Next Year’s Impreza Will Cost More And Is Available In Fewer Trims

As one of the most recognizable nameplates in Japanese auto history, the Subaru Impreza has undergone some transformation since its glory days of the Impreza WRX in the early 2000s, and while reliability has arguably gotten better, the badge is now associated with a good degree of everyday usability mixed with some decent sporty guts over full-rally-bred mayhem.

Base Trim Engine

2L H-4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

CVT

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

152 HP @6000 RPM

Base Trim Torque

145 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

While a lot of us might miss some of the earlier iterations of the Impreza, what Subaru has done with the Impreza sedan and hatchback over the last decade or so is keep them pretty relevant in a market that is always changing, and for that, we can’t moan at them. But, while this year’s lineup offers a choice of three unique grades and very low starting prices (for a new car), we are looking ahead to the 2026 roll-out, which is going to be one trim down and $2,000 up from the start. Will it still be a good deal as a new buy next year?

Starting Prices Are $2,000 More, And We Get Fewer Trims

Subaru

The current Subaru Impreza lineup consists of three trims: the Base, the Sport, and the RS, with prices ranging from $24,360 for the Base to just shy of $30,000 for the top-range RS. You get Symmetrical AWD equipped on all models, as well as decent combined MPG ratings across the board. Buyers have a choice between a 152-horsepower Boxer engine or a 2.5-liter, 182-horsepower Boxer engine, though both options come equipped with a very comprehensive safety suite, some decent convenience features, and Active Torque Vectoring showcased across all the trims.

2025 Subaru Impreza Trims And Price

But, for the 2026 MY, Subaru is dropping the entry-level Impreza and is just sticking to the Sport and RS trims (while also giving it a bit of a boost), streamlining their AWD hatchback lineage. What may irk some, though, is that if you want a new Impreza next year, the entry-level price of the Base trim will not be available, and the lowest price you have to pay for one will be $2,000 more than you will pay this year.

2026 Subaru Impreza Pricing Information

Subaru

Subaru has said that there will be only two trims available for the 2026 lineup: the Impreza Sport and the Impreza RS, with starting prices for the new “entry-level” Impreza hitting just over $26,500; the top RS trim will start at $29,495

We always see prices go up year-on-year for new models, but, credit to Subaru, when you compare this year’s MSRP and next year’s, the difference isn’t huge between the Sport trims. The bigger annoyance is that we are now one trim down, a very well-priced trim that acts as a good starting point for those looking for an Impreza but don’t need everything that the Sport and RS offer. It is especially annoying considering that the Impreza Base does offer a reasonable amount for how much you pay for one.

The Forthcoming Impreza Will Offer Two Engine Options

Subaru

There will again be two engine options for next year’s Impreza: a 2.0-liter Boxer engine and a 2.5-liter Boxer engine. The 2026 Impreza Sport will boast the lower-displacement option, while the 2026 Impreza RS will be equipped with the more powerful, refined, and larger-displacement 2.5-liter powertrain.

2026 Subaru Impreza Performance Specifications

There is still a sizable difference in power and torque output for the two available engines next year, but what makes the RS mill stand out a little more in next year’s iteration is that it has been given some refinement in the shape of a more responsive throttle and more grunt at lower revs. Next year’s RS engine kicks out two horsepower less than the 2025 engine, but if, as Subaru has said, it will be more responsive across the rev range, we can potentially forgive the slightly lower output.

What The 2026 Impreza Trims Get You

Subaru

At heart, both the new Impreza Sport and RS will continue to ride on the Subaru Global Platform, which, according to Subaru, showcases 10 percent more torsional rigidity compared to the platform that the previous generation rode on, thanks to a full inner-frame construction and more structural adhesive.

Also, new for both grades next year, Auto Vehicle Shutdown will be included, which turns your vehicle off after 30 minutes of idling to cut down on how much gas you are using when not actually moving. So, for that feature alone, a couple of hundred dollars more for each respective trim isn’t so bad.

Two Trims, Two Engines, And Impressive Standard Gear

Subaru

Both grades next year will boast the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, which is a nice call-back to the Impreza’s rally bloodline, and gives you the option to take a hatchback over some loose stuff, and both trims will also come equipped with a Lineatronic CVT paired with an eight-speed manual mode with paddle shifts on the steering wheel, so you can feel sporty when you are pushing whatever trim you opt for.

The Sport will act as the new base trim, and will come equipped with an 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus screen, a sound system with six speakers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, and the SI-DRIVE engine performance management system, which adjusts the Impreza’s engine and transmission feedback to suit your driving, but, the RS trim is the clear winner out of the two.

Not only do you get all of that and a more powerful engine, but you get showy-offy “RS” badging, black-finished side mirrors and spoilers, flashier 18-inch dark gray alloys, sports seats in black cloth with red bolsters, and gunmetal or simulated carbon fiber accents. The steering wheel is leather-wrapped, you get aluminum-alloy pedal covers, a wireless phone charger sits up front, and a retractable cargo area cover adds a bit of privacy in the rear. For the sub-$30,000 price tag, it could be an awful amount worse.

Safety Comes First, As Per Subaru’s Reputation

Subaru

As we have seen in the 2025 Impreza lineup, safety remains a priority for Subaru in the Impreza, with both models coming equipped with a very comprehensive safety setup in the shape of Subaru’s Eyesight Driver Assist tech. This system includes:

• Pre-Collision Braking
• Cruise Control with Lane Centering
• Stability and traction control (courtesy of the AWD system)
• Four-wheel ABS
• Dual front and rear side airbags
• A post-collision Safety system
• Lane Departure Warning

It is all very good, but if you want to take things even further in keeping you and your family safe on the road, optional extras across both trims include Emergency Lane Keep, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Everyday Usability In The 2026 Impreza

Subaru

A hatchback, even a sporty one, wouldn’t be much of a hatchback without it boasting some modicum of usefulness, and the new Impreza is again tipped to be a rugged little hatchback that can get the simple stuff done well.

Both trims will showcase 20.4 cubic feet of storage space with all the seats in place, and 56 cubic feet of space when you fold down the rear 60/40 split rear seats; you get 42.9 inches of front legroom and 36.5 inches in the rear, and fuel economy is estimated to be good from both trims (base on 2025 Impreza MPG ratings).

2026 Subaru Impreza Fuel Economy Estimates

Top Speed’s Take On The New Impreza’s Pricing

Suabru

While the current generation (sixth-gen) of the Impreza is a long way away from the Impreza WRX and its rally roots, and the dropping of the “Base” trim may put some people off having to shell out for the new entry-level trim, it does still look as if the Impreza is going to deliver what a modern hatchback should, but with a little bit more grit behind it, courtesy of the refined engine choices and AWD system.

We can see, though, why Subaru has streamlined the lineup for 2026. Subaru reported that in 2023, 34,719 Imprezas were sold, while in 2024, Impreza sales took a 9.7-percent sales decline, with only 31,366 sold. Though they aren’t bad numbers in the grand scheme of things (especially for the hatchback market), we can see Subaru rightly trimming some of the fat here. Plus, with sales of the affordable and still very handy Subaru Crosstrek SUV rising by 14.2 percent over the same period, why would Subaru concentrate on too many trims of a model that isn’t selling as well?

Price-wise for next year’s Impreza, we don’t think that it is badly priced at all. Yes, there is no real bargain-basement trim to bolster the low end of the lineup, and the price has risen slightly, but for a new vehicle with a starting price of just under $27,000 (way below the average price of a new vehicle at the moment; just under $49,000) that boasts AWD, the 2026 Subaru Impreza still looks to deliver in a very niche market here in the U.S.A.

Is The 2026 Impreza The Hatchback We Need In The U.S.A.?

Subaru

The hatchback market here in the U.S.A. is not large, but it is fairly comprehensive; we love our trucks and SUVs, so the humble hatch has been taking a year-on-year tumble. But what we do have on sale here certainly ticks boxes for everything that we look for.

We have some very sporty iterations in the form of the 2025 VW Golf GTI, which is still one of the most respected hot hatches going; there will be a 2026 Golf GTI 50 Edition hitting the market next year; we have the über-frugal Prius hatchback to wet the whistle of those looking to save some money on gas; and, next year, we will get the 2026 Mini Cooper, which brings cutesy retro vibes and nippy driving.

So, does the 2026 Impreza fit well into the market? We think so, yes. It may be less powerful and not as sporty as some of the others, but it is well-priced and does offer some grit compared to some of the other current and upcoming hatchbacks on the market. The 2025 GTI costs a minimum of $32,445; next year’s Prius is going to have an MSRP of $28,550; the 2026 Mini Cooper 2 (the base model) is going to cost just north of $29,000, and the most desirable-looking trim of the 2026 Corolla hatchback, the new FX Edition, is tipped to cost somewhere in the high $20,000s. For a hatchback that can do a little of everything, we think that the Impreza can still deliver for the budget-conscious driver.