Model year 2016 · Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport at 27–31 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 75 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

27–31

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as IMPREZA.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Subaru dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport, newest first.

Exterior lighting: Brake lights: Switch

NHTSA 19V149000 Reported Feb 28, 2019
Filed by
Subaru of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. WUE-90)
Units affected
1,303,530 (estimate)
Problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Risk
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Impreza AWD2.0L 4-cylManual 5-spdAll-Wheel DriveRegular25/33/28 mpg$2,400318
Impreza AWD2.0L 4-cylCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular28/36/31 mpg$2,150288
Impreza Sport AWD2.0L 4-cylManual 5-spdAll-Wheel DriveRegular24/33/27 mpg$2,500326
Impreza Sport AWD2.0L 4-cylCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular27/35/30 mpg$2,250294
Impreza Wagon AWD2.0L 4-cylManual 5-spdAll-Wheel DriveRegular25/33/28 mpg$2,400318
Impreza Wagon AWD2.0L 4-cylCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular28/36/31 mpg$2,150288

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2016 Subaru Impreza 4 DR AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars5 stars9.9%Optional
2016 Subaru Impreza SW AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars5 stars9.9%Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport owner complaints

Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport, most recently on Apr 10, 2026. 7 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Unknown or other19
Electrical system13
Power train13
Air bags8
Vehicle speed control8
Service brakes6
Steering5
Visibility/wiper4
Engine3
Exterior lighting3

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport model years

Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2017 Impreza/Outback Sport25–32 mpg71255/5
2015 Impreza/Outback Sport27–31 mpg2795/5

All Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Subaru models

2016 Subaru BRZ2016 Subaru Crosstrek2016 Subaru Forester2016 Subaru Legacy/Outback2016 Subaru WRX

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Subaru.