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2025 Subaru Impreza RS Review: A Good Car With a Bad Name

The 2025 Subaru Impreza RS is quicker and more distinctive than lower trims, but its RS badge suggests a sportier promise than the evidence supports.
Entry287 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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The 2025 Subaru Impreza RS is the Impreza to choose if you want more power: its 2.5-liter engine makes 182 hp and 178 lb-ft, versus 152 hp and 145 lb-ft from the 2.0-liter engine in the other listed trims. But the RS badge can imply a more serious performance upgrade than Subaru’s specifications and the published test figures establish. The RS is a stronger, better-equipped Impreza hatchback—not a WRX substitute.

What does the RS add to the 2025 Impreza?

The main mechanical difference is the engine. Subaru’s 2025 brochure lists the RS with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder rated at 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. The other listed trims use a 2.0-liter engine rated at 152 hp and 145 lb-ft. The RS also has trim-specific styling and equipment, including 18-inch wheels and unique accents. Subaru says SI-DRIVE provides two engine and transmission performance modes.

2025 Impreza configuration Engine Power Torque
RS 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder 182 hp 178 lb-ft
Other listed trims 2.0-liter engine 152 hp 145 lb-ft

Figures are from Subaru’s 2025 Impreza brochure. They show a meaningful step up in output, but engine ratings alone do not establish track capability or make the RS equivalent to the WRX.

How quick is the Impreza RS?

Car and Driver recorded 7.8 seconds from 0 to 60 mph in its RS test. The publication says that result is 1.2 seconds quicker than its previous-generation 2.0-liter comparison. That is evidence of a useful acceleration improvement over the smaller-engine Impreza, not a transformation into a high-performance car.

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#1 Best Overall
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Solido 1:18 Scale Subaru Impreza 22B Black 1998 Diecast Model Car S1807406
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The distinction matters because the RS name carries sporting expectations. Cars.com’s review discusses those associations, while the documented changes here are a larger engine, RS-specific equipment and styling. The badge is the writer’s central complaint: it sounds like a stronger performance promise than the available figures support.

What is the fuel-economy tradeoff?

Car and Driver reports EPA estimates of 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway for the RS. In a separate test, the publication recorded 37 mpg on its 75-mph highway route. The route result is a single publication test, not an EPA rating or a guarantee of what an owner will achieve; driving conditions and habits affect real-world consumption.

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KiNSMART 2007 Subaru Impreza WRC Racing Edition 5 Inch 1:36 Scale Die Cast Metal Model Toy Race Car
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Is the RS still a practical Impreza?

The RS keeps the Impreza’s hatchback format, so its appeal is not limited to acceleration or appearance. It combines the model’s everyday layout with more power than the other listed trims and distinctive equipment. The evidence available here supports that practical-plus-more-responsive positioning, but does not establish a measured cargo advantage or a comparison of ownership costs.

For context on the broader model, Consumer Reports’ December 2024 2025 Impreza page gives the model an overall score of 80, a road-test score of 78/100 and predicted reliability of 89/100. Those are range-level page scores, not an RS-only rating, and should not be read as a separate assessment of this trim.

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Hot Wheels Subaru Impreza WRX Blue Die Cast Car 1:64 Scale 7/10
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Do the RS extras make it worth choosing?

The case for the RS is straightforward if you want the Impreza hatchback but prefer the larger engine and its trim-specific appearance. Whether those differences justify the RS over another trim depends on the price you are offered; the cited material does not establish current dealer prices, transaction values or the value of a particular package.

Subaru’s brochure also lists carpet floor mats with RS branding. If you are shopping for 2025 Impreza RS floor mats, check that the specific accessory listing is compatible with the model year and trim. The brochure’s mention of RS-branded mats does not verify the fit of any third-party listing.

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1:43 Scale Compatible with 2020 Impreza WRX STI S209 Model Toy Car Diecast Toy Vehicle Racing Sports Sedan Metal Alloy Pull Back Vehicle, Mens Collection Toys for Boys Kids Gifts, Cake Topper, Blue
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Verdict: a good car with a name that overpromises

The 2025 Impreza RS makes a sensible upgrade for buyers who want more output than the 2.0-liter trims while keeping the Impreza hatchback format. Its 7.8-second 0–60-mph test result shows a clear step forward, and its fuel economy comes with a real tradeoff. The car’s merits are easier to recommend than the badge: the evidence supports a more powerful, better-equipped Impreza, not a performance model on WRX terms.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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