YearToAvoid

2006 Subaru Impreza Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

15/100

#18 most-complained of 21 Impreza years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Subaru Impreza has 56 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 15 out of 100 — #18 highest of 21 Impreza model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is airbags (20 complaints, 36% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes and 2 injuries.

Complaints
56
Recalls
10
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 24 hwy

Top 2006 Subaru Impreza problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags20 (36%)
  2. Engine12 (21%)
  3. Fuel System7 (13%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain7 (13%)
  5. Brakes6 (11%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (11%)
  7. Electrical System2 (4%)
  8. Other2 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body2 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers2 (4%)
2006 Subaru Impreza complaints: complaints filed per month5Feb 2006Jul 2007Oct 2009Sep 2012Dec 2014Oct 2016Jan 2018Oct 2022
67 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2006 to Jun 2025; peak Oct 2016 (5).

2006 Subaru Impreza recalls

10 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

  2. NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

  3. NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.

See all 10 recalls for the 2006 Subaru Impreza →

2006 Subaru Impreza fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,000
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Impreza years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good3075620
2006Caution15561020
2007Caution3568921
2008Avoid851761422

All Subaru Impreza years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Subaru Impreza a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Subaru Impreza ranks #18 of 21 among Impreza model years (Complaint Index 15/100, verdict: Caution). It has 56 complaints and 10 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru Impreza?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (20 complaints), engine (12 complaints), and fuel system (7 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 61,728 miles.
Does the 2006 Subaru Impreza have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru Impreza, most recently reported 2020, covering airbags and suspension, wheels & tires.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Subaru Impreza?
EPA rates the 2006 Subaru Impreza at 20 MPG combined (18 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,000. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.