Subaru Impreza Key Replacement in San Diego

A current Impreza remote head key runs $179 at the car, where the dealer's parts-and-labor figure is about $330. The 2008 to 2011 laser-cut key starts at $159.

Imprezas date back to the 1993 model year here, and they have used plain keys, chip keys, a laser-cut key, remote head keys and Keyless Access fobs. The year and trim decide which one your car needs.

Before 2015 the WRX and STI were Imprezas too, and they kept the laser-cut blade through 2014, three years after the regular Impreza gave it up. So a 2013 Impreza 2.0i and a 2013 WRX parked next to each other need different keys, $179 and $159. The Subaru page covers the rest of the lineup.

Subaru Impreza keys by model year

Find your year, and the row shows the key it takes, what the dealer charges and what we charge at the car.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Every price includes the drive to you anywhere in San Diego County. There is no trip fee and no after-hours rate inside our open hours. All keys lost adds $60.
Model years	Typical dealer	Value Car Keys	You keep
2005 to 2007: Transponder chip key (Chip on some trims only; most 2.5i keys are plain metal, $49 to $89)Immobilizers reached Subaru's lineup gradually from 2005, so a chipped key and a plain one look alike on these Imprezas. The VIN shows which your car takes, and the chip key is $139.	~~$250~~	$139	$111
2008 to 2011: High-security laser-cut keyThe third-generation Impreza used Subaru's laser-cut blade, its pattern milled down the center. Expect a chip here: every Subaru model had an immobilizer by 2009, and we confirm a 2008 by VIN.	~~$290~~	$159	$131
2012 to 2016: Remote head key (From 2015, cars with a start button, typically the Limited and Sport Limited, use a $259 fob)The 2012 redesign brought ordinary teeth back, moved the lock and unlock buttons into the head and used the G chip. WRX and STI kept the $159 laser-cut key through 2014.	~~$330~~	$179	$151
2017 to 2023: Remote head key (Push-button cars, mainly the Limited and some Sport trims, carry the $259 fob)The fifth-generation Impreza is where Subaru's H chip begins, per key suppliers. The key looks much like the 2012 to 2016 one, which is why we never judge the chip by the plastic.	~~$330~~	$179	$151
2024 to 2026: Remote head key (The RS and other start-button cars, by most listings, take a $259 fob)Hatchback only from 2024, with the sedan dropped. Turn-key cars keep a remote head key; a push-button car with every fob gone also needs the factory-alarm work described below.	~~$330~~	$179	$151

The new key next to the original.

Lost every Impreza key?

When your photo ID lines up with the registration or title, an Impreza with no working key is rebuilt from Subaru's key code record for its VIN. Chip cars have the lost key removed from the immobilizer before we go.

A 2005 to 2007 chip key comes to $199, a 2008 to 2011 car to $219 with the laser-cut key, a turn-key car from 2012 on to $239 with the remote head key, and a push-button Impreza to $319, which we confirm by VIN because newer cars add factory-alarm steps. Each of those includes the $60 no-key charge.

For an Impreza from the 1993 to 2004 model years, or a 2005 to 2007 car without a chip, there is nothing to program: we cut a plain key from the code. A found key would still turn that ignition, and locking it out for good means swapping the ignition cylinder for one cut to match the new key, $179 to $349.

Subaru Impreza key questions

Why does a 2013 WRX need a different key from a 2013 Impreza?

Because the WRX kept Subaru's laser-cut blade through 2014, while the regular Impreza went back to ordinary teeth in 2012. The WRX key is $159 and the Impreza remote head key is $179, both made on site. From 2015 the WRX became its own model, with a Keyless Access fob on cars that start with a button.

Does the 2009 Impreza use a chip key?

Yes. Every Subaru model had an immobilizer by 2009, and the 2008 to 2011 Impreza pairs that chip with a laser-cut blade. The chip is set up through the diagnostic port once the blade is cut, which is why a key counter's copy is not enough. The key costs $159 in your driveway, with the dealer figure near $290.

My 2018 Impreza starts with a button. What does a new fob cost?

It is $259 at the car for a Keyless Access fob. We cut its emergency blade and pair it so it unlocks the doors and starts the engine. A Subaru dealer tends to land around $500 with parts and labor combined. If no fob works at all, add $60, and we confirm the job by VIN first.

Can a 1990s Impreza still get a new key from you?

Yes, and it is a simple job. Imprezas from the 1993 to 2004 model years usually start on plain metal with no chip inside, so the key is cut from the code or copied from your old one, and there is nothing to program. It runs $49 to $89, about what a dealer charges, so the value is that we come to the car.

Other Subaru models

Text us your Subaru Impreza year and trim

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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