Subaru Impreza

• WRX/STI drive collector demand; base trims stay budget
• Unmodified examples sell fastest and bring top money
• Rust + mods are the biggest value killers
• EJ head gaskets and timing belts are key due diligence
• Hawkeye/Blobeye WRX and GD STI are market sweet spots
• GR/GV hatch STI has rising enthusiast premium

• Horizontally opposed (boxer) four-cylinder engine across all generations
• Symmetrical all-wheel drive on the WRX and WRX STI performance variants
• Sedan, wagon and (third-generation STI) hatchback body styles across the model's history
• JDM WRX STI variants used the turbocharged EJ20 boxer through the GV/GR generation
• Right-hand drive available throughout JDM production

The Impreza had four WRX and STI chassis generations between 1992 and 2021, and they don't drive like the same car. The GC8 is the original rally homologation chassis and it's light, short, and rusty. The GDB is the value sweet spot and the first one the US ever got. The GRB hatch is wider, heavier, and the only US STI five-door. The VAB is the last EJ-powered factory STI before Subaru retired the STI badge.

The Impreza WRX and STI are easy to love and hard to own. You get the all-wheel-drive rally car that Colin McRae and Richard Burns drove to WRC titles, and you get the EJ flat-four with its head gasket and ringland reputation that every Subaru forum has been arguing about for 20 years. The strong points and weak points are baked in across the whole production run.

The Impreza isn't a bulletproof car the way a Celsior is. The EJ flat-four has known weaknesses and you should buy with them in mind. The head gasket leaks at the block-to-head seam between 100,000 and 150,000 miles. Tuned EJ257 cars crack ringlands when the OEM cast pistons meet a lean tune or oil starvation in a hard corner. The turbocharger banjo bolt on EJ255 cars clogs and starves the turbo of oil. None of these are unfixable, but they all cost money to put right.

The United States got the Impreza WRX starting with the 2002 model year (the Bugeye GD). Japan had it from November 1992. That ten-year gap is the defining import-market story for the Impreza: every GC-era WRX and WRX STI on US roads is a Japanese import, period. The STI never came to the US until 2004, and even then USDM STIs used the larger-displacement EJ257 2.5L turbo while JDM STIs kept the closed-deck, twin-scroll, AVCS-equipped EJ207 2.0L turbo through the entire production run. JDM-only models the US never received include the 22B, Type RA, Type RA-R, Spec C, S201, S202, S203, S204, and all WRX/STI wagons and coupes through GC. The wagon body never reached the US as a WRX or STI in any generation. RHD is standard on JDM cars; the gearbox is the same close-ratio 5-speed (GC) or 6-speed (GDB onward); brakes are typically Brembo on STI grades but the USDM/JDM rotor sizes differ. DCCD (Driver Controlled Centre Differential) is present on JDM STI from GC-era Type RA onward and on all USDM STIs from 2004.

400HP JDM Subaru Impreza STI Type R Version III — The Rumble in the Rainforest

Every Impreza WRX and STI runs a turbocharged EJ flat-four. The GC and GD cars use the 2.0 liter EJ20G, EJ20K, EJ205, and EJ207. The 2.5 liter EJ255 and EJ257 came in starting with the USDM 2002 WRX and the 2004 STI. The JDM STI kept the closed-deck 2.0 liter EJ207 through the entire GDB, GRB, and VAB run, capped at the JDM gentleman's agreement of 280 PS. The gearbox went from a 5-speed manual on GC8 to a 6-speed manual with DCCD on every STI from GDB onward.

Engine options

Transmission options

JDM Imprezas include the 22B coupe, the Type RA strippers, the Spec C track cars, and the STI-developed S201, S202, S203, and S204 limited editions. The US never got any of them. USDM buyers got the WRX from 2002 and the STI from 2004, both with the 2.5 liter EJ. Everything else, including the wagon and coupe body styles on the GC8, is an import.

The Impreza WRX and STI market splits in two. Clean documented GDB STI sedans still trade in the $25,000 to $40,000 range in 2026, which is the entry point. JDM-only specials like the 22B sit in a different universe, with clean 22Bs going for $250,000 to $500,000 plus through Bring a Trailer. The 25-year rule is the gatekeeper for the GC8 cars, and 2000 and 2001 GC8 STIs are coming legal right now.

Today's market range: $1,500 to $120,000 (median ~$22,000). Source: JDMBuySell / USS Auction.

Base Imprezas remain stable and condition-led. WRX/STI values are bifurcated: clean, stock cars hold strong, while modified examples soften. Expect continued premiums for rare, low-mile, unmolested GD/GR/VA, with rust-free shells increasingly scarce.

Walk this list with the seller, not in front of them. The Critical items mean walk away without paperwork. The head gasket, ringland, and rod bearing checks are the ones that separate a clean buy from a six-month rebuild project. Ten minutes at idle and a 30 minute drive will surface most of what you need to know.

If the Impreza isn't the right car, the natural alternative is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The Evo is the Impreza's direct rival and it tends to cost roughly double for an equivalent year. The Honda Integra Type R and the Nissan Silvia are different cars, lighter and rear-drive instead of AWD, but they're in the same JDM enthusiast tier.

Among the JDM rally homologation cars, the Impreza is the most available and the cheapest to buy in. The Evo is the closest rival on paper but costs roughly twice as much for the same year. The table below leans toward the Impreza's strengths because that's where it actually wins, on availability, parts, and aftermarket support.

Which Impreza trims are most collectible?

Clean, stock WRX/STI (GD/GR/VA) and rare editions lead. Base Imprezas are mainly value buys.

What’s the biggest buying risk on WRX/STI?

Bad mods/tunes. Look for stock ECU, conservative tune, logs/receipts, and a compression/leakdown test.

Are head gaskets a deal-breaker?

Not always. On some EJ engines it’s common; proof of quality repair is a plus, not a minus.

What mileage is “too high” for an Impreza?

Condition beats miles. A 150k car with records can be safer than a 90k car with unknown mods.

Sedan vs hatch: which holds value better?

Depends on gen. STI hatch (GR) has strong demand; GD sedans are classic. Wagons/hatches sell fast.

What documentation should I demand?

Timing belt history (EJ), clutch, diff/gear oil service, tuning receipts, and rust/accident documentation.

Is an automatic/CVT Impreza worth it?

For daily use, yes. For enthusiast value, manual commands more; CVT is less desirable for collectors.

What’s the best value generation right now?

GE/GH and GP/GJ base cars are value. For performance, clean GR/GV WRX/STI often price well vs GD.