What I really wanted was a Chevy S-10. When I found out that insurance for the small truck would cost $600 more than a wagon per year, I changed my mind pretty quick. So I was pretty much left to choose between the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx and this car, the Impreza 2.5 TS. I ruled out SUVs mostly because I just don't like them, but gas mileage, handling, and inflated prices didn't help. There are other station wagons available but I ruled them out because of low horsepower-to-weight ratios, a premium gas requirement, no automatic transmission, soccer mom styling, or questionable reliability/durability.
I wanted something under $20K that had a little charm, 4 wheel disk brakes, ABS, AWD or at least traction control, and "enough" power. A vehicle that's fun to drive and had aftermarket parts available were pretty important too.
I like the exterior styling of the Maxx, but the interior left something to be desired. I like cloth seats, and the Maxx seats had a gaudy pattern. The stereo head unit couldn't be replaced without losing the information center. The overall style was sort of everyman luxury, not exactly what I was looking for.
Pricewise, the 2.5 TS is less expensive by quite a bit. However, I was eligible for a GM supplier discount, and the dealership offered me a sweet deal on my Buick trade-in. Basically I would have paid almost the same amount for either car.
If you're thinking that the Maxx would be much quicker with its 220 horsepower 6-cylinder engine than the Impreza with a 165 horse H4, that doesn't seem to be the case. The 0-60 and quarter mile times for the 2.5 TS and Maxx were nearly equal according to Motor Trend, and the Impreza was actually a wee bit faster. I guess the AWD system most likely has something to do with that. If you're willing to modify, there are a lot more components to boost horsepower for the Impreza, from cold air intakes to a turbo kit.
Engine
The "little" four-banger propels this car just as quickly as the GM 3.3 liter V6 that I'm used to, if not quicker. This car climbs hills better than anything I've ever driven before. Noise is usually minimal. When you really stand on the long, narrow pedal it roars though, as well it should, I think.
Gas mileage I was getting from the stock vehicle is about 24 miles per gallon. That was with driving back and forth 11 miles to and from work, most of which is highway driving. I could probably get better mileage if I really tried, but that's no fun. If driving for long periods on highways, I might get up to 29 miles per gallon. I find this to be about mediocre for a 4 cylinder car, but then most four cylinder cars are front wheel drive, not all wheel drive. This is one area where the Chevy Malibu Maxx beats the Impreza; Maxx owners report about 28 miles to the gallon.
Transmission
The automatic transmission is quite smooth. No clunking into second like the Hydramatic from my old Buick. I do wish it had one more gear, if not two though. An option to shift gears manually would be awesome too, whether on the steering wheel or the console.
Interior
Don't get me wrong, I like the 2.5 TS interior a lot better than the Malibu Maxx interior, but I do have a couple minor complaints. The silver trim in the center of the dash is attractive, but why not have more silver trim. I would like to see silver trim around the gages like all the other Imprezas. The door switch panels and door panel trim could be silver also. The steering wheel is not particularly attractive either, I'd prefer something like the STi wheel, minus the designer (MoMo) label.
The armrest extension should be standard equipment, though I can't honestly say I miss having an armrest. The 2.5s and WRXs are sporty cars, but they're not race cars. Thanks to the unusually small map pockets, the extra storage space is pretty necessary anyway.
I wish the rear seats would fold flat without removing the head rests, or the rear seat headrests were gone altogether. The rear seat headrests block some rear visibility. A folding front passenger seat, a la Chevy Malibu Maxx would be nice for hauling long cargo
The seat bottom bolsters are a little too far apart for me, which leaves some room to slide side to side. There is a pattern in the center of the seat, but it's not nearly as cheap and ugly looking as the cloth pattern in the Chevy Malibu Maxx.
Handling
Handling is way better than what I'm used to. Even if you don't think the handling is up to snuff, there is a large aftermarket of handling parts for Imprezas from lowering springs to quick ratio steering boxes and sway bars. The ride is pretty stiff, which means that you'll feel every man-hole cover, but body roll is kept to a minimum.
The tires are not too bad for all-season (no-season?) passenger car tires. They are just barely acceptable in the snow and wet conditions, and a long way from a high-performance sport tire.
Ergonomics
I'm about 6'2"; I have problems fitting really comfortably into most cars. I could use a few more inches of legroom, but I fit into the front seats much better than in some other vehicles. The b-pillar hinders ingress/egress slightly when the seat is set back all the way, pretty normal.
The buttons on the radio are fairly small, and all pretty much feel the same. The cruise control button is on the dash under the steering wheel, why it isn't on the stalk with the other cruise control controls boggles me. This type of stuff I have found on every vehicle since I took that human factors class.
Build Quality
Gaps between body panels are tight and uniform. I know that the roof and the rear quarters must be separate pieces of sheet metal, but I can't find any seams. I have not heard one rattle, squeek, or squeel. The sheet metal is pretty flexible, especially the roof. Paint is top notch, hardly any "orange peel." I hear the magazine reviewers talk about cheap interior plastics... I'm not exactly sure what they're talking about, but I wouldn't say my car has particularly cheap plastics inside.
Maintenance
It's not exactly a maintenance problem, but a pet peeve of mine is when the gas filler is on the passenger side. I'll cut Subaru a break, since it's a Japanese car and they drive on the left.
The air filter is fairly difficult to remove for inspection or replacement. Spark plugs are a little difficult to get to, but could be worse. The air box is crammed in between the back of the engine and the firewall. Oil changes are fairly easy; the filter is easy to get to and doesn't require any contortions. The "air dam" does, however, preclude using ramps to get the front end in the air for changing the oil or other maintenance.
I have not had any mechanical gremlins, or problems with the car during the year I've owned it.
Creature Comforts
The climate control unit works very well. I've never had to turn the air conditioner up all the way. The heater works well, but emits a slight odor. The rear window defroster is awesome, and can clear the rear window of snow or frost much faster than the heater can clear the windshield.
The stock stereo head unit is weak. If you listen to rap or dance music, I think you'll find that it can't handle enough bass. I've sort of gotten used to it.
Road noise and wind noise are pretty minimal, at least after the roof rack cross bars are removed. The cross bars made whistling noises.
The rear seats are pretty tight, but better than the rear seats of the Saab 9-5 wagon which is bigger, and the rear seats of most coupes and compacts. There are no air vents for the rear seat.
Besides the remote keyless entry, power windows and locks, there is little that I can call luxury features. There's no power folding rear seat. The tailgate won't go up at the push of a button. No auto-dimming rear view mirror. The passenger side mirror doesn't turn down when you put the car in reverse for parallel parking. There's no head-up-display or navigation aid. They didn't even tint the windows. The only one I feel I'm missing out on is the tint, since in many states, almost all aftermarket tint is illegal. Most of the other junk just drives up the price, weight, and chance of something failing or wearing out.
Safety
The one I bought doesn't have any extravagant safety devices. Side-curtain airbags were available, but nothing along the lines of an electronic nanny to prevent roll-over or drifting. The Imprezas got a best in class safety rating nonetheless.
Why not a WRX Wagon?
The 2.5 TS has more than enough power, and doesn't require premium gas. The 2.5L even has a bit more low-end torque than the turbo 2L. The couple thousand saved can go toward better tires and lighter wheels, and otherwise improving the handling which I find to be more practical than more power.
Regrets?
Not really. My silver station wagon pretty much flies under the radar, but still looks pretty stylish. Resale value should be better than the Chevy. I can add a turbo if I choose to do so. I'm starting to see a lot of Malibu Maxx wagons, but have yet to see a single 2004 or 2005 2.5 TS. I need the extra convenience of the wagon, and I actually like the look better than the sedan model.
New stuff for '05 Model Year
They put the silver rings around the gages. - D'oh!
2 cupholders in the back - I haven't had anyone in the rear seat yet, and even if I did, I wouldn't encourage drinking back there.
Went to some nice looking alloy wheels. - They are 6.5" wide, could be 7.5" wide. I'm not sure the silver wheels would look so good on a silver car, they look a bit heavy, and they're still "stock." I'd probably still look at aftermarket rims.
All silver center console. - Doesn't look any better or worse to me.
There is a new three-spoke steering wheel. - I like the '04 wheel better.
The intermittent windshield wiper control is now standard. - Do you really need this anyway?
EDIT: 8/16/05 - Some of the Subaru experts have told me that the SOHC 2.5L engine is more durable than the DOHC, so that would be a plus not a minus.
I guess you could say that the give in the silver trim around the stereo head unit and climate controls would qualify as "cheap feeling plastic."
There is a plastic panel behind the passenger side rear door that pops off at the bottom. Not a major issue, but a small quality problem. The dealer would probably fix it free if I ever get around to taking the car in.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 19,800
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 2.5 TS Sport Wagon
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