2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Overall the 2004 STi is a power house full of innovative engineering for all sorts of drivers. From the little things like the stock water sprayer for the top mount intercooler to the center differential, which lets you tune you car for any road condition, this baby has it all! I very much enjoy driving this car, especially for the price I paid. The only down side to owning one is the insurance is pretty high but expect that with any race car. Subaru FTW!Dec 07, 2010

Performace: Simply astonishing. Goes like hell. Stops like hell. Corners like its on rails. Simply defies gravity. Build Quality: Well...The mechanical parts of the car are nearly bullet proof. Very few squeaks and rattles. The interior has a cheap feel to it, some of the plastics arent very nice, but thats not the point of this car. Underneath the skin, Its as i said. Bullet proof. Appearance, I have gold rims, a crazy boot wing, huge bonnet mounted air intake, flared body, scoops and vents in random places. One word. Aggressive. Cost of ownership, Very very high. When things do eventually go wrong, they arent cheap to replace. Fuel economy is TERRIBLE. Especially if you drive it like it was designed to be driven. However...the car gives very little trouble because of the rally bred engineering. Did i say bullet proof? Fun factor, When i first put the accelerator pedal right down to the floor...I was stunned...a childish grin on my face. When I went around a corner in earnest the amount of speed I could carry in was literally death defying. Fun? oh yes. Terrifying? Occassionally. Priceless memories, sensory excitement and satisfaction? Guaranteed.Sep 05, 2010

Performance - Superb, swift, precise Build Quality - Has a few niggles but nothing major Appearance - Exterior is sleek and noticeable, interior is comfortable but shows its roots as a racing car. Cost of Ownership - Not recommended for someone who does alot of mileage a day. Fun Factor - Extremely fun to drive, puts a smile on yor face when you step on the loud pedal Dec 03, 2009

Great handling, amazing pick up, 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, from the factory. Comfortable with some ammenities, like heated seats, moonroof, a/c. Wish the rear seats folded down, but it does have a pass through for snowboards. Roof racks aren't a great idea due to frameless windows, but this reduces weight so it's great. I love this car and will own it until it dies!Nov 10, 2009

For the money you get a fairly competent that's a joy to drive on the street and the track, on road or off road. As far as performance is concerned you are given a very solid foundation to build from and tailor to your needs. In stock form it isn't blisteringly fast but it is quick. Driving this car to it's max potential is a little unnerving at first, if you enter corners like you would traditionally in a RWD car you will find it has heaps of understeer. This is where you begin to trust in the chassis and start pushing harder and harder into the corners to the limit that once you lift off the throttle the rear begins to step out. At this point you can roll back into the throttle maintaining this pitched out balance. If you're looking for creature comforts, it will not be found here. This car is a no frills single purpose car, you have two cup holders a fairly sparten interior that most find hideous in the factory blue color. From the exterior standpoint it is again a case of love it or hate it. This car screams look at me and that isn't always in a good way, because the cops will definitely look at you. Cost of the car can sky rocket in a hurry. If you are inexperienced at driving a manual I would find a beater car to learn on, with a clutch for parts a lone in the $800 range most would prefer to not replace it on a regualr basis. Another area is the brakes, they are huge and with that comes a huge cust to replace them. You will be looking in the neighborhood of $1000 to replace all four corners. The third area is modifications. In and of it themselves they can be expensive, but if you don't know what you are doing and go about things all willy nilly you will find yourself down the road with an engine that's more useful as a boat anchor than the propulsion for your vehicle. Overall this car is a blast to own and push to its limits. But the caveat to this is if you want to play you better be ready to pay.Sep 04, 2009

Performance wise, one of the best bang for the buck you can get. Coming standard with 300 hp from a turbocharged boxer engine, mated to a 6 speed gearbox, the STI bangs through 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. The exterior is more of an aquired taste for most, but die hard scooby heads would appreciate it. For me its my dream ride, one that was feasable to own, and has all that I ask for in a car.Oct 01, 2008

Well where do I start, if you know anything about cars you will know about Subaru Imprezas. This one however isn't your normal everyday Impreza, this is the range topping STi version. This car will out accelerate, out handle and totally out perform pretty much anything you can throw at it. With 265bhp on tap and a 0-60mph figure of under 5 seconds even super cars will struggle to keep up. What makes this car even more impressive is that whilst you are doing all this there's enough room in the back to bring along the whole family although I wouldn't recommend it for their sakes!!! I can't explain how good this car is to drive and how well it performs in all weather conditions, all I will say is this, EVERYONE should own one!!!Feb 09, 2008

I saved my money for 7 years while I was in the Army, mostly stationed overseas, with the intent of paying for grad school. Then I ended up getting a scholarship. So, I bought this car. It was worth every penny. Other cars I was considering were the RX-8, Mustang, Evo, and G35. I picked a 4-door because I figured I might get married someday (and as you can see, I did) and have kids, so I figured I could keep a 4-door for many years. I also liked the AWD. I wanted something a little sportier than the G35, so it came down to STi vs. Evo. In the end, a review in a magazine noted that the STi was just a little bit more well-mannered on the street, so I got it. I have not been disappointed. The car is a rocket. I will confess to having gotten it over 100mph at timed, but the scary thing is that I've usually done it unintentionally - like trying to get around someone so I floor the accelerator and I'm breaking 100 before I even notice. With 4 doors, it's just practical enough to keep... I admit there's a child seat in it now, which may seem a bit uncool but hey, just because I'm a dad doesn't mean I can't have any fun! A few things that bother me: 1) I would have preferred more conservative styling - the wing is an absolute cop magnet. I am not a reckless driver and I almost never really speed, but I don't like cops just following me around waiting for me to do something, which has happened. 2) A few initial quality issues. The power steering was making some hissing noises, and the rack and pump had to be replaced. Also, I had to get the alignment done twice in the first three months, which may have been connected to the other problem. 3) The transmission is good but not great - shifting isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. Also, the clutch is grabby and the brakes throw off a LOT of dust. Both of these are inevitable - the fact that both are high-performance components leads directly to those effects. i consider it an acceptable tradeoff, but it's something you should consider. Finally, the sound system was an option, so I tried to save money by skipping it and getting a cheaper radio installed at Best Buy. BIG MISTAKE. If you want a radio in it, stick with the dealer-installed option - they're less likely to botch the job. The car came with performance (summer) tires. So it was marginal in the wet and undrivable in snow/ice (I only attempted to do so once, going around the block as a test). I've replaced the original tires with Bridgestone RE960s, and with those and the AWD it is now quite good in all weather conditions, though obviously with a tradeoff on dry pavement. I believe the initial quality issues have been resolved - I did get this during its first model year. So my bottom line is that if Subaru could just add a better transmission - maybe like the dual-clutch system in the Audis - this car would be darn near perfect. And for well under $40K!Feb 04, 2008