1998 Subaru Impreza — 2.5L

The 1998 Subaru Impreza recorded 46 complaints, 2 recalls, and 24 TSBs, placing it in a period of moderate complaint activity within the model's generational arc. This represents an uptick from 1997 (34 complaints) but precedes a significant drop in 1999 (22 complaints), suggesting 1998 may have been a model year that experienced specific issues that did not persist into the next. Notably, 1998 had fewer recalls than both surrounding years (2 vs. 3 in both 1997 and 1999), and the TSB count was at its lowest point in the late 1990s before climbing steadily from 1999 onward. The complaint trend across the generation shows a relatively calm period in the late 1990s followed by a dramatic spike in 2002 (300 complaints, 4 investigations), indicating that major reliability concerns emerged later in the platform's lifecycle. The top complaint areas—Suspension (13), Power Train (10), and Engine & Engine Cooling (6)—suggest structural and drivetrain concerns, with one crash complaint recorded and zero fire complaints. Given that 1998 falls in a relatively stable pocket before the significant escalation of issues in the early 2000s, it represents a reasonably safe purchase within this generation, though prospective buyers should verify suspension and drivetrain component condition given the complaint patterns.