Subaru Impreza (1992 - 2000) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

This car was just a 2.2 L, I had no idea there existed a sport model impreza when it was purchased. The wrx had yet to come stateside and the STi was still years from making its roar down U.S. streets. All in all it was a great car, it earned some awards, and has become a little famous on the interwebs. It ushered me into the subaru world and allowed me to make some great long term friends. If I had kept the car, I would have swapped it. Looking back I wish I still had it, she was something special. Jan 11, 2011

This car is great fun to drive the performance and accelaration are second to none. As hopefully you will agree i have modified this car in a tastefull way. Every where i go i get comments and looks from every angle. The only down side is the cost of fuel, not because of the amount i use, because of the extautionate price due to the greedy government and fuel companies. But i still love her all the same no matter how much she drinks.Jan 01, 2011

Couldn't want for anything more for a car that is nearly 20 years old it still shifts, handles great, not the worlds fastest as it's only a standard 1.8. Never ever has it let me down, passes m.o.ts not probs had it for 3 years and can't let go!!! Love the way it looks, inside is basic but it has what it needs to have. Doesn't need high maintenance and petrol can go far as long as you go easy on it. This is the most fun car I have ever driven and sounds awesome always a head turner I love it almost as much as I love my kids!!Dec 10, 2010

Not exactly what one has in mind when the word "Impreza" is mentionned. The small, front wheel drive, latin america-spec 1.6 liter H4 is not quite the quintessential rally-car STi pocket rocket. Still, while power is seriously lacking, it still has the looks (except for the hood scoop, of course), build quality, stability and reliability of its famous big brother. In spite of the weak engine, which might I add signifies marvelous fuel economy, y still managed to take my wife, kids and in-laws in a 1600 kilometer trip to the peruvian coast, without a single whine or complaint from the car or anyone else. More than three years after I sold it, and most of all 14 years after it came out of the shop, I still see my '95 Impreza LX frequently, taking its new owner wherever he may command, in great looks, dignity and reliability. All in all, it was a great car!Dec 19, 2009

Not the best on accelerating, But the AWD compensates for that. No repairs other than general maintenance. Painted the trim to match the paint, Flawless paint with minor dings. Gets about 30 mpg highway and 28ish city. VERY fun to drive on a winding backroad. The Whole Subaru community is a great one to be involved with as they DON'T look down on your car even if it IS a lower trim. its a very accepting group to be involved in.Sep 08, 2008

The number of different variants of Subaru Impreza is mind numbing, and everyone will tell you their version is better than all the others, and depending on what you want then they're all right. The Impreza is a legend, desired by many, despised by the rest. To see it is to mock its plastic stick on bits, to hear it is to complain about the noise.....to drive it is to realise what you've been missing out on. The true Impreza fan has, like me, watched it from the side of the forest tracks as McRae, Sainz, Burns, Kankunen and Solberg sprayed them with mud and as such the "classic" shape is where we look when we want to buy one. It's getting on a bit now, and as such finding a good one is getting increasingly difficult. Because of this it suddenly becomes very easy to refine which model to look for. The 22B still commands mega-bucks, but was never designed for British roads. Rarity gives it desirability but it's not the sensible choice. The P1, the most extreme of the genuine British cars is the object of desire for many...until you look a little closer. Tuned to within an inch of it's life, at nearly 9 years old there are very few now that haven't had an engine rebuild. And that's the thing with Scoobies...they're bullet proof reliable, right up until you start playing with the power output. Why? Even a standard Turbo 2000 will leave a Porsche 911 on your average Welsh B-road. The model that demands the smart money is the RB5. Obscenely quick, but still relatively standard so if treated with respect should still be going very strong. All finished in grey they are also the most understated. So what's the big deal about them? The performance everyone knows about. Off the line in any conditions, sun, rain or thick snow, the permanant 4WD will launch you towards the horizon. Modern hot hatches such as the Focus ST and the Astra VXR pack more power....but all through the front wheels. They simply can't use their power as effectively as the Impreza, and we've not even touched on the cornering ability. You have to have overdosed on stupid pills to mess up a sweeping bend in a Scooby. They inspire confidence, reward enthusiasm. And yet, it does all of this while carrying four passengers and a huge boot full of luggage. It'll burble along at 30mph without straining at the leash, a model of practicality. And then the road opens up before you and the turbo girds it's loins and suddenly you're elsewhere. I've driven and owned some truly godawful cars in my life, had the priviledge of racing many wonderful cars, yet there is no car that I am ever realistically likely to own that gives such an experience. Owning one is a great responsibilty as every Saxo, Corsa or even rep-mobile will ride your backside wanting you to race. You never ever have to though, as you know you're driving the car that gave both Colin McRae and Richard Burns the world rally championship.....and no amount of money spent at Halfords will change that.Aug 06, 2008

This is truely one of the greatest small cars ever made. In 1999, no car in its class could compete with the Impreza'a 165hp. It's short wheelbase and light weight makes for go-kart like handling that is fun to drive in any weather condition. Some may consider the exterior a bit gaudy or overdone but its aggressive rally fog-lights and large rear wing make it look like the rally car it is bred from. Not only that, the 2.5L 4-cylinder engine means great gas mileage which in this age of $4 a gallon gas is very important. The Subaru Impreza is an amazing car!Aug 01, 2008

Awesome handling and acceleration on road/track/drag strip, you get real buzz when driving it, and being driven in it. The most beautiful car I've ever owned, and really fun to modify, a real head turner and talking point at car shows! I would recommend this car to anyone that is a thrill seeker! A Subaru Impreza isn't just a car, it's a great big fast, fun toy. Jul 27, 2008

Using the same platform, suspension, and drivetrain layout as the 1995 World Rally champion, it was the closest thing to a street legal rally car you could buy in 1997. With all wheel drive and Subaru reliability there's not much to say other than it was fun to drive. At the time a 2.2 L 137 HP flat four was all that was available. Amazing how much more hp they get out of basically the same engine only a few years later.Mar 15, 2008