GC8: Subaru Impreza
GC/GF (1st generation). 2.0 EJ20 sedan/coupe: WRX, WRX STi, 22B and NA HX-20S.
- Code
- GC8
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Impreza
- Generation
- GC/GF (1st generation)
- Variant
- 2.0 EJ20 sedan/coupe: WRX, WRX STi, 22B and NA HX-20S
- Prefixed forms 排出ガス規制識別記号
- E-GC8
Production in Japan
The first and last production dates recorded for GC8 in Japan, with the source for each date and how far the dates can be trusted.
| What | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start (Japan) | Sep 1992 | Subaru recall 479: Legacy and Impreza (9 July 1997), affected type codes and build periods manufacturer |
| End (Japan) | Jul 2000 | Carsensor catalogue: Subaru Impreza generation model periods catalog |
| Confidence | Medium | At least one date comes from a Japanese catalogue or Wikipedia, not the manufacturer. |
Notes as recorded
Start is the earliest documented build: Subaru recall 479 lists E-GC8 from GC8-001301 built 8 September 1992; announced 22 October 1992 and on sale 2 November 1992. End: Carsensor's 1st-generation model period ends July 2000 and Japanese Wikipedia says production ended July 2000 (sales August 2000). GC8 also covers two-door coupes (type R, 22B) and the naturally aspirated HX-20S, so the code alone does not mean WRX.
Read this before you rely on the dates
The sources for this row disagree, so treat both dates as approximate until the car’s own plate settles it.
“Notes as recorded” above says what each source gives and where they part.
US import eligibility
Worked out from the dates above, as of November 13, 2026 (PT). Eligibility is decided by the specific car’s build date on its plate.
- First builds turn 25 NHTSA, 49 CFR 591.5(i)
- Sep 2017
- Last builds turn 25 NHTSA, 49 CFR 591.5(i)
- Jul 2025
- First builds clear 21 years EPA Form 3520-1, code E
- 2013
- Last builds clear 21 years EPA Form 3520-1, code E
- 2021
- Status today 2026-11-13
- Every build is past 25 years
The 25-year line is the NHTSA age exemption for a vehicle not built to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (49 CFR 591.5(i)), counted from the date of manufacture. The 21-year line is the EPA exemption on Form 3520-1, counted by calendar year and limited to a car in its original configuration.
Eligibility is decided by the specific car’s build date on its plate, not by the chassis code and not by the model year. Two cars of the same code can sit on different sides of the line.
The form opens the eligibility check with this code filled in. General information, not legal advice.
Related codes
Prefixed forms of this code, other codes of the same generation, and the other Impreza rows in the register.
| Code | What it is | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| E-GC8 | Prefixed form of this code: same car, checked with the prefix as stamped | Check this prefixed form → |
| GDA | GD/GG (2nd generation): Jul 2000 to Jun 2007 | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GDB | GD/GG (2nd generation): Sep 2000 to Jun 2007 | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GF8 | GC/GF (1st generation): Aug 1993 to Jul 2000 | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GGB | GD/GG (2nd generation): Sep 2000 to 2002 | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GRB | GR/GV (3rd generation WRX STI): Sep 2007 to Aug 2014 | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GRF | GR/GV (3rd generation WRX STI): Feb 2009 to unknown | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GVB | GR/GV (3rd generation WRX STI): Jun 2010 to unknown | See it on the Subaru page → |
| GVF | GR/GV (3rd generation WRX STI): Jun 2010 to unknown | See it on the Subaru page → |
Where next
The pages that finish the job for this code.
- Subaru WRX STi: the model file, with its chassis codes, US eligibility and what a landed import costs.
- Subaru chassis codes: every Subaru code in the register, grouped by model.
- The full chassis code list: every make, with a source for each date.
- Japanese VIN and chassis number decoder: read a chassis number off a plate and find the code.
- Landed cost: duty, fees, freight and registration, line by line, with sources.
General information only, not legal, customs or tax advice. Dates are researcher readings of the cited sources and can be wrong; eligibility is decided by the build date of the specific car. Confirm current requirements with CBP, NHTSA, the EPA and your state motor vehicle agency before importing.