Our First Subaru!
We did not plan on buying a Subaru Impreza in 1994 when we went car shopping. I had done my homework, and researched new and used cars through Consumer Reports Magazine. The Impreza was brand new, and there was very little data available on this model at the time, however other Subaru models were repeatedly on Consumer Reports "reliable" car list. Since it was a 1993 model, and had been sitting on the dealers lot for a year, they lowered the price for it significantly, and there was also a rebate available on this model. We got such a good deal we had to go for it!

Our Experience With the Impreza
I absolutely love my 1993 Subaru Impreza! It has never had anything go wrong in 7 years! It is peppy, handles very nicely, it gets very good gas mileage (25-40 mpg). It is comfortable enough to drive, (although I have never driven it for longer than 3 hours at a time), but it certainly cannot compare to a luxury car in any way. It shifts very smoothly, and the clutch has always been very tight - that has not changed since it was new. The back seat is a bit cramped for three adults, but three kids will fit fine. One drawback is how this car handles in the wind. We have owned other small cars (Fiat and Honda Civic) and they didn't pull and sway in a strong wind like this car does. It really does pull and is harder to handle in the wind. It has front wheel drive and does handle very well in the snow, I have never gone into a ditch with this car! We wanted four wheel drive, but it was not available on the 1993 model, it is on the newer Impreza's however. As far as wind noise goes, this is not a hushed car. With winter studded tires it is quite noisy, with summer tires I would still not call it quiet.

This car is a five speed, and it is so nice to be able to slow down on icy roads without using the brakes! The fifth gear is nice for highway driving, it is an overdrive gear for getting better gas mileage.

What I liked best about this car is the size. It fits into our small garage and still gives us some room to boot. It doesn't feel like a compact car when you drive it, however!

Options Are Nice
While I am not a big proponent of all the bells and whistles that come with new cars (I think they are way over priced), this model did come with a few extras that I have come to love. Besides the basic radio, it has:

* Dual power mirrors - very handy for the person in the drivers seat to adjust the passenger mirror!
* Air conditioning
* Power Steering and Power Brakes
* Power Door Locks (when the drivers door is locked or unlocked, the other three doors follow suit!)
* Dual cup holders within easy reach of driver and passenger.

Other Subaru Features
* You will not forget to turn your lights off with this car, when the ignition is off, so go the lights!
* Subaru patented the "hill holder". This handy feature allows you to stay in place on a hill without keeping your foot on the brake. You push in the brake hard, and it holds the car in place, it will not roll back. Very handy when someone is learning how to drive a stick shift!

Repairs
I just had it in to my mechanic for a "check up" and oil change, and he said it should last a very long time. The integrity of the body is pretty good, no rust at all, but there are a few dings that I don't understand how they got there, as we have never been in any kind of accident at all! These cars have an excellent reliability record and if you are looking for a good used or new car I highly recommend the Subaru Impreza.

Subaru's Hold Their Value
I am updating this opinion, because we just sold this 1993 Impreza. When we bought our new Nissan Maxima we didn't want to trade in the Subaru, but rather sold it outright. According to the Kelly Blue Book, our model was worth around $4800-5000. We sold it in 5 days!! As soon as people heard we were selling our car, they were very interested in buying it. We sold it for $5000. Good used Subaru's really hold their value, and because Consumer Reports magazine always has them listed as one of their "recommended reliable used cars", people know it is a car they can trust.

My Final Recommendation
The Subaru Impreza is a solid, reliable car. It gets good gas mileage, requires low maintenance, and would be a great car for a high school/college student or a commuter car for work. A+ in my opinion.