Faults:

Nothing major so far. Only few little things such as slightly fogged up rear light clusters after car wash and hard to pull boot release.

General Comments:

This car is about abundant overtaking ability with cornering security of 4WD in adverse weather. The power comes in a linear and gradual fashion with a bit more go down low than the previous 2.0. The joy to bury the right foot also pays accordingly at the pumps (11~12L/100km in normal mix driving)

Ride is a good compromise for everyday use. There is no mistake of the intended sport nature, but the suspension has the depth to deal with the typical roads instead of letting your body do the work. If you want to do tracks look for a STi.

The wrx seats looks nice at first, but are not comfortable to sit in for extended period of driving nor as grippy as they may seem. They also eat away the minimal leg room of the backside that is well known with the impreza. The leather pack raises the ambiance of the interior, but creases easily. Fit and finish are solid with occasional odd creaks, tyre (RE50) and road noise are on the high side.

All instruments are easy to read and operate. Air conditioning sometimes can be a bit slow to react. The manual shifts cleanly with short travel and good mechanical feel, teamed up with the grabby clutch for quick getaway.

Major complaint that I have with this car is the paint durability. They not only chip very easily, but also have very poor protection against dropping. It only takes an hour or two to have the stains permanently marked. The other small complaint is the transmission/differential whine during deceleration in lower gears.

Overall this is a car clearly made for driving enjoyment while looking after the basic needs of comfort. Recommended to own one at least once to understand the cult.

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

A very quick car. Haven't had the chance to really rev it yet as it is only 2 weeks old. Had STI lowering springs installed so ride is firmer than stock. Gear throws are slightly long and looking forward to change to a short shifter. Manage to go 480km on my first tank. Sound system is only very average... expected much better. But other than that, the doors feels very solid compared to earlier model WRX and the brakes are excellent. 17 inch comes as standard and the sports seat are comfortable.

On the freeway, overtaking is too easy on 5th gear as you don't even have to down-shift to lower gears. The amount of torque on this car on the lower revs makes it so responsive and such a joy to drive.

Expect a bit of wind noise at freeway speed, but I guess that wouldn't matter once the new exhaust is fitted :-)

Faults:

The car came out of the dealership new with a malfunctioning "check engine" light that was repaired at the dealership for free by tightening a connector under the dash. There have been no other problems with the new Impreza, which runs great.

General Comments:

My new Impreza 2.5's handling, acceleration, comfort, and drivability are great; better than I expected for this mundane sedan rather than the WRX or WRX STI's. The interior is comfortable, and the front seats are very comfortable on long drives. I do wish the car would be a little better on gas, but that is a minor trade-off for more power from the engine than my last car (my 2000 Sunfire) and the Subaru's AWD.