Used 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 5M) Consumer Reviews

Up North Performance Car

If you want an awd performance car for year-round use in snowy climates--one that is affordable--this is one of few out there. Just returned from a 1000 mile trip: close to 30 mpg, with no particular gas-saving driving. Always power easily available; handling is quite quick and good. Premium package an attractive choice: can't beat a sunroof, and the short-throw shifter seems desirable. WR blue is a great color. Spoiler gets in the way sometimes as far as backing up, but it looks better than STI version. One negative: exhaust noise/rumble. (I had 2007 Forester turbo, which had a more-pleasant sound.) 20 somethings love this car: Fast and Furious influence. Hill holder good. Good purchase! Update at 30,000 miles: Still have the same car, and have an extended warranty. Car has had two nasty rattles: one in A pillar, driver's side, and one in engine compartment. The second was an engine/mounting bolt, diagnosed at dealer (good mechanic, Mike) and fixed. The first (pillar) appears in owners' forums. Again, diagnosed and fixed by Mike. I've always heard that Subaru spends its money on drive train, not comfort, looks, or electronics, and I agree. Radio is kind of tinny, and lots of plastic inside. But, the engine is solid and powerful, with quick acceleration available at any rpm. Shifter works fine, and winter driving (with proper tires) is safe. AWD is unobtrusive. Mileage on last trip was about 27 on premium. WR blue is a great color, and looks fine when car is shined up, which is often. Drove a new STI recently, and its ride is 25% firmer. Also, its brakes seemed noticeable: firmer, surer, and from what I understand, much more expensive to replace. My next car could be the same level of WRX, an XT Forester (only available in automatic), or I might make the jump to an STI. Up North, it's easy to see why this make of car is popular. It is great to be able to manually shift gears. Two quick gripes: No "bra" available from Subaru for this model, and car only comes with summer tires (odd). Lastly, I've had no oil use problem. I'm happy to jump in this car and go anywhere. Update 2019: Just traded in the 2013 WRX. It still looks and runs great. Only 35 k miles, though, and no modifications to the car. Bought essentially the same car at trade-in: 2019 WRX premium package, in white. Looks great with the black wheels that are standard. New car is very similar in performance. Maybe the seats are a bit more comfortable (and they are the standard seats, not Recaro). Very noticeable is the current dashboard: Many more features (e.g., turbo boost gauge standard), back-up camera, etc. Low-end torque might be improved, but I'm still in break-in period. Sixth gear addition is nice. Rattles, at this time, are nonexistent. Still comes with summer tires, which will have to be switched out in the fall in Michigan. I'll add a further evaluation of this car in a couple of months, under 2019 WRX. The car is a great value if you like to drive.