Subaru Impreza History
Catalog record
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History
The Impreza arrived in the US for the 1993 model year as Subaru's compact entry, offered as a sedan, coupe, and wagon with standard or optional all-wheel drive. It gave the brand an affordable, practical compact with genuine all-weather capability.
The Impreza's global fame exploded when Subaru Tecnica International (STi) developed the WRX and WRX STI variants for World Rally Championship competition in the 1990s. Wins at the WRC — with drivers Colin McRae and Richard Burns — cemented the Impreza's identity as a rally icon. The turbocharged WRX reached the US market for the 2002 model year, and the full STI arrived for 2004.
By 2015 the WRX and WRX STI spun off as their own standalone model, leaving the Impreza to carry the compact-car flag alone. The sixth-generation Impreza (2024) moved to Subaru's SGP platform with standard AWD across the range.
Generations
First generation (GC/GF) · GC/GF
The original Impreza — sedan and wagon — that also underpinned the first WRX rally homologation cars (WRC era).
Second generation (GD/GG) · GD/GG
The 'bugeye' / 'blobeye' / 'hawkeye' run that brought the turbocharged WRX to the US for 2002.
Third generation (GH/GR/GE/GV) · GH/GR
A grown-up, larger Impreza — the last to carry the WRX/STI badge before those split off.
Sixth generation · GT7
SGP-platform redesign; standard AWD, hatchback-only in the US.
Body styles
- Sedan
- Hatchback
- Wagon
Related models
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