2026 Subaru Impreza Ditches Base Model, Raising Entry Price More Than $2000
Subaru has honed the Impreza lineup for 2026 by discontinuing the base model, leaving just the Sport and RS trims.
The 2026 Subaru Impreza will start at $27,790, which is $2260 higher than the base price from 2025.
That’s because Subaru removed the base trim, so now the lineup just consists of the Sport and RS trims.
The 2026 Impreza also gains a new Citron Yellow Pearl paint color and black rear badging. Sales start this fall.
Once among Subaru’s most popular models, the Impreza hatchback has gradually faded into the background as SUVs, such as the related Crosstrek, have come to dominate the U.S. car market. A new generation of Impreza was launched for the 2024 model year, and now Subaru is making a few tweaks for 2026. The most notable change is that the base model has been discontinued, raising the Impreza’s starting price by $2260.
The Impreza’s lineup now consists of just the Sport and RS models, with the former starting at $27,790 and the latter starting at $30,690. The Sport continues to use the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter flat-four, which produces 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. The RS also keeps its 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which still churns out 178 pound-feet of torque but sees its horsepower output decline by two ponies to 180 horsepower.
Subaru says the decrease in power is a side effect of revisions to its 2.5-liter engines meant to improve responsiveness, so while there are two fewer ponies, the torque is now available at lower rpm. While both engines are paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, there are steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters that simulate eight gears if you want to shift for yourself.
There’s a new optional paint color, Citron Yellow Pearl, and new black rear badging. For 2026, the Impreza also gains Auto Vehicle Shutdown, which will turn the engine off after 30 minutes of idling. All 2026 Imprezas have Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assistance technology, and emergency lane-keeping assist—which helps avoid crashes when changing lanes between 37 and 90 mph—is now standard on models that have blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert. The 2026 Subaru Impreza will reach dealerships this fall and continues to be built in Gunma, Japan.
