Compact cars · model years 2017 to 2019
Subaru Impreza vs Honda Civic: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 1 and the Impreza on 0, with 6 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2017 to 2019 | Impreza | Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 4.5% | 4.3% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 17,000 | 36,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 0 | 0 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Impreza owners complain about most is exterior lighting; for the Civic it is steering. Complaints citing exterior lighting make up 34% of all Impreza complaints, against 0.5% on the Civic. The Civic leans the other way on steering: 33% of its complaints, against 1.9% for the Impreza.
Subaru ImprezaHonda Civic
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Impreza is windshield problems (25% of its complaints). On the Civic it is sticky steering (25% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Impreza.
| Problem | Impreza | Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 25% 119most in 2019 · 16k mi | 2.3% 41most in 2017 · 29k mi |
| Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks | 0 | 25% 441most in 2018 · 50k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 0 | 15% 272most in 2017 · 40k mi |
| Headlights too dim or fail | 13% 61most in 2018 · 30k mi | 0 |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 4.5% 2110k mi | 7.1% 125most in 2018 · 40k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 3.2% 15 | 5.0% 89most in 2017 · 15k mi |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 0 | 7.9% 139most in 2018 · 50k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 4.3% 2022k mi | 2.8% 50most in 2017 · 30k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Impreza owners report problems earlier. Half the Impreza complaints that give a mileage come before 17,000 miles; for the Civic the halfway point is 36,000. 85% of Impreza reports and 66% of Civic reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Subaru ImprezaHonda Civic
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 191 for the Impreza and 660 for the Civic.
Worst and best years
The 2019 Impreza draws 2.7 times the complaints of a typical Impreza year for its age. The 2022 Civic draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Civic year for its age.
Subaru ImprezaHonda Civic
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.0 campaigns per model year for the Impreza and 3.0 for the Civic. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Subaru Impreza
9 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), electrical (2) and engine and engine cooling (2).
- 21V-264 (electrical) covers 3 model years
- 19V-743 (electrical) covers 3 model years
Honda Civic
9 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), equipment (2) and airbags (2).
- 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
- 26V-332 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (4.5% and 4.3%). Fire reports: 5 for the Impreza and 11 for the Civic. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Impreza and 1 in the Civic for these model years.
Subaru ImprezaHonda Civic
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Subaru Impreza or the Honda Civic more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 1 and the Impreza on 0, with 6 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Impreza has 470 complaints and the Civic 1,764 for model years 2017 to 2019, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Impreza or the Civic?
The Impreza has 9 recall campaigns and the Civic 9 across model years 2017 to 2019. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.0 campaigns per model year for the Impreza and 3.0 for the Civic.
What are the most common problems on the Impreza and the Civic?
The most reported problem on the Impreza is windshield problems (25% of its complaints). On the Civic it is sticky steering (25% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Impreza.
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