Subaru Impreza Review

Introduced in 1993, the Subaru Impreza has changed from a successful Rally Racing compact into a well known sporty daily commuter. Well known for its razor sharp handling and powerful boxer engine, the Impreza has found a place amongst not only the driving enthusiasts but also the economically minded. Priced under many vehicles offering the same performance and space, the compact Subaru supplies the most bang for the buck in its class. In addition, with a wide diversity of trims from the 2.5i to the WRX STI, there is an Impreza for every different type of person.

See also the main fact sheet for the Subaru Impreza.

High Points

 * More refined than previous generations
 * Excellent handling
 * Most speed in it's class
 * Standard 4 wheel drive

Low Points

 * Small rear-seat legroom (Kelley Blue Book)
 * Low-rent interior plastics (Motor Trend)
 * WRX's suspension foregoes comfort for performance (Edmunds.com)

Performance and Handling
In any of its many guises, the Subaru Impreza is a solid performer. All but the ultra-high performance WRX STi are comfortable, easy to live with, and quite practical. Any Impreza is very stable and forgiving, thanks to its all-wheel-drive system, which improves both performance and all-road capability and in certain respects adds a margin of safety.

Imprezas have always been fun. What stands out in the newest models is how refined it has become. It's almost as if years of incremental improvement have somehow reached critical mass and moved Impreza up a level or two. Particularly with the WRX, the Impreza makes its case with sophistication as much as thrills for the buck, the way the best small European cars do.

No doubt Subaru's Ring Frame Reinforced body helps. That's what the company calls the underlying structure, which now uses hydroformed sections and components stamped from tailored blanks. Those techniques have one key advantage: more strength and rigidity without an undue increase in weight. You might think of RFR as a safety cell in roughly a cube shape around the passenger compartment, and Subaru's primary objective is better occupant protection. Yet the structural improvements pay dividends in many ways, like more responsive handling, better ride quality and improved smoothness in just about every aspect of the Impreza's operation.

The new base Impreza engine has been massaged with new technology, including an electronic (drive-by-wire) throttle and variable valve timing and lift. This 2.5-liter four cylinder retains Subaru's familiar horizontally opposed cylinder design. The boxer, as it's called, was the engine design used in the original Volkswagen Beetle, and it's still used in Porsche's sports cars. The improvements to the Impreza engine increase horsepower by eight to 173 hp. By that figure, the Impreza 2.5i leaves competitors like the Mazda 3 and most Honda Civics in the dust.

Those familiar with a boxer engine will recognize the faint, loping vibration that makes its way through the flywheel and down the center of the car at idle. It's comforting to anyone who's owned an original Beetle (or 911). The other thing about boxers, compared to some inline four-cylinder engines, is an abundance of acceleration-producing torque at low- to mid-range engine rpm. Here the Impreza 2.5i has it all over most of its competitors, generating an impressive 166 pound-feet. And there's an added benefit to this good low-end response. In the past we've found the Impreza better suited than many four-cylinder cars to an automatic transmission. Acceleration is brisk, and thanks to the new variable valve operation, the Impreza 2.5i is more flexible. The engine breathes a little better than before at high rpm, and it keeps pulling strong further up into the rev range.

The Impreza WRX gets even more extensive improvements than the 2.5i, and a new engine entirely. Until now, the WRX was equipped with a smaller, 2.0-liter version of the boxer, powered up with a high-boost turbocharger. Now it gets the 2.5, still with a turbo and intercooler. Horsepower has increased by 13 to 230 hp; at least as significantly, torque increases by 18 to 235 pound-feet.

Along with the engine, the WRX gets aluminum suspension arms front and rear (as do some very expensive cars). The steering ratio is even quicker than before. The brakes, already large for this class, now have four-piston calipers in front. It's serious stuff, and should dissuade anyone who might still think of Impreza as an economy car.

The best news: the WRX may be more fun than ever. Some may lament the passing of the higher strung 2.0-liter engine, but the 2.5 is more mature. It feels more substantial at all speeds. It still makes revs quickly, to the point that under hard acceleration you might bump the rev limiter before you realize it's time to shift up. But the real, meaty grunt comes lower in the engine's power band. The power comes more evenly, and in greater quantity, and the ratios in the manual transmission are spaced nicely for the engine's power curve. The shifter is accurate, with even less free movement when it slots into a gear, and reasonably quick.

How quick is the WRX? This one will go 0-60 quicker than just about any compact around. Quicker than a Honda Civic Si, an Acura RSX Type S, a BMW 325i or an Audi A3 2.0 or A4 3.2. But more than the sheer speed, it's the feeling in the gut as the turbo spins, and the fun of working the engine. The pedals in the WRX are perfectly placed for our taste, and the controls operate with a light touch. More than ever, this little sedan feels like it's more than the sum of its parts.

The steering is light, too, maybe a touch lighter than some might wish, but the front tires respond quickly and the WRX turns into a corner crisply and accurately. During quick, repeated direction changes, its weight transfers smoothly, never herky-jerky, from side to side. Near the limits of tire grip, the WRX understeers, or plows just a little. You can just give it a little more gas, because the all-wheel-drive will tuck the front end in nicely and tighten the WRX's trajectory and guide it through the curve almost as if a cable was pulling it underneath. Even with a pronounced bit of body lean through fast curves, the WRX just sticks. That lean isn't a bad thing at all, once your sensibilities adjust. It means the WRX has good compliance, or wheel movement, and it keeps the tires pressed to the road surface even on very bumpy roads. Hammering down the worst roads, the WRX presses on, unflustered, and grips as good as some cars do on smooth pavement. The ride is quite comfortable, because the suspension does a great job of keeping those road shocks from finding their way through the floorboard and seat bottoms. A steady battery of potholes hardly produces a vibration through the dash or steering column or roof pillars.

No doubt that Ring Frame Reinforced body helps here. With the structural improvements, the WRX also gets more sound deadening material in the headliner, under the carpet and in the shift boot. For the first time, it's equipped with an underbody tray previously reserved for the WRX STi, This device effectively smoothes airflow under the car by removing obstruction that would force the air to change direction.

It works. At any speed you're likely to get away with on the highway, there's virtually no wind noise. Get the car going fast enough, and you might see the hood ruffle just a hint, but you won't hear it or feel it. The only thing you can really put your finger on is that faint loping vibration from the boxer engine, and it's not unpleasant. It's this new level of smoothness, and the sophisticated balance of ride quality and handling, that moves the Impreza above its predecessors to a new level of sophistication.

The WRX brakes work great, too, but it's more than impressive stopping power. The ABS is tuned in outstanding fashion. Try a panic stop on those battle-scared roads and the WRX stops like a champ without losing composure, even if you are turning at the same time.

The STi is another beast entirely. With 300 horsepower, the STi boasts a power-to-weight ratio that will embarrass a lot of expensive sport sedans and more than a few sports cars. Everything from its transmission to suspension to brakes is tuned to take advantage of all that horsepower.

Give it a little gas and this car jumps. Dip the pedal further, say another 25 percent, and the STi surges, almost angry that you haven't unhooked the leash. Floor it, and neither you nor your passenger will have any doubt what the fuss is about. The STi prefers the pedal flat. Power comes in big chunks, as opposed to the smoother fashion in the standard WRX, and the kick in the seat gets stronger the higher the engine revs. The engine is louder than the WRX's, and there's a steady, whiny humm from the heavy-duty gears in the transmission.

There's not much difference between the STi and some race cars, except that the STi has no roll cage and all its lights work. It's should therefore be no surprise that the STi is at its best on a track. On the road, its extra firm ride has its drawbacks. Even on relatively smooth pavement, the STi can feel like it's bouncing an inch or two every ten feet. The standard WRX has nearly all the capability most of us will ever use on the street, with less noise, less vibration and more comfort.

Gas Mileage
As seen on Autos.com, in the compact car MPG rankings, the 2007 Subaru Impreza is in 21st place with 22/29 MPG.

Safety
The Subaru Impreza comes standard with the following features:


 * Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
 * 4-wheel antilock brakes ABS
 * Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
 * 4-wheel independent suspension
 * Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
 * Dual driver and front-passenger front air bags
 * Subaru advanced frontal air bag system with driver's seat position sensor and front passenger seat occupant detection sensor
 * Front-seat-mounted head/chest side-impact air bags
 * Height-adjustable active front-seat head restraints (2002 only. From 2003, the headrest is a single piece with the seat.)
 * Three individual rear head restraints
 * Height-adjustable 3-point front seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters
 * 3-point seatbelts at all rear seating positions.
 * Rear child-safety door locks
 * Safety brake pedal system
 * Energy-absorbing collapsible steering column
 * Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame body structure with hydroformed front subframe structure

Reliability and Maintenance
2007 Subaru warranty information:

BASIC COVERAGE is 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.

SEAT BELT COVERAGE lasts for the useful life of the vehicle and includes seat belts and related components which fail to function properly during normal use.

WEAR ITEM COVERAGE is 3 year or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Items covered are brake pad/shoe linings, clutch linings, and wiper blades.

POWERTRAIN COVERAGE for all models is 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Subject to the exclusions listed in warranty information.

RUST PERFORATION COVERAGE for all models is 5 years, regardless of mileage.

SOA will pay the cost of having your car towed to the nearest Authorized SUBARU Dealer if it cannot be driven due to a defect covered by these warranties.

Interior and Comforts
The Subaru Impreza sports new fabrics and subtle new features inside, yet the effect of these and some hidden noise-suppression improvements add up to a sum greater than the parts.

The interior is one of the most obvious signs that the Impreza has grown up. The cabin is well designed, judged both by appearance and function, and it's also very well finished. The overall effect is that of a car selling in the $30,000 range, rather than an economy car priced in the low teens. The dash in the base Impreza 2.5i is trimmed with a dark gray metallic material. It's plastic, to be sure, but it looks good and doesn't come off as cheap. The new features enhance this upscale ambience: A sophisticated anti-theft system is now standard, as are cabin air filtration and an outside temperature gauge.

The wipers are located on a stalk to the right of the steering column, headlights to the left. Audio controls, particularly with the standard stereo, are on the small side, but the radio is placed prominently above the climate controls in the center stack, and closer to the driver's reach. The three climate control knobs are BIG. Even the standard mechanical/vacuum dials on the 2.5i work smoothly; the electronic switches for the automatic climate control in the WRX feel like the dials on some high-end home stereo systems. The front seats in the 2.5i, taken from the old Impreza RS, have as much bolster as the so-called sport seats in some cars.

The seats in the WRX have even more bolster, with a single-piece back that integrates the headrest. The gauge cluster hints that the WRX is a serious driver's car. It's tucked under a semi-circular hood, just as it is the 2.5i and Outback, but the tachometer sits square in the center, race-style, while the speedometer is secondary, to the right. The WRX dash trim is a lighter silver metallic, and this Impreza comes standard with leather on the steering wheel, shift knob and hand brake.

Front seats in the STi crank it up another notch. They're very firm, with bolster and shoulder wings on par with some aftermarket sport seats. The inserts are upholstered in loud blue Alcantara, with a heavy knit fabric (in black) on the bolsters. The big tach speaks volumes about the STi's intent with something you don't see every day: a 9,000-rpm redline. Despite the race-car design ambience, Subaru has finally accepted the reality of production cars sales and equipped the STi with a 140-watt stereo and CD changer.

The Impreza's rear seat is roomy for the class. The rear roof pillars are shaped such that getting in requires a steep head bob, but inside headroom and legroom are tolerable for people up to about six feet in height. There are three three-point seatbelts in back, but the Impreza is too narrow for adults to use all of them at the same time, unless those three people are on very, very good terms. With 11 cubic feet of storage space, the trunk is as roomy as it gets in this class. Think of the Impreza this way. Two people can carry all the luggage they'll conceivably need for a trip of any length, traveling comfortably throughout, with room to pick up a hitchhiker if they wish. The Impreza wagons have a 60/40 split fold-down rear seatback, with cargo retaining bars, a grocery-bag hook and cargo cover in all models.

With the rear seat in place, the Impreza wagon has more than twice the cargo space of the sedan (23.8 cubic feet). Fold the seat and it opens 61.6 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the front seats. How much is that? Almost as much as a full-size Cadillac Escalade SUV with its third seat removed (64 cubic feet), and not too much less than the maximum in a smaller SUV like the Chevy Equinox (68 cubic feet).

Exterior
The Impreza models have been restyled to reflect what Subaru calls its new brand identity. The centerpiece is a prominent three-section black mesh grille, which is supposed to reflect Subaru's aircraft heritage. Some reviewers have described the new Subaru look in unflattering terms. The new grille is flanked by comma-shaped light clusters, encased in tinted lenses. The taillight clusters are shaped similarly to those in front, with the red, yellow and clear lenses of individual lights gathered under a smoked cover. All models now have aluminum hoods to trim weight and improve weight balance front to rear (not something you expect on the typical small car). The fenders on all Impreza models are flared more aggressively, and the wheel wells are filled nicely with standard 16-inch rims.

The Impreza WRX now features the sculpted side sills previously reserved for the mighty STi. The 17-inch spoke wheels add purpose. The body-colored side mirrors, new smoked light lenses and softly shimmering paint (not to mention impressive overall panel fit) meld to create a jewel-like finish that would flatter cars costing twice as much.

The WRX STi has been stripped of what many considered its calling card: the big gaping scoop in its hood. Subaru says improved aerodynamics feed the STi engine and intercooler all the air they need through a narrower scoop identical to that on the standard WRX. Perhaps, but saving the cost of tooling a separate hood for the low-volume STi probably helped.

The STi was created as the homologation car, a required street-legal copy of Subaru's winning World Rally Championship cars. Those who care will notice the STi's slightly lower ride height, or the badges or the little spoiler at the trailing edge of the roof. And if none of those things are enough to announce the presence of the fastest Subaru ever, no worries. Absolutely no one will miss the giant, two-step rear wing. The STi's rear spoiler may be the most audacious in autodom. And if the wing doesn't shout "Look at me!" loud enough, there are optional gold wheels, just like those on the WRC race cars. They may not be particularly attractive, but they're genuine.

Styles and Options
The Subaru Impreza is available as a Sedan or Sport Wagon. There are 5 trims available: 2.5i, 2.5i Premium,Outback Sport, WRX,WRX Premium,WRX Limited, WRX STI, and WRX STI Limited.

Impreza 2.5i



 * 170-hp 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER engine
 * 170 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm
 * Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
 * Sport-tuned 4-wheel independent suspension
 * Sport-design front seats with height-adjustable active front-seat head restraints
 * Leather-wrapped shifter handle
 * 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat
 * Rear-center armrest with trunk pass-through
 * 80-watt 4-speaker audio system with single-disc in-dash CD player

Impreza WRX
Limited Package:
 * 265-hp 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled, turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine
 * 244 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm
 * Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
 * SIRIUS satellite radio capability
 * Projector-beam halogen fog lights
 * Sport-design instrumentation with silver gauge trim rings and center-mounted tachometer
 * Leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel with manually adjustable tilt column
 * Performance-design front seats with fixed integrated head restraints
 * 120-watt 6-speaker premium audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3/WMA capability
 * Auxiliary audio jack
 * Leather-trimmed upholstery
 * Dual-stage heated front seats
 * Power tilt/sliding-glass moonroof
 * Rear spoiler
 * Heated side mirrors and windshield wipers de-icer

Impreza WRX STI

 * 305-hp 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled, turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine
 * 290 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm
 * Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
 * SIRIUS satellite radio capability
 * High Intensity Discharge (HID) low beam and multireflector halogen high-beam headlights
 * STI-design instrumentation with aluminum gauge trim rings, center-mounted tachometer, gauge needles full-sweep on start-up and adjustable tachometer redline warning with audible indicator
 * STI high-performance-tuned exhaust system with single stainless-steel outlet
 * Leather-wrapped 3-spoke STI-design steering wheel with contrasting red stitching
 * STI-design front seats with fixed integrated head restraints and embroidered STI logos
 * Alcantara upholstery
 * 120-watt 6-speaker premium audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3/WMA capability
 * Auxiliary audio jack
 * Brembo® performance braking system. 4-wheel disc, ventilated front and rear. 4-piston front and dual-piston rear calipers.

Impreza WRX STI Limited

 * 305-hp 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled, turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine
 * 290 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm
 * Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
 * SIRIUS satellite radio capability
 * High Intensity Discharge (HID) low beam and multireflector halogen high-beam headlights
 * STI-design instrumentation with aluminum gauge trim rings, center-mounted tachometer, gauge needles full-sweep on start-up and adjustable tachometer redline warning with audible indicator
 * STI high-performance-tuned exhaust system with single stainless-steel outlet
 * Leather-wrapped 3-spoke STI-design steering wheel with contrasting red stitching
 * STI-design front seats with fixed integrated head restraints and embroidered STI logos
 * Leather-trimmed upholstery
 * Dual-stage heated front seats
 * Power tilt/sliding-glass moonroof
 * STI front-lip spoiler and rear spoiler
 * 120-watt 6-speaker premium audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3/WMA capability
 * Auxiliary audio jack

Main Competitors

 * Honda Civic: side-by-side comparison
 * Mazda Mazda3: side-by-side comparison
 * Ford Focus: side-by-side comparison
 * Dodge Caliber: side-by-side comparison
 * Volkswagen Jetta: side-by-side comparison
 * Nissan Sentra: side-by-side comparison
 * Toyota Corolla: side-by-side comparison
 * Hyundai Elantra: side-by-side comparison