ring class action. A 2014 is the budget-conscious alternative, same fixed engine, older styling, meaningfully cheaper. Whatever year you land on, confirm recall 18V772000 was completed if it applies, and don't skip a cold start and dipstick check on anything from 2012 or 2013. CarScout tracks Impreza listings against your exact spec and emails a daily digest when something matching shows up, which beats refreshing listing sites yourself while you wait for the right year to turn up.

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Data sourced from NHTSA recalls database, EPA fuel economy data, Subaru technical service bulletins (02-145-13R, 05-61-16), court records from Yaeger v. Subaru of America, Inc. (D.N.J.), and real owner experiences from NASIOC, BobIsTheOilGuy, CarTalk Community, and subarucomplaints.com. See the full Subaru Impreza market data for pricing and inventory.