SUBARU Impreza
GC/GF (first generation) / GC (First Generation) / GC/GF / GC/GF (First generation) / 1997-2021 / Sedan/Hatchback/Wagon / Sedan / Hatchback / Wagon / Sedan / Wagon / Hatchback / Sedan and Hatchback
Year and trim selector
Choose the exact year and trim to see engine, oil and service details.
1997 SUBARU Impreza EJ15/EJ16 (GC/GF)
GC/GF / EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 / Horizontally opposed (boxer) four-cylinder petrol engines, naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants depending on market.
1998 SUBARU Impreza EJ18/EJ20 (GC)
GC / EJ18, EJ20, EJ22 / The 1998 Subaru Impreza’s main engines include the EJ18 1.8L flat-4 (primarily in Japan and Europe), the EJ20 2.0L flat-4 (Japan and some export markets), and the EJ22 2.2L flat-4 (mostly North America). Power varies with market and emissions; EJ20 turbocharged versions were typically reserved for WRX model lines, not base trims.
1999 SUBARU Impreza EJ15/EJ16 (GC/GF)
GC/GF / EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 / Range of 1.5L to 2.0L flat-4 boxer engines; EJ20 most common for performance versions in all markets, with EJ16 and EJ18 used in some regions including Japan and Europe.
2000 SUBARU Impreza EJ15/EJ16 (GC/GF)
GC/GF / EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 / Horizontally opposed (boxer) 4-cylinder engines with SOHC or DOHC; naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants depending on market and trim.
2001 SUBARU Impreza EJ15/EJ20 (GC/GF)
GC/GF / EJ15, EJ20, EJ25 / Naturally aspirated and turbocharged flat-four boxer engines with variations by market: EJ15 and EJ20 commonly in Japan and Europe, EJ25 primarily in North America.
2003 SUBARU Impreza EJ20/EJ25 (GD)
GD / EJ20, EJ25 / Naturally aspirated and turbocharged 4-cylinder horizontally opposed boxer engines; EJ20 in 2.0L variants and EJ25 in 2.5L variants depending on market and trim. Turbocharged versions mainly in WRX trims.
2004 SUBARU Impreza EJ205/EJ20 (GD/GG)
GD/GG / EJ205, EJ20, EJ253, EJ254 / Horizontally opposed 4-cylinder boxer engines, 1.5 to 2.5 liters, naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants depending on market
2005 SUBARU Impreza EJ205/EJ204 (GD)
GD / EJ205, EJ204, EJ20Y, EJ253, EJ255 / Horizontally opposed (Boxer) 4-cylinder petrol engines; naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants available depending on market
2007 SUBARU Impreza EJ20/EJ25 (GD/GG)
GD/GG / EJ20, EJ25 / Horizontally opposed (boxer) 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants depending on market; 2.0L used in Japan/Europe/Australia, 2.5L common in North America
2009 SUBARU Impreza EJ255/EJ204 (GD/GB)
GD/GB / EJ255, EJ204, EJ20 / Naturally aspirated and turbocharged flat-4 Boxer engines varying by market; EJ255 2.5L turbo used in WRX variants mostly in NA and Australia, EJ204 and EJ20 2.0L variants mainly for Japan and Europe.
2012 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FA20 (GR/GV)
GR/GV / FB20, FA20, EJ255, EJ204 / 2012 Subaru Impreza used mainly four-cylinder horizontally opposed (boxer) engines including FB20 (2.0L SOHC), FA20 (2.0L DOHC direct injection, mainly Japanese market WRX later on), and EJ-series 2.0L/2.5L engines mainly in WRX and turbocharged models.
2013 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FA20 (GP/GJ)
GP/GJ / FB20, FA20, EJ253 / 1.6L FB16 (Japan entry), 2.0L FB20 (standard in many markets), 2.0L FA20 (high-performance in select markets), 2.5L EJ253 (North America). Naturally aspirated boxer engines.
2014 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FB16 (GP/GJ (hatchback/sedan))
GP/GJ (hatchback/sedan) / FB20, FB16, FA20 / 1.6L FB16 (Japan), 2.0L FB20 (most markets), high-performance 2.0L FA20 (WRX/STI variants, not covered here)
2015 SUBARU Impreza FB16/FB20 (GP/GJ)
GP/GJ / FB16, FB20, FA20 / 1.6L to 2.0L naturally aspirated flat-four engines with variations by market: FB16 (1.6L), FB20 (2.0L), and FA20 (2.0L direct injection, mainly in North America and sport trims)
2017 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FB16 (GK (hatchback), GT (sedan))
GK (hatchback), GT (sedan) / FB20, FB16, FA20 / 1.6L FB16 flat-4 (Japan), 2.0L FB20 flat-4 (main global including North America), 2.0L FA20D direct injection flat-4 (Japan sportier trims)
2018 SUBARU Impreza FB16/FB20 (GK/GP)
GK/GP / FB16, FB20 / Horizontally opposed 4-cylinder petrol engines; FB16 (1.6L) in select markets, FB20 (2.0L) in majority of markets
2020 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FB16 (GK/GT)
GK/GT / FB20, FB16, FA20 / Naturally aspirated flat-four engines ranging from 1.6L to 2.0L, varying by market.
2021 SUBARU Impreza FB20/FB16 (GK/GT)
GK/GT / FB20, FB16, FA24 / Naturally aspirated and turbocharged flat-4 boxer engines; 1.6L FB16 for Japan, 2.0L FB20 for most markets, 2.4L FA24 turbo in WRX variants.
Engine codes by year
| Year | Trim | Engine codes | Displacement | Fuel system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | technical-profile | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | 1.5L to 2.0L | Multipoint fuel injection |
| 1998 | technical-profile | EJ18, EJ20, EJ22 | 1795 cc (EJ18), 1994 cc (EJ20), 2237 cc (EJ22) | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 1999 | technical-profile | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | 1.5L - 2.0L | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2000 | technical-profile | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | 1.5L - 2.0L | Electronic fuel injection |
| 2001 | technical-profile | EJ15, EJ20, EJ25 | 1.5L, 2.0L, 2.5L flat-four boxer engines | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2003 | technical-profile | EJ20, EJ25 | 1994-2457 cc | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2004 | technical-profile | EJ205, EJ20, EJ253, EJ254 | 1.5 L to 2.5 L | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2005 | technical-profile | EJ205, EJ204, EJ20Y, EJ253, EJ255 | 1994 cc | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2007 | technical-profile | EJ20, EJ25 | 1994 cc (EJ20), 2457 cc (EJ25) | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2009 | technical-profile | EJ255, EJ204, EJ20 | 1994-2457 cc (2.0L and 2.5L) | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2012 | technical-profile | FB20, FA20, EJ255, EJ204 | 1995cc (FB20/FA20), 2457cc (EJ255), 1994cc (EJ204) | Multi-point fuel injection (FB20/FA20), direct injection in FA20, multi-point injection in EJ-series |
| 2013 | technical-profile | FB20, FA20, EJ253 | 1598 cc - 2498 cc (market dependent) | Multi-point electronic fuel injection |
| 2014 | technical-profile | FB20, FB16, FA20 | 1595-1995 cc | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2015 | technical-profile | FB16, FB20, FA20 | 1595 cc, 1995 cc | Multi-point fuel injection (FB16, FB20), Direct injection (FA20) |
| 2017 | technical-profile | FB20, FB16, FA20 | 1595 cc (FB16), 1995 cc (FB20, FA20) | Multi-point EFI (FB16, FB20), Direct Injection + EFI (FA20D) |
| 2018 | technical-profile | FB16, FB20 | 1599 cc (FB16), 1995 cc (FB20) | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2020 | technical-profile | FB20, FB16, FA20 | 1595 cc - 1995 cc | Multi-point fuel injection |
| 2021 | technical-profile | FB20, FB16, FA24 | 1595 cc (FB16), 1995 cc (FB20), 2378 cc (FA24) | Multi-point fuel injection |
Oil capacity by engine
| Year | Engine codes | Oil type | Oil capacity | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | SAE 5W-30 or 10W-30, API service classification SJ or higher | Approximately 3.7L (service fill with filter change) | Subaru Genuine ATF or equivalent |
| 1998 | EJ18, EJ20, EJ22 | API SJ or higher, 5W-30 or 10W-30 depending on climate | Approx. 3.3 L service-fill including filter (varies by engine) | Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatic; gear oil GL-4 75W-90 for manual |
| 1999 | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | SAE 5W-30 synthetic or equivalent | Approximately 3.7 L (including filter), service-fill; oil filter change recommended with oil | Use Subaru Genuine Manual Transmission Oil or equivalent for manual; ATF for automatic |
| 2000 | EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20 | API SJ or higher motor oil, 5W-30 or 10W-30 (consult local specifications) | Approximately 3.7 liters (including filter) for 2.0L, varies for smaller engines; service-fill including filter change | Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatic, API GL-4 or GL-5 gear oil for manual |
| 2001 | EJ15, EJ20, EJ25 | API Service SH or higher grade 5W-30 or 5W-40 synthetic or conventional depending on market and climate | Approx. 4.7 liters (service fill with filter change) | Subaru genuine ATF or manual transmission fluid meeting Subaru specs |
| 2003 | EJ20, EJ25 | API SJ or higher, 5W-30 commonly recommended | Approx. 4.2-4.5 L including filter (service fill, refer to exact market and engine code for specification) | Check market-specific Subaru CVT or AT fluid specifications where applicable |
| 2004 | EJ205, EJ20, EJ253, EJ254 | API SJ/SL or higher grade, SAE 5W-30 commonly recommended | Approx. 4.5 L (including filter), service-fill; always replace oil filter during oil change | Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatics; manual gear oil per Subaru specs |
| 2005 | EJ205, EJ204, EJ20Y, EJ253, EJ255 | API SL or better, 5W-30 recommended | Approx. 4.4 L (engine oil service-fill with filter change) depending on engine variant | Refer to Subaru specification for AT/MT fluid, typically Subaru ATF or equivalent |
| 2007 | EJ20, EJ25 | SAE 5W-30 or 5W-40 synthetic recommended | Approximately 4.4 liters with filter during service-fill (varies by engine and model) | Subaru ATF or specified manual gear oil depending on transmission type |
| 2009 | EJ255, EJ204, EJ20 | SAE 5W-30 synthetic or equivalent per market/service manual | Approx. 4.8 liters (including filter) - service fill, varies by engine | API GL-4 gear oil or as specified in service manual |
| 2012 | FB20, FA20, EJ255, EJ204 | Synthetic 5W-30 or 5W-40 API SN or better | Approx. 4.7 L (service fill including filter) for FB20/FA20; ~6.4 L for turbo EJ255 including filter | Use Subaru specified ATF or manual transmission fluid, varies by transmission type |
| 2013 | FB20, FA20, EJ253 | API SN or higher grade, 0W-20 or 5W-30 synthetic recommended | Approx. 4.4 liters (includes filter) - varies between engines; service-fill including oil filter change | Use Subaru CVTF for CVT or ATF-HP for automatic transmissions |
| 2014 | FB20, FB16, FA20 | API SM or higher, 5W-30 synthetic recommended | Approx. 4.7 L service fill with filter change | Subaru ATF or equivalent for manuals and CVTs |
| 2015 | FB16, FB20, FA20 | API SN or later, SAE 0W-20 synthetic recommended | Approximately 4.7 liters including filter (service-fill, includes oil filter replacement) | Refer to Subaru CVT fluid or manual transmission oil per market specifications |
| 2017 | FB20, FB16, FA20 | API SN or higher, SAE 0W-20 or 5W-30 synthetic | Approximately 4.3 liters (service fill, includes oil filter change) | SUBARU High Performance CVT Fluid (for CVT models) |
| 2018 | FB16, FB20 | SAE 0W-20 synthetic recommended by Subaru | Approximately 4.4 liters (service fill including filter change; varies slightly by engine and market) | Subaru CVT Fluid or equivalent synthetic ATF with friction modifier for CVT |
| 2020 | FB20, FB16, FA20 | API SN or later, SAE 0W-20 recommended for most engines | Approx. 4.3 L including oil filter (service-fill volume varies with engine code and configuration) | Subaru ATF or equivalent CVT fluid specified by market |
| 2021 | FB20, FB16, FA24 | API SN or higher, SAE 0W-20 synthetic recommended | Approx. 4.5 liters (service-fill with filter change) | Use Subaru High Performance CVT Fluid or equivalent for CVT; manual uses Subaru manual transmission fluid |
Technical specifications
- Engines: EJ15, EJ16, EJ18, EJ20, EJ22, EJ25, EJ205, EJ253, EJ254, EJ204, EJ20Y, EJ255
- Transmissions: 5-speed manual, 3- or 4-speed automatic (market dependent), Subaru Genuine ATF or equivalent, 5-speed manual (varies by market), 4-speed automatic available in some markets, Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatic; gear oil GL-4 75W-90 for manual, 5-speed manual (varies by market and trim), 4-speed automatic available on select trims and markets
- Tire sizes: 175/65R14, 185/60R14, 195/50R16, 205/55R15, 185/65R14, 195/60R15, 205/55R16, 205/50R16, 215/45R16, 215/45R17
- Bolt pattern: Verify by exact trim and wheel package
- Wheel torque: Verify by VIN and wheel package
- Battery: Verify by engine, market and equipment package
Fluids and service data
- Engine oil: SAE 5W-30 or 10W-30, API service classification SJ or higher / API SJ or higher, 5W-30 or 10W-30 depending on climate / SAE 5W-30 synthetic or equivalent / API SJ or higher motor oil, 5W-30 or 10W-30 (consult local specifications)
- Transmission fluid: Subaru Genuine ATF or equivalent / Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatic; gear oil GL-4 75W-90 for manual / Use Subaru Genuine Manual Transmission Oil or equivalent for manual; ATF for automatic / Use Subaru ATF or equivalent for automatic, API GL-4 or GL-5 gear oil for manual
- Coolant: Approx. 7.2L / Approx. 7.5 L / Approximately 7.5 L / Approx. 7 liters
- Brake fluid: DOT 3 or DOT 4 / DOT 3 or DOT 4, changed every 2 years / DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid / DOT 3 or DOT 4 recommended
Known problems
- Head gasket failures common in some EJ20 engines
- Rust in wheel arches and underbody
- Timing belt deterioration requires regular replacement
- Head gasket leaks in later high-mileage engines
- Timing belt replacement critical
- Rust susceptibility in certain regions
- Head gasket leaks especially in higher mileage EJ20 engines
- Timing belt wear
- Rust in some climates
- Head gasket failures (notably on early 2.0L EJ20 engines)
- Suspension wear in higher mileage cars
- Head gasket failure in EJ20 engines