Subaru just cut the price of getting into an Impreza by $2,000 and gave the cheapest version 28 more horsepower. The 2027 Impreza Base starts at $24,595 before a $1,245 destination charge, and every trim now gets the 180-hp 2.5-liter boxer engine that was reserved for the RS last year. Subaru calls it the most affordable all-wheel-drive compact car on sale in the U.S.
Subaru’s own sales numbers show why.
What Changed for 2027
For 2026, Subaru dropped the Base trim and left just two versions. The Sport started at $26,595 with a 152-hp 2.0-liter engine, and the RS cost $29,495 with the 2.5-liter. For 2027, the Sport is gone, the Base is back, and the lineup looks like this, according to Subaru’s September 24 pricing release:
| Trim | 2026 MSRP (engine) | 2027 MSRP (engine) | 2027 with $1,245 destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry trim | $26,595 Sport (2.0L, 152 hp) | $24,595 Base (2.5L, 180 hp) | $25,840 |
| RS | $29,495 (2.5L, 180 hp) | $29,495 (2.5L, 180 hp) | $30,740 |
Destination went up $50, from $1,195 to $1,245. That means the delivered price of the cheapest Impreza falls by $1,950, from $27,790 to $25,840. The RS costs $50 more delivered than it did last year. Both trims use a CVT with paddle shifters and standard all-wheel drive. The car is still built in Gunma, Japan, and reaches dealers late this year.
The Sales Numbers Behind the Price Cut
Subaru’s August 2026 sales report shows the Impreza has had a rough year. Through August, Subaru sold 11,396 of them, down 43% from 19,995 at the same point in 2025. August alone was down 41%. The brand overall was up 1.3% that month, with the Forester up almost 18%. So Subaru buyers are still showing up. They just aren’t buying the Impreza.
The timing lines up. The drop came in the same model year Subaru removed the cheapest trim and raised the Impreza’s starting price to nearly $27,000. The 2027 lineup undoes that move. Subaru hasn’t said the price hike caused the slump, but the fix it chose points that way.
Subaru has done this before. When it cut WRX prices in 2023, sales jumped. It’s betting the same thing works with its entry-level hatchback.
What the Base Model Gives Up
The lower price comes with a smaller screen. Every 2026 Impreza got an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2027 Base has dual 7.0-inch screens and wired phone connection. The big screen and wireless connection now come only with the RS.
Standard equipment on the Base still includes EyeSight driver assistance, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, and LED headlights that turn with the steering. The RS adds 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, heated mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, fog lights, a wireless charger, and a five-year MySubaru Connected trial.
In cold-weather states, the missing heated seats and blind-spot monitoring on the Base are worth pricing out. The RS costs $4,900 more, so check what your dealer charges for those features on its own before choosing.
Shoppers, Owners and Budget Buyers
If you’re shopping now: The 2027 Base is the better deal. You get more power and a lower price than the 2026 Sport, and the only big loss is the screen. Leftover 2026 Sport models on dealer lots should be discounted by at least $2,000 to make sense. If a dealer won’t do that, wait for the 2027 to arrive.
If you already own a 2026 Impreza Sport: A cheaper, more powerful replacement will likely lower trade-in values for your trim. That matters most if you plan to sell or trade in the next couple of years.
If you’re on a tight budget: The delivered price of $25,840 is roughly half of what the typical new vehicle sold for in August, when average new-car prices passed $50,000 again. Standard all-wheel drive at that price is rare. Buyers are paying more attention to price as the market shifts, as Detroit’s shrinking share of U.S. sales shows.
Current owners should also check their VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup now and then. Subaru ran a 541,000-vehicle label recall this summer.
What to Watch
Subaru’s pricing release doesn’t list EPA fuel economy for the 2027 Base with the bigger engine. The old 2.0-liter’s efficiency edge was one reason to buy the cheaper car, so that figure matters. Look at September and October sales, too. If Impreza sales go back up once the $24,595 car is on lots, expect other automakers to take note before they drop their own cheapest trims.
Would a $2,000 price cut and more horsepower get you into an Impreza, or is giving up the big screen and wireless CarPlay a dealbreaker at this price?