Provided are: a zoom lens including, in order from an object side, a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, an intermediate group as a whole, a negative lens group, and a rear group, wherein the intermediate group includes, in order from an object side, a first positive lens subgroup including one or two positive lenses, a first negative lens subgroup including only one cemented lens, a second negative lens subgroup including a negative lens with a concave surface facing an object, and a second positive lens subgroup including one or two positive lenses, the cemented lens constituting the first negative lens subgroup has at least one cemented surface with a convex surface facing an object, and a lens, closest to an image, of the second positive lens subgroup is a positive lens; and an imaging apparatus including the zoom lens.