What's your opinion about Subaru impreza ?

Answer 1

I've owned a 2004 WRX with the 2L turbo four for just over three years. In 44,009 miles I've had precisely one problem with it -- a wire got pinched and short-circuited the relay that controlled the power windows.

And I have NOT used it lightly. I have competed in rallycross, autocross, and road rallies, I've driven it on the racetrack and made literally dozens of ten-hour trips in it (that was the main purpose for which I bought the car, driving between Portland, OR and San Francisco, CA in all weather conditions). I've driven it -- hard -- on gravel, snow, mud, ice, grass, dirt, and lots and lots of tarmac, wet and dry. It has devoured everything I've thrown at it, and still feels as solid and responsive as ever.

The full-time all-wheel drive is a significant performance advantage on all surfaces -- dry pavement as well as wet, snow, mud and gravel -- on the top two performance models. (To find out why, take a high-performance driving school and learn how to use it to your advantage.) Even on the lowest-powered Impreza, the non-turbocharged 2.5, the all-wheel drive gives phenomenal grip, responsiveness and control on mud, wet pavement, and other low-traction environments. If you live where it rains or snows, or if you regularly drive on gravel or dirt roads, the Impreza will have a serious advantage over anything else in its price range.

The main negative about the Impreza is that, because it's the least-expensive Subaru available in North America, it suffers slightly from cost-cutting measures, particularly in sound insulation. Especially if you use blocky, aggressive tires, the road noise can drone a bit, particularly on concrete (rather than asphalt) surfaces. Fit and finish, on the other hand, is of the high quality you'd expect from a modern, automated Japanese manufacturer, and the materials used on the seats, dash and interior panels in my car are of good quality for the price point. And the newer "Limited" trim level of the 2006 WRX upgrades you to leather seats if you like.

Utility and usability are both high on the Impreza, especially if you choose the 5-door wagon model with folding rear seats and a large hatch. Even with the four-door, however, you get a huge trunk and decent rear seating space. (I found it easier to get into the rear seat of the Impreza, with the driver's seat adjusted for me, than into the rear of the Audi A4, for example, and since I have three growing children, that was a major concern for me.) And for the past several years, Subaru have placed child-seat tethers into the rear seats of their cars, so if you're looking for someplace safe to put an infant or child safety seat, the back of an Impreza is a good choice.

There are three basic power levels: the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated model (no longer called the RS; I can't remember the 2006 designation for this model), with about 170 bhp, is nimble and responsive, and reasonably fuel efficient. The new-for-2006 2.5L WRX, rated at 230 bhp, offers an increase in low-end response and drivability over the old (227-bhp) 2L WRX. And the top-of-the-line WRX STI (no longer called the STi, as apparently nobody could remember to let go of the shift key on the last letter) has 300 horsepower, larger brakes, a 6-speed transmission, and other upgrades to handle the additional power.

But perhaps one of the best features about the Impreza is the breadth of aftermarket tuning gear available for it, especially for the turbocharged WRX. Bolt-on equipment allows you to change the intake, turbo, and exhaust components easily, and suspension upgrades let you dial in as much stiffness or compliance as you want. Perhaps best of all, the Subaru ECU used to control the engine's operation is easily modified to enhance the car's performance by changing the ignition timing, boost levels, and fuel ratio maps. This lets a knowledgeable tuner achieve surprising gains in responsiveness and performance without even opening the hood -- it's possible to plug into the OBD-II port (under the steering wheel on US models) and install new performance maps, about as easily as downloading a browser plugin.

Other cars to consider: If you're looking at the top-of-the-line STI model, you really need to look at the Mitsubishi Evo as well. They're about the same price; the consensus is that the Evo is sharper, more raw, and crisper (plus a little quicker) on the track, while the STI is a more balanced package for real-world driving and usability. Either one is about $8000 (US dollars) more than the WRX, though, which is in turn about $6000 more than the non-turbocharged Impreza.

In addition, Subaru's own Forester is based on the Impreza platform, meaning the floor pan, engine and suspension are all the same. (Yes, this means it's possible to upgrade the Forester with WRX parts...) The Forester is larger inside, taller, and less aggressively styled; I've sometimes thought that a Forester turbo would make an excellent "stealth" vehicle, with a selection of aftermarket enhancements. But I'm not yet tired of my 2004 WRX sedan.

Answer 2

Well it's impressive. The WRX is fast, handles well and the intercooler with a water spray is genuine stuff to impress everyone. Subaru is master of 4WD. Even their smaller cars are equipped with 4WD. With 4 doors, the impreza is a practical alternative to a spotscar.

Answer 3

Well firstly im assuming ur refering to the WRX version of hte impreza, now personaly although its undoubtly a quick car and looks gr8 i prefer the look of the mitsi evo, although its alot blockier than the scooby it to me has a more attactive look about it. Also to be honest in my neck of the woods they are becoming very common and dont really turn heads anymore unlike the evo which is still a bit rare ont he streets and still looks good. although there are many cars out there that have gr8 performance an great looks.........like everything else depends on ur taste and budget :)

Answer 4

subaru's are not bad cars still a little wacky in a cool way the manual shift transmissions feel pretty tired and sloppy at 100k of city traffic. and there have been head gasket failures resulting in slow leaks of coolant on certain models for certain years but with reasonable care they seem to last a long time i have a customer who moved down from rust belt w/4yr old car they should have opted for extra undercoating but it should last a long time yet. wrx rocks.

Answer 5

Just like a Subaru-fantastico

Answer 6

Impreza's are tamed WRX sti's, get an sti. I am sure that it is a good car, it's just that I love that AWD Turbo! Makes me drool!

Answer 7

Even the base non-turbo impreza has all weel drive and decent power, smooth ride, and not as bland as most japanese small cars

Answer 8

Good reliability. The STI version is the most expensive, but it has the performance standards of cars costing more than double its price tag.

Answer 9

Very good,basicly a detuned wrx.

Answer 10

If you wanna a car with looks and performance. WRX is wat you need. Very good cars, that do well on the streets and on snow,sand, etc.