Cheap cars aren't as cheap as they used to be. The latest culprit is the Subaru Impreza, which is a whole lot more expensive for 2026. The Japanese automaker axed the car's base trim and bumped prices on the remaining models, meaning the Impreza is effectively $3,125 pricer than last year.

Buyers will have just two trims to choose from for 2026, the Sport and the RS. The Sport starts at $27,790, including a $1,195 destination charge—$1,125 more than before. The RS, meanwhile, will start at $30,690. Here's the full price breakdown, including a year-to-year comparison:

At least you're getting a bit more for your money. The Impreza Sport comes standard with stuff like 18-inch dark alloy wheels, an "SI-DRIVE" performance management system, a sportier suspension, and an eight-speed manual mode for the CVT transmission. Inside, you'll find stuff like an 11.6-inch infotainment screen, Eyesight driver assist tech, and wireless Apple CarPlay. As before, the standard engine is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated boxer-four making 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque.

Upgrade to the Impreza RS, and you get a bigger 2.5-liter engine making 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque—sadly, still with a CVT. You also get some unique badging, black exterior trim, and LED headlights. The cabin gets a few improvements, too, in the form of "simulated" carbon fiber, specific front cloth seats with red bolsters, a wireless phone charger, and aluminum alloy pedal covers.

New for 2026 is a Citron Yellow Pearl paint color, which can be optioned on either trim for $395. A package that includes blind spot detection and a power moonroof can be optioned on the Sport for $1,900. Audiophiles will have to go for the RS, as that's the only way to option a Harman Kardon stereo system package for $2,070. That package also comes with a power moonroof and a power driver's seat.

More on the Impreza

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