1st Gen (1993 to 2001)

Introduced for the 1993 model year, the first-generation Subaru Impreza marked a turning point for Subaru, replacing the Leone and establishing a compact, performance-capable platform that would define the brand for decades. Offered primarily as a sedan (GC) and wagon/hatchback (GF), the Impreza was built around Subaru’s signature symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, giving it strong on-road grip and genuine off-road capability relative to its peers. Subaru’s decision to campaign the Impreza in the World Rally Championship proved transformative, with the model achieving major success and securing multiple Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships, cementing its place in motorsport history. To capitalise on this success, Subaru introduced a range of high-performance homologation and road-going variants including the WRX, WRX STi, 22B STi, and P1, which remain some of the most celebrated Japanese performance cars ever built. Total first-generation Impreza production exceeded approximately 1.5 million units worldwide, though high-performance variants represent only a small fraction of that figure. In the Australian market, first-generation Imprezas—particularly WRX and STi models—hold strong cultural significance due to rally exposure, local motorsport participation, and early official deliveries, with values driven by variant, originality, mileage, condition, and provenance, as clean and unmodified examples continue to tighten in supply.