Is the Mazda 3 more reliable than the Subaru Impreza?

Yes, but only slightly. Both stand as good. The Mazda 3 has 217 owner complaints against 470 for the Impreza, plus lower repair costs and a smaller chance of a major repair. Shop-visit frequency is the same at 0.3 per year.

Which has more recalls, the Mazda 3 or the Subaru Impreza?

The Impreza has more. Federal recall records show 18 recalls across 9 model years for the Subaru and 11 across 8 model years for the Mazda. One Subaru headlight recall has been hard to finish because owners report parts were not available.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Mazda 3 or the Impreza?

The Mazda 3 is cheaper. Estimated annual repair cost is $433 for the Mazda and $653 for the Subaru, a gap of about $1,100 over five years. Only 10% of Mazda repairs are major, against 17% for the Subaru.

Do Subaru Impreza windshields really crack on their own?

Owners report it often. Complaints describe cracks with no impact point, usually found after the car sat parked or during cold weather and defroster use. Some owners replaced the glass two or three times at about $1000 each, because warranty and insurance did not pay.

What are the most serious Mazda 3 problems?

Brake and steering complaints stand out. Owners describe the car failing to stop or surging forward at low speed with the pedal pressed, with 6 crash-linked brake reports. Steering that binds at highway speed and then releases has 3. Oil loss and battery drain are more common but less severe.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Mazda 3

Good

Subaru Impreza

Good

In a close contest, the Mazda 3 edges the Subaru Impreza on reliability. It costs less to repair and draws far fewer owner complaints. Both rate good, but the Mazda's brake and steering reports, and the Subaru's cracking windshields, are worth knowing before you buy.

How Do the Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza Generations Compare?

Mazda sold the third generation from 2014 through 2018, with a facelift in 2016. The fourth generation started in 2019 and ran through 2023 in the generation data. Its 2021 and 2022 years are the weak ones, while 2018 is a late third-generation year with strong standing. Subaru's fifth generation ran from 2017 through 2023, with a facelift in 2020. Its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, came before that facelift. The sixth generation began with the 2024 model year, so 2025 and 2026 cars are new and have had little time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Mazda 3 is more reliable than the Subaru Impreza, scoring 78/100 vs 74/100.

A slight edge goes to the Mazda 3. Both cars stand as good and both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the gap is not wide. What separates them is complaint volume and cost. Mazda owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold, and independent repair-cost data shows lower yearly costs and a smaller chance that a repair is major. Subaru also carries more recalls, 18 against 11, across one extra model year. The Mazda's brake and steering reports keep that lead from being comfortable.

Key Differences

1Mazda 3 costs $220 less per year to repair
2Mazda 3 has 7 fewer total recalls
3Mazda 3 has 7% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

5Mazda 3

—

0Subaru Impreza

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda 3	Subaru Impreza
Reliability Score	78/100	74/100
Years Tracked	8	9
Total Recalls	11	18
Complaints per 10k Sold	1.3	4.1
Annual Repair Cost	$433/yr	$653/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	10%	17%
Year Wins	7	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza?

Subaru complaints center on windshields that crack with no impact point, often overnight or in cold weather, and on a headlight recall repair stuck waiting for parts. Dead batteries also repeat, with some owners on a third or fourth. Mazda owners report oil disappearing with no visible leak, battery drain that survives replacements, and wavy windshield glass. The bigger difference is safety: Mazda brake complaints include a car that fails to stop or surges forward at low speed, with 6 crash-linked reports, and steering binding at highway speed has 3. Subaru's steering and visibility areas show no crash-linked reports.

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza common problem areas comparison
Component	Mazda 3	Subaru Impreza
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	1.2Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	1.1Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
ENGINE	0.3Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	—None	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Mazda 3 or Subaru Impreza?

Mazda costs less to keep on the road. Independent repair-cost data puts its estimated annual repair cost at $433, against $653 for Subaru. Over five years, that gap comes to about $1,100. Both models average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so you will visit a shop equally often. The difference is severity: 10% of Mazda repairs are major, compared with 17% for Subaru.

How Does Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda 3	Subaru Impreza	Edge
2026	84/1000R / 0C	81/1000R / 0C	Mazda 3
2025	79/1001R / 20C	77/1000R / 2C	Mazda 3
2024	78/1002R / 22C	74/1002R / 23C	Mazda 3
2023	78/1001R / 19C	74/1002R / 4C	Mazda 3
2022	78/1001R / 26C	76/1001R / 11C	Mazda 3
2021	70/1003R / 95C	71/1002R / 14C	Subaru Impreza
2019	78/1002R / 26C	66/1005R / 185C	Mazda 3
2018	79/1001R / 9C	69/1005R / 148C	Mazda 3

Best years to cross-shop: The 2018 Mazda 3 scored 79/100 and the 2022 Subaru Impreza scored 76/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Mazda 3 vs the Subaru Impreza?

Pick the Mazda 3 if you want lower running costs and fewer overall problems. Target the 2018 model year, which ranks among its strongest, and skip 2021 and 2022, its weakest. Before buying, ask about oil consumption and battery history, since both are common complaints. Check the windshield for distortion, and test the brakes at low speed in a parking lot. Pick the Subaru Impreza if the Mazda's brake and steering reports worry you and you can live with glass and battery risk. Budget for a windshield, since some owners paid about $1000 per replacement. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. The 2025 and 2026 models rank strongest, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Whatever year you shop, confirm no headlight recall work is still open, because open recalls can block repairs after a front-end hit.

Mazda 3 vs Subaru Impreza: Common Questions

Is the Mazda 3 more reliable than the Subaru Impreza?: Yes, but only slightly. Both stand as good. The Mazda 3 has 217 owner complaints against 470 for the Impreza, plus lower repair costs and a smaller chance of a major repair. Shop-visit frequency is the same at 0.3 per year.
Which has more recalls, the Mazda 3 or the Subaru Impreza?: The Impreza has more. Federal recall records show 18 recalls across 9 model years for the Subaru and 11 across 8 model years for the Mazda. One Subaru headlight recall has been hard to finish because owners report parts were not available.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Mazda 3 or the Impreza?: The Mazda 3 is cheaper. Estimated annual repair cost is $433 for the Mazda and $653 for the Subaru, a gap of about $1,100 over five years. Only 10% of Mazda repairs are major, against 17% for the Subaru.
Do Subaru Impreza windshields really crack on their own?: Owners report it often. Complaints describe cracks with no impact point, usually found after the car sat parked or during cold weather and defroster use. Some owners replaced the glass two or three times at about $1000 each, because warranty and insurance did not pay.
What are the most serious Mazda 3 problems?: Brake and steering complaints stand out. Owners describe the car failing to stop or surging forward at low speed with the pedal pressed, with 6 crash-linked brake reports. Steering that binds at highway speed and then releases has 3. Oil loss and battery drain are more common but less severe.

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How we score the Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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