I plan to replace my 11 year old Mazda in the next year or so. I like Subarus and an Impreza would suit me well. I've test driven a 2.0 sport and found it a bit lacking in torque so I'm considering the WRX, though I haven't driven one yet.
Are there any owners (of either variant) on this forum who could give an opinion. I'd be buying the Sportswagon.
Thanks
Pete
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I've had a 2004 WRX saloon from new and six years later still enjoy driving it - I'd never kept a car longer than three years prior to this one.
The torque issue is an interesting one. I don't know what the figures are but the WRX can feel very ordinary until the turbo starts spinning. In reality this means that urban driving can require a bit of "planning" e.g. pulling away from a roundabout where you haven't come to a complete halt can still be a gamble in second gear unless you slip it - dropping it into first means a fight against the syncromesh and whiplash all round.
You certainly get used to it and adapt your driving to suit but I wouldn't describe it as a "nippy" car around town. Of course on A and B roads it all comes together beautifully and is a real pleasure to drive. Motorways are fine (fair bit of road noise) but enough torque to leave it in 5th all day.
Positives: Reliability - I've had nothing other than "consumables" with mine. Regular fully synth oil changes, brake pads and disks (not expensive). Lots of info on the car available to do these things yourself. I find the ride fine - it can be a bit jiggly but the firmness is welcomed when on the country roads. It is very sensitive to type of tyre (and amount of tread left) - I have just changed to Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas for about £90 per corner and they seem fantastic - the extra stiff sidewalls have made a big difference to the feel of the car.
Negatives: Insurance - although mines now down to about £350 fully comp. Saxos - seem to like following you (although when they see the old bloke driving they tend to get bored). Fuel consumption about 26-ish.
I would certainly test drive one and if you get a chance have a go of a PPPd version (the official tweaked version gives an extra 40 bhp but more importantly changes the low down torque without too much change on mpg).
I'm on the lookout for a Legacy Spec B because I need an estate but it will be a sad day when the Impreza has to go (but of course if you're after a one owner, lovingly cared for....) ;)
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Thanks very much - that's really helpful. I would never have known about the urban driving idiosyncracy, and it's given me something to look out for when I test drive a WRX.
It's good to have the reliability confirmed - I'd be looking to hang on to it for 7+ years.
Is the 26ish fuel consumption in mixed driving? I know they're heavy on fuel.
Good luck with the search for a Spec B tourer. I think they're great, just a bit too big for my needs so I'll keep looking for an Impreza estate.
Pete
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I hope I haven't undersold it on the "around town" driving - it's certainly not bad but I'd be interested in what you think when you get to test drive one.
Fuel consumption: well these days I don't do big mileage. When I used to do a mostly motorway commute it was around 30mpg. These days it's a mix of stop start/cold start around town and dual carriageway stuff so down to 26-ish. I don't thrash it but I still drive with a heavy-ish right foot because it's still nice after 6 years to feel the shove from the acceleration!
I don't know what year Impreza you're looking for but I have read (probably scoobynet, if you can sort the wheat from the chaff) that the "hawkeye" models - the first to have the 2.5 litre engines - have suffered with head gasket problems. Other than that just be on the lookout/wary of thrashed or modified versions if you can.
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The 2.0 Sport seemed OK around town on a test drive, but I was being quite careful (ie, not trying to make quick entrances into roundabouts etc) so I'll definitely look closely at that aspect when I get in a WRX. 30 mpg would be great, though I suspect I too will be tempted to enjoy the acceleration - it is, after all, one of the reasons I'm interested in the car.
I've had a bit of a browse at Scoobynet and I take the point about wheat/chaff. I would be looking for a 2006/07 car so it sounds like I will need to do some research about preventative measures.
Thanks again!
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>> Thanks very much - that's really helpful.
How about giving the guy a thumbs up with the new thank you button then?
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Subaru Impreza II fl 2 - WRX Turbo or 2.0 Sport? - WobblyDog
