This Subaru Is The Last Great Budget Japanese Hatchback In 2026

Even in a shrinking hatchback market, finding one in the U.S. today is not the hardest task. Brands like Toyota, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Honda, and Mazda turn out what you need from a hatchback: versatility, a small size, an economical engine, and low starting prices. While models like the new VW Golf and the new Honda Civic offer a lot, especially as you go up the trim levels and spend more money, there is arguably just one new hatchback available that gives you everything from the off at a low price.

This Subaru hatchback is the last great budget Japanese hatchback available in 2026. You get a lot of features at the base level; safety features are top-notch; the engine has some power to it; it is relatively fuel-efficient, and the starting prices for both trims are below $30,000.

2026 Subaru Impreza: Affordable Pricing That Wins

The 2026 Subaru Impreza Hatchback is the last truly great Japanese budget hatchback you can get this year. There are two trims of the new Impreza available: the Impreza Sport and the Impreza RS. Starting prices for the new Impreza Sport are $26,595, and starting prices for the new Impreza RS are $29,495. As standard, the Subaru Impreza Hatchback comes equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter DOHC Boxer engine, while the Impreza RS gets a more powerful 2.5-liter naturally aspirated DOHC Boxer.

Rest-to-60 times for the Impreza Sport can’t be described as fast, at nine seconds to 60 mph, but there is a bit more hope for the more powerful Impreza RS, at around 7.8 seconds to 60 mph. While neither model is punchy-punchy, the RS’s decent low-end grunt, which kicks out its full load at 3,700 rpm, is more than adequate for picking up at speed from slow crawls and makes it very manageable underfoot.

Low Starting Price Without Skimping On Features

The affordable starting prices may raise some eyebrows, but the new Impreza lineup is actually very well-equipped for most scenarios on the road. As standard, the base trim gets Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE), which allows you to choose between Intelligent and Sport modes, and Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which means there is still a minimal amount of old-school Impreza fun to be had in it. It is very rare for a hatchback, especially in today’s market, to come equipped with all-wheel drive as standard.

We have the likes of the 2026 Toyota GR Corolla and the 2026 Volkswagen Golf R, but both are far more expensive, with the sporty Toyota boasting a starting price of $39,920, and the Golf R busting the bank at just shy of $50,000. For budget AWD fun, the Impreza ticks the box. In both 2026 Impreza trims, you also get Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC), traction control, Active Torque Vectoring, four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and braking assist. For not a lot of money for a new hatchback, the new Subaru Impreza does offer a lot in the way of manageable on-road fun.

That’s not where it ends, though; both the 2026 Impreza Sport and the Impreza RS get a lot of exterior features that make a budget-sounding hatchback into a very well-equipped one. The Impreza Sport is equipped with 18-inch alloys, LED fog lights, steering-sensitive LEDs, a roof spoiler, roof rack mounting points, and all-season tires. The new Impreza RS gets all this, plus a bit more in the way of a sleeker-looking exterior. You get 18-inch alloys in dark gray, Crystal Black Silica side mirrors with integrated indicators and heated mirrors (with the All Weather Package).

Find 2026 Subaru Impreza Hatchback and more cars for sale on our Marketplace

Shop Now

Value-Packed Comfort And Tech For Less

Both trims step up from the old Impreza base model, with a standard vertical 11.6-inch high-res touchscreen running Subaru’s latest infotainment system. You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 4G Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth connectivity, and navigation as standard. Wired USB-A and USB-C ports sit up front, and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display and keyless access with push-button start are equipped as standard.

Where the Impreza RS stands out is in the details. It gets RS-specific cloth on the seats with sporty red accents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, and illuminated USB ports facing rearwards, so rear-seat passengers can also plug in on long drives. The Impreza RS can also be kitted out with a Harman Kardon audio rig and wireless charging as an option at build, while aluminum alloy pedal covers help it to stand out a little more than the Sport trim.

2026 Subaru Impreza Hatchback: Practical, Roomy, And Family-Friendly

For this budget Japanese hatchback to be a truly great hatchback, it needs to be useful and versatile to own. As we have seen with models in the past, Subaru seems to have nailed it with the new Impreza. The new Subaru Impreza measures in at city-friendly dimensions of 176.2 inches in length by 70.1 inches wide by 58.3 inches high, so it is nice and easy to drive around every day as a fun commuter car.

Spacious Design For Passengers And Cargo

Despite the small exterior stature, the 2026 Impreza Hatchback does offer a lot of space inside. It boasts a total interior volume of 120.9 cubic feet. This includes 20.4 cubic feet of storage space with all the seats in place, and a very impressive 56 cubic feet of storage space with the 60/40 split folding seats tucked away. Plus, the Impreza also does well as a comfortable place to be for you and rear-seat passengers. Considering its small footprint, there is a commendable amount of space to sit inside.

In comparison with other new Japanese hatchbacks, the 2026 Toyota Corolla hatchback only boasts front and legroom of 42 inches and 34.8 inches, respectively, and a maximum cargo capacity of 23 cubic feet, and the 2026 Mazda 3 gets 42.3 inches of front legroom, 35 inches of rear legroom, and 47.1 cubic feet of cargo space with seats folded down.

Perfect Balance Of Daily Driving And Weekend Adventures

Alongside what you get as standard and inside the new Impreza, what sets it apart from its front-wheel rivals as a truly great budget hatchback is that all modes come equipped with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. This isn’t an on-demand rig that waits for the wheels to start to slip; power is constantly distributed to all four wheels, giving you a nice, planted feel. If you are someone who commutes in a cold part of the country, that added traction comes as a real-life, everyday advantage, not just a nice niche.

The Impreza boasts a low-mounted Boxer flat-four. By keeping the center of gravity low, Subaru has ensured that handling is steady and predictable through the corners without sacrificing ride comfort. Combined with four-wheel independent suspension and Active Torque Vectoring as standard, the Impreza is designed to be composed when you are stretching its legs on the back roads and on the commute.

Performance And Efficiency That May Help You Save Money

Some of the best hatchbacks ever created aren’t just cheap and fun to drive, but also cheap to own. If we take models like the Corolla, it is famously cheap to buy, cheap to fill up, and cheap to maintain. The new Subaru Impreza lineup is slightly more expensive to run than some of its contemporaries, but it is still firmly in the budget category. According to CarEdge, it will cost you approximately $32,700 to own a Subaru Impreza from new for five years; they have given it an “A+” value rating. The five-year costs for a new Impreza include $10,555 for insurance, $4,328 for interest payments, $1,988 for maintenance, $8,578 in depreciation, and $7,700 for gas.

Fuel-Efficient Engine For City And Highway

Regardless of what engine you opt for, FuelEconomy.gov says that you will get 29 combined mpg from a 2026 Subaru Impreza Hatchback. Both the Sport and the RS, boasting either the 2.0-liter or 2.5-liter Boxer flat-four, can achieve between 27 and 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. FuelEconomy.gov estimates that it will cost you just $1,500 a year for gas.

For a hatchback with AWD, we think that is very good going. Yes, power output is nowhere near what the new Golf R can churn out (328 horsepower), but you do get a far better fuel return compared to the Golf R’s 25 combined mpg, and cheaper annual fuel costs. FuelEconomy.gov estimates that fueling up a Subaru could help you save around $500 over five years compared to owning the average modern car.

Subaru’s Rock-Solid Reliability Keeps Costs Low

In the hatchback and well-priced small car market, brands like Toyota are hard to compete with. This is especially the case when it comes to reliability; as we know, Toyota is one of the market leaders in that field. However, Subaru and the Impreza have their bag of tricks. According to owner reviews on J.D. Power, the 2026 Subaru Impreza is rated 84/100 overall and 83/100 for reliability. Owners who have left a review on Kelley Blue Book rate the new Impreza 5/5 stars, with 100 percent of reviewers recommending it, and iSeeCars rates the Impreza 8.2/10, which includes a 7.7/10 rating for reliability.

This is somewhat backed up by RepairPal, who give the new Impreza 3.5/5 for reliability, and also says that it will only cost you, on average, $653 per year to maintain and repair. This gives the Impreza average annual repair costs, with the market average currently sitting at $652 annually.

The Subaru Impreza Hatchback’s Long-Term Appeal

What makes the 2026 Subaru Impreza Hatchback the last great budget Japanese hatchback is the fact that it does a lot at a low price. You get AWD as standard, you get an engine under the hood that is a little more than an inline-four; it is very well-equipped inside and out from build; it can be driven hard in certain situations; it is relatively cheap to run, and it is cheap to buy. That may sound great for owning a car for a couple of years, but the new Impreza looks to be a long-term buyer’s car as well. Not only is the Impreza hatchback a relatively reliable hatchback to own, but it is also a safe, value-retaining, and useful one.

Safety And Hatchback Versatility That Lasts Over Time

On top of everything else you get from a new Impreza, what makes it a steal is the fact that it is a very safe ride from the get-go. All models come equipped with Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. This safety suite includes forward-facing cameras that monitor traffic and apply Automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Pre-Collision Throttle Management if a potential crash is detected ahead.

You also get Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering and Automatic Emergency Steering, while features like Blind-Spot Detection, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Emergency Lane Keep Assist are all available. Finally, all models get a rear-vision camera, a rigid body structure, rear-seat side airbags, and dual-stage front airbags. It is no exaggeration when we say that the new Impreza is designed to be a family-friendly and safe budget hatchback. There is currently no overall safety rating from the NHTSA, but they have given the 2026 Impreza a five-star front crash protection and rollover resistance rating.

Strong Resale Value For The New Subaru Impreza Hatchback

CarEdge says that the brand with the best resale value over five years is Toyota, with an average five-year resale value of 64.9 percent. In second place is Subaru, with an average five-year resale value of 61.2 percent. While Toyota models and the more-specialized and far more collectible Subaru BRZ are higher on the list, according to CarEdge, the Subaru Impreza is the 22nd best model for five-year resale value.

CarEdge says that after the first year, the Impreza will retain 80.95 percent of its value; after three years, 75.83 percent of its value; after five years, 69 percent of its value; after seven years, 57.36 percent of its value, and after 10 years, 46 percent of its value. The new Subaru Impreza Hatchback does not look to be shaping up as a car that will only be useful for a few years before having to swap it out; it is good now, and looks to carry on being good into the future. Really, just what is needed of a budget hatchback.

Sources: Subaru, CarEdge, Kelley Blue Book, FuelEconomy.gov, J.D. Power, IIHS, and iSeeCars.com.