SubaruImpreza2018Overview/subaru/impreza/2018/base/

2018 Subaru Impreza

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Impreza.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (AV-S7)

The 2018 Subaru Impreza is a passenger car paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission (AV-S7) and rated at 28/38/32 mpg city/highway/combined, with a 0W-20 API oil specification requiring 4.7 quarts. The model has accumulated 149 owner complaints and 5 recalls, with exterior lighting being the top complaint area — figures that place it well below the 300-complaint peak recorded for the 2002 model year but notably higher than the single complaint logged for 2026. Within the Impreza's complaint history spanning 1990 through 2026, the 2018 sits in the moderate range, suggesting a year that is neither a standout for trouble-free ownership nor a crisis point, but one where the recall count and lighting issues warrant attention from any prospective researcher.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy28/38/32 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S7)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.3 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight3034 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined28 / 38 / 32 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Impreza of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4–9.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 2017 2.0i Sport Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20172.0i Sport Sedan 2.0L F-48.40 sec16.60 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Sport Sedan 2.0L F-49.00 sec16.90 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Sport 5-door Hatchback 2.0L F-49.10 sec17.10 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Limited 5-door Hatchback 2.0L F-49.20 sec17.10 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Limited 5-door Hatchback 2.0L F-49.30 sec17.20 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Limited 5-door Hatchback 2.0L F-49.60 sec17.40 sec152 hpAWD
20172.0i Sport Sedan 2.0L F-49.70 sec17.40 sec152 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.7 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, API · GL-5 · 75W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidSubaru Lineartronic II CVTF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilAPI · GL-5 · 75W-90
Engine CoolantUse Subaru coolant/antifreeze
Engine Coolant Capacity8.0-8.2
Engine OilSAE 0W · API

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs13.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts59.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsAT: 70.0 ft-lbs, MT: 63.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub162.0
Rear Wheel Hub177.0

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Spark Plug ManufacturerSubaru
Spark Plug Gap.031 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.99-1.15 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression152

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque20
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 89 ft-lbs; Rear: 49 ft-lbs
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 8.66; Rear: .335
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 6.732

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
159.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60 degrees +/-559 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 6 stages
126.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
2Back off 360.0 degrees360 degrees
326.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
4Back off 360.0 degrees360 degrees
513.0 ft. lbs.13 ft. lbs
660.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 6,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Clutch Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 72,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 137,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Subaru Impreza sits near the peak of a complaint uptick within its generation: complaints rose from 125 in 2017 to 149 in 2018 and then to 191 in 2019, before dropping sharply in 2020. With 5 recalls and 510 TSBs, the 2018 model shows a moderate recall count but a high volume of technical service bulletins, indicating many non-recall service issues. The top complaint areas—exterior lighting (58) and visibility/wiper (28)—account for the majority of its 149 total complaints, while crash (5) and fire (1) reports are low. Compared to the preceding 2017 and following 2019, the 2018 falls in the middle of the generation’s rising complaint arc, suggesting it is not the most problematic but also not the most refined year. Given the data, the 2018 is a reasonable but not standout choice; buyers should specifically inspect exterior lighting and wiper systems before purchase.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
510
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
149
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 149 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Exterior Lighting58
Visibility/Wiper28
Unknown Or Other15
Engine7
Visibility6
Electrical System5
Structure4
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V587000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 29/07/2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may… Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at…

21V264000Electrical System:SoftwareReported 15/04/2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off… Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 510 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
02-193-24R2026-06-29EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…
09-74-21R2026-06-25EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…
09-81-21R2026-06-24Fuel/Propulsion SystemThis bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector and fuel pipe in…
SubaruNet Annoucement (E2026-06-11Unknown Or OtherThis announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood…
16-156-25R2026-06-02Power TrainThis bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Impreza. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 Impreza take?

4.7 qt of SAE 0W-20 API Certified, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Impreza have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Impreza get?

EPA figures are 28 city / 38 highway / 32 combined mpg.