Subaru City of Milwaukee

In the small car segment, the Subaru Impreza is often overshadowed by more popular nameplates. There are two primary reasons for this: the Impreza's higher-than-average pricing and a lack of brand awareness regarding Subaru vehicles. But things are changing and Subaru's sales have been surging in recent years as consumers are discovering that the Subaru Impreza can be an excellent choice among compact cars.

The Impreza's most notable edge is its distinctive powertrain, as this model has always been available with all-wheel drive. This provides it with extra traction in slippery conditions and, on higher-horsepower models, works in combination with the Impreza's well-sorted chassis to provide entertaining handling. The Impreza has always been powered by its unusual horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, which emits a distinctive growl during acceleration. Competitive in most other respects save fuel economy (blame all-wheel drive for that), the Impreza is an excellent dark-horse choice for a new or used small sedan, wagon or hatchback.

Current Subaru Impreza

The Subaru Impreza is offered as a sedan or four-door hatchback. The latter essentially replaced the former wagon and has more of a European flavor to its design. But overall, the styling for this Impreza is not as dramatic as in past generations. Both body styles come in 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5GT, WRX, WRX Premium and WRX Limited trims, while the hatchback also comes in Outback Sport, WRX STI and WRX STI Special Edition trims.

The 2.5i and Outback Sport models have a horizontally opposed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It's rated at 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, and comes with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. The automatic-only Impreza 2.5 GT models receive a turbocharged version of that engine with 224 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. The WRX gets a further boosted version of the 2.5 GT's engine that puts out 265 hp and 244 lb-ft, and a five-speed manual is mandatory. The STI ups the turbocharged output even further to 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque, and it boasts a six-speed manual. All engines send their power to all four wheels via the standard all-wheel-drive system.

The 2.5i comes with full power accessories, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control and a four-speaker stereo with CD player while opting for the Premium trim adds alloy wheels and upgraded audio. The Impreza Outback Sport has a slightly raised suspension for better ground clearance and a two-tone exterior paint scheme.

Performance versions of the Impreza run from mild to wild. In addition to the turbo engine, the 2.5GT includes larger (17-inch) wheels, a firmer suspension, a sunroof, heated front seats and automatic climate control. The WRX comes with specialized wheels, tires and suspension tuning for increased handling ability and also has most of the Impreza's options as standard, while the Limited version adds leather seating and a sunroof. The STI gains more muscular body panels, an upgraded suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, Brembo brakes and aggressively bolstered sport seats. The STI can also be had in limited production (only 125 units total) Special Edition trim which features the wheels and firmer suspension from Japan's STI spec C model, and in exchange for a sticker price about $2,000 less than the standard STI decontents the car with halogen headlights, a four-speaker stereo, a single-CD player and manual climate control.

In reviews, we've found that this Subaru Impreza provides enjoyable levels of performance. Thanks to all-wheel drive, there's plenty of traction, particularly in wet-weather conditions. Though acceleration of the 2.5i model is adequate, enthusiast drivers will be happier with the WRX, which is almost as quick as the pricier STI and handles very well. The STI raises the performance bar slightly, but costs considerably more. Road noise is elevated at highway speeds, but otherwise the Impreza makes for a comfortable driving companion.

Used Subaru Impreza Models

The current Subaru Impreza represents the car's third generation that debuted for 2008. Already, there have been some significant changes. The WRX was initially tuned for ride comfort rather than handling prowess, and the result was a half-baked hot hatch that drew unfavorable comparisons to the Toyota Camry. Responding to these complaints, Subaru firmed up the WRX's suspension for '09 and threw in 41 extra horses for good measure. The former "half-baked" tuning of the engine and suspension essentially lived on as the automatic-only 2.5GT. The following year brought a new grille design, a Limited trim level for the WRX and Special Edition trim/packages for certain models.

The second-generation Subaru Impreza was sold from 2002-'07. It was available as a five-passenger sedan or a wagon. Mechanically, the two body styles were similar. At its debut, this Impreza was sold in the following trim levels: 2.5 RS sedan, WRX sedan and wagon, 2.5 TS Sport Wagon and Outback Sport wagon.

Powering non-WRX models was a 2.5-liter engine making 165 hp. The WRX had a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 227 hp. Transmission choices included a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Imprezas of this period were reasonably well equipped, with the most features and performance-oriented hardware coming on the WRX.

Though all years of this Impreza are highly regarded, there are some changes to be aware of. Models made for 2004 and later benefited from a variety of feature updates, including revised front-end styling, updated suspension components for a better ride quality and more convenience features. For 2006, Subaru updated the Impreza's front styling again and introduced updated engines. The renamed 2.5i trim levels came with 173 hp, while the WRX sedan and wagon gained a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine producing 230 hp.

From 2004-'07, Subaru also sold the ultra-high-performance Impreza STI. This special variant of the sedan came with a 300-hp version of the 2.5-liter turbo engine, a six-speed manual transmission, an even stiffer suspension and powerful Brembo brakes. It also had exclusive features like a driver-adjustable center differential and a water sprayer for the intercooler.

At the time, we found the second-generation Subaru Impreza to be one of the best performance cars available for the money. Though lacking the most up-to-date features and suffering from an increasingly dated interior design, this generation had a fun-to-drive personality that kept it competitive with more modern performance hatchbacks and sedans. The STI, meanwhile, was capable of out-accelerating and out-handling many dedicated sport coupes of the time.

Considering the glorious halo associated with this second generation, it might be somewhat surprising to learn that the Subaru Impreza had a rather meek American debut for 1993. The first-generation model was available as a sedan or wagon and came equipped with a 1.8-liter flat-4 good for just 110 hp. All-wheel drive was optional, not standard. There were three trim levels: base, L and LS. The LS (later renamed LX) came with more equipment, including a standard four-speed automatic transmission and antilock brakes.

Subaru made its first major changes to this generation for 1995. Additions included a two-door coupe model, the Outback wagon and a larger 135-hp 2.2-liter engine option. The larger engine was available only with a four-speed automatic, however. This situation was rectified in '96 when the five-speed manual became available for the 2.2-liter. That year, Subaru also made the larger engine standard on all trims except the low-budget Brighton coupe.

The first-generation Subaru Impreza continued to improve in its later years. For 1997, Subaru brought out an improved Outback model, increased the power output of the 2.2-liter, made AWD standard and dropped the LX trim. A year later, the desirable Impreza 2.5 RS debuted. Though not as powerful as the turbocharged WRX versions that Subaru was selling in other parts of the world, the coupe-only 2.5 RS came with a 165-hp 2.5-liter engine, a sport-tuned suspension, a non-functional hood scoop and 16-inch wheels. It also tied in nicely to the Impreza's success in the World Rally Championship during this time. No more significant changes were made to the Impreza, though a 2.5 RS sedan did arrive for 2000.