Subaru Impreza GK

The GK Impreza (2017-2023) is the US-market compact built on Subaru's Global Platform, the everyday AWD sedan and hatch for buyers who want standard all-wheel drive, strong safety scores and cheap running costs. It's not exciting, but it's honest, well-built transportation, and 2026 used pricing reflects that: clean examples typically run from around $11,000 to $16,000, with low-mile Limited wagons toward the top and base sedans at the bottom. The sole engine is the FB20 2.0L boxer, a sensible, durable unit, but the early years carry baggage you must check before signing. Most important is the PCV valve recall on certain 2017-2018 cars: the aluminum PCV valve can come apart and send debris into the engine, causing power loss and, worst case, internal engine damage. Verify this recall is closed before you buy, it's the single most consequential issue on the GK and a deal-breaker if open. On the test drive, the biggest watch items are the CVT and the glass. The CVT can shudder or hesitate from a stop, part of the broader Subaru CVT class-action picture, so pull away gently several times and feel for vibration; ask for fluid-service records. The windshield cracks easily, and 2022 cars were caught up in a clearcoat-bonding recall under which Subaru offered exchange or repurchase, while routine replacement with EyeSight recalibration runs $1,000-$1,500. EyeSight itself occasionally drops out with fault messages, and the Starlink infotainment can freeze or reboot. Other nags: the clearcoat flakes on some colors (notably the lighter shades), a parasitic battery drain tied to the DCM/telematics module can leave the car dead after sitting, and the A/C compressor can fail, a typical $700-$1,200 job. Check the windshield meticulously in raking light, cycle EyeSight and the screen, and confirm the battery holds charge after the car has sat. Insider pick: a later GK (2019 on, past the PCV recall window) with a documented CVT fluid service, a crack-free windshield and a healthy battery, that's a cheap, safe, low-drama all-weather daily that'll run well past 150,000 miles with little more than fluids and tires.