A lower price on a newer car is becoming unusual enough to attract attention, and Subaru has managed exactly that with the 2027 Impreza in the United States. The compact all-wheel-drive hatchback will start at US$24,595 before destination charges, US$2,000 below the entry price of the outgoing 2026 model. More surprisingly, the cheaper model also receives a more powerful 2.5-litre engine.
Across the border, the picture is different. Subaru Canada still lists the Impreza as a 2026 model, even as several other vehicles on its Canadian website have moved to the 2027 model year. That creates an unusual moment in which Canadian and American shoppers are effectively looking at different stages of the Impreza’s product cycle, with different trims, power outputs and pricing structures.
The US$2,000 Cut Is Real — but There Is an Important Catch
Subaru says the 2027 Impreza will start at US$24,595, exactly US$2,000 below the US$26,595 starting MSRP announced for the 2026 model. However, this is not a straightforward price cut applied to the same vehicle. For 2026, Subaru discontinued the previous Base model in the United States, leaving the better-equipped Sport as the cheapest Impreza available. The 2027 lineup reverses that decision by introducing a new Base trim beneath the RS.
That distinction matters because the lower number reflects a restructuring of the lineup rather than a US$2,000 reduction on the outgoing Sport. The Sport itself disappears for 2027, leaving just Base and RS versions. In practical terms, Subaru has restored a lower-cost doorway into the Impreza range only one model year after eliminating it. For buyers primarily interested in an affordable hatchback with standard all-wheel drive, that dramatically changes where the conversation begins.
Destination Charges Reduce the Effective Savings Slightly
The headline US$2,000 reduction compares manufacturer suggested retail prices before destination and delivery charges. Once those charges are included, the difference becomes slightly smaller. Subaru charged US$1,195 for destination on the 2026 Impreza, putting the least-expensive Sport at US$27,790 before taxes and other charges. For 2027, destination rises to US$1,245 in most states, giving the new Base an effective starting figure of US$25,840.
That means the comparable reduction including destination is US$1,950 rather than exactly US$2,000. There is an equally interesting detail at the opposite end of the lineup. The 2027 RS retains its US$29,495 MSRP, but the higher destination charge nudges its pre-tax total from US$30,690 for 2026 to US$30,740 for 2027. Subaru therefore has not simply reduced every Impreza price. Most of the affordability improvement is concentrated at the entry level.
The Cheaper Base Model Also Gains 28 Horsepower
Normally, moving down the price ladder means accepting less performance. The 2027 Impreza takes the opposite approach. The outgoing 2026 Sport uses a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated BOXER engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. Subaru is making its 2.5-litre BOXER engine standard across the entire 2027 U.S. lineup, giving even the US$24,595 Base model 180 horsepower.
That represents a 28-horsepower increase compared with the engine in the 2026 entry model, despite the lower starting MSRP. A Lineartronic continuously variable transmission and Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive remain standard. Both 2027 versions also receive steering-wheel paddle shifters, an eight-speed manual shift mode and dual-mode SI-Drive with Intelligent and Sport settings. The change effectively removes engine output as a reason to move from the Base to the RS, forcing the RS to justify its premium through equipment, styling and technology instead.
Subaru Has Not Turned the Base Impreza Into a Bare-Bones Car
The return of a cheaper trim could have meant a stripped-down specification, but the 2027 Base still contains a substantial amount of standard equipment. Subaru lists 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless access with push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, USB-A and USB-C charging ports and LED steering-responsive headlights with high-beam assist. Its infotainment system uses two 7-inch touchscreens with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety equipment is also a significant part of the standard package. Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assistance system includes features such as pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warnings, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control with lane centring and Emergency Stop Assist. In an affordable compact segment where equipment can quickly push transaction prices upward, that standard-content list is notable. The compromise compared with higher trims is more apparent in screen size, connectivity and luxury features than in the basic drivetrain or core driver-assistance technology.
The RS Keeps Its Price but Becomes a Very Different Value Proposition
Subaru has left the 2027 Impreza RS at US$29,495 before destination, matching its outgoing MSRP. With the new Base starting at US$24,595, however, there is now a US$4,900 gap between the two versions. In 2026, the difference between the Sport and RS MSRPs was only US$2,900. Because both 2027 trims now use the same 180-horsepower 2.5-litre engine, that larger premium is primarily buying additional equipment rather than additional engine performance.
The RS adds 18-inch wheels, fog lights, distinctive exterior and interior details, an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an upgraded wireless phone charger, heated front seats and other all-weather equipment. Blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert are also included. A US$2,070 option package adds a power moonroof, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, giving Subaru room to position the RS as the more premium Impreza.
Canada Is Still Showing a 2026 Impreza
As of September 25, 2026, Subaru Canada’s consumer website continues to identify the Impreza as a 2026 model. This does not appear to be a case of the entire Canadian website simply lagging one model year behind. The same vehicle page already lists 2027 versions of models including the BRZ, Solterra, Trailseeker and Uncharted, while the Impreza remains specifically identified as a 2026.
The Canadian Impreza lineup is also considerably broader than the new two-trim American range. Subaru Canada lists Convenience, Touring and RS versions. Their base MSRPs are C$28,295, C$31,625 and C$33,755 respectively, before freight and other applicable charges. On Subaru Canada’s site, the Convenience model is displayed at roughly C$30,885 with freight and fees included before tax, although final fees can vary by province. The result is a genuine model-year mismatch across the border rather than simply different ways of displaying otherwise identical cars.
Canada’s Current Entry Model Also Has a Different Engine
The Canadian 2026 Impreza Convenience is powered by the familiar 2.0-litre BOXER engine, rated at 152 horsepower. That makes the contrast with America’s incoming 2027 Base particularly noticeable: the U.S. car starts at a lower model-positioning level yet receives the larger 2.5-litre engine and 180 horsepower. Subaru Canada’s current Touring model also carries the 152-horsepower specification, while the Canadian RS is rated at 182 horsepower.
Equipment prevents a simple one-to-one comparison. Canada’s Convenience includes standard heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, dual 7-inch touchscreens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED steering-responsive headlights and EyeSight technology. It is therefore not simply the Canadian equivalent of a sparsely equipped American base car. Regional specifications have long allowed automakers to account for climate, customer preferences and pricing strategy. Until Subaru Canada announces a 2027 Impreza, there is no guarantee that the American trim structure or engine strategy will be copied directly.
The 2027 Impreza Is an Evolution, Not a New Generation
The dramatic pricing and powertrain changes might make the 2027 Impreza sound like an all-new vehicle, but it remains part of the sixth-generation family introduced for the 2024 model year. Subaru unveiled that generation in late 2022 with a hatchback-only body style for North America, an updated global platform and a stronger focus on technology and driver-assistance systems. The 2027 changes are therefore better understood as a significant lineup adjustment within an existing generation.
Its underlying practicality also remains familiar. Subaru lists 20.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear seats and 56 cubic feet when they are folded. For 2027, the company points to smaller refinements such as revised door-panel materials, updated console stitching and a newly available Ignition Red exterior colour. Those changes matter, but they are not the central story. The unusual combination of fewer trims, a lower entry price and a standard larger engine is what makes this model-year update stand out.
The Impreza Change Fits Subaru’s Recent Affordability Messaging
The Impreza announcement is not the only recent instance of Subaru emphasizing price discipline in the United States. When the company announced 2027 Forester pricing in September, it explicitly described affordability as a priority. The Forester’s base MSRP was kept at US$29,995, and Subaru said most trims would carry over their previous pricing even as the lineup evolved.
The Impreza goes further by actually lowering the published entry point. Subaru itself describes the streamlined 2027 lineup as being focused on affordability, and returning the Base model gives the brand an all-wheel-drive hatchback starting below US$25,000 before destination. That is strategically useful even though it should not be interpreted as evidence that every Subaru is becoming cheaper. The RS MSRP stays unchanged, destination fees rise, and equipment levels have been rearranged. What Subaru has clearly done is restore a lower-priced entry point while simultaneously giving that entry model the stronger engine previously associated with the RS.
The Next Canadian Announcement Will Be the One to Watch
For Canadian buyers, the most important information has not yet appeared on Subaru Canada’s public consumer pages: how the 2027 Impreza will be configured and priced locally. The U.S. model is scheduled to reach American retailers in late 2026, while Subaru Canada continues to promote and configure the 2026 Impreza. That leaves open several major questions, including whether Canada will adopt the simplified Base-and-RS lineup, keep three trims or retain different equipment packages.
The engine decision could prove even more significant. Moving every Canadian Impreza to the 2.5-litre engine would represent a notable change from today’s 152-horsepower Convenience and Touring models. Pricing will require equally careful comparison because Canadian and American MSRPs use different currencies, market-specific equipment and different freight-and-fee structures. For now, the confirmed story is distinctly American: Subaru has restored a cheaper Impreza entry point, added more standard power and created a US$24,595 starting MSRP. Whether Canada receives the same treatment remains unresolved.
