Used 2005 Subaru Impreza Consumer Reviews
Used Impreza for sale
Great kid car
Dcrespo, 10/23/2009
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
24 of 24 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a car for my 16 year old son - required ABS, Airbags and AWD (we live in CO). This car has enough power to make it thru the mountains and gets 30 mpg. It holds all his hockey gear and it is easy to find tires and parts.
Great Wagon
stocksj, 06/07/2012
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sport Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
I've have my Impreza RS Wagon since new in 2005 and it's always been very reliable in all weather. Mileage is good and it always runs. I've used it as a truck hauling my hobby stuff and gardening things. The HVAC does not blow cold AC from the lower vents but it's no differnt than the 2002 WRX wagon I traded in for this. This car's a keeper for life.
2005 Subaru Impreza for sale near you
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- Outback Sport Special Edition WagonMSRP: $5,495231 mi away
- Outback Sport WagonMSRP: $8,995336 mi away
- 2.5 RS WagonMSRP: $2,000448 mi away
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Impressive Impreza!
andrew, 02/15/2017
updated 08/16/2017
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
I just bought my 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS 5 speed. I bought this car because i needed something that was good in bad weather especially snow. It had to be good to decent on fuel because i do some driving for work. I didn't want a blah car either and i didn't want to spend over 3 grand on it. well, i got the car with 157k miles for 1500 bucks! very clean in and out! one owner since new and serviced by the dealer. I have put about 800 miles on it so far and i have to say, I LOVE IT! We just had about a foot of snow and this thing was unstoppable! Handles really good , driving position is good, shifting is good though i think the shifter should be taller. Its comfortable and nice to drive. The engine makes a great sound, i dont think i have an after market exhaust but man does it sound great! The brakes are not that great. The pedal doesn't grab right away, you have to get your foot in it to brake. I have heard this is common with these cars. The interior is nice, plain jane but not dull looking at all. It gives you a sporty feel when driving it even though you know its an econo box. The seats are nice and just comfortable enough. The trunk is huge! Takes potholes and other road imperfection really well. The doors feel really light. I guess this is done for reduce weight and better fuel economy because of the all wheel drive system. The radio is horrible! doesn't not have good reception. The ac is ok and the heat is really hot! I some how find myself wanting to drive it more. Ive owned and own pretty cool cars and this subie is just as much fun to drive! There are a few things i have discovered that owners must pay attention to. Change oil regularly, change your coolant every 2 years and make sure your battery terminals have no corrosion on them. This is to help avoid the head gasket issues these cars have. This car had that taken car of including a new ac compressor. I read that it is best to use subaru coolant etc instead of your conventional coolants. I would recommend this car to anyone as long as you do your home work. Its the best alternative to owning a big, gas guzzling suv. It was between a subaru and a nissan xterra but i really do feel i made the right choice! I could have gone with a front wheel drive vehicle but i really wanted 4x4 or all wheel drive and this subaru in my honest opinion is the best choice hands down! Update: previous owner didn't replace timing belt tensioner, it slipped, ruined the heads. Luckly, my friend knew of a Subaru geek and the heads were rebuilt, ported, new valves, cleaned all carbon build up, cleaned pistons and piston walls, new belt and pulleys. Runs amazingly! More pep and pulls through out the rpm gauge. It's fantastic.......but I'm bored. Not enough performance. Not many blizzards here in new jersey so what's the point? Awd and fine tuned handling is a high plus on this car. I should have spent the money on the wrx.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Cheap & Fun AWD Car!
Matt, 02/24/2010
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in September of last year to use as a winter car instead of my Mustang GT. I bought it with 93,000km on it and I now have 104,000km. Obviously, the car is GREAT in the snow. With 4 snow tires, you can pretty much plow your street with your front bumper and still not get stuck. The car is comfortable, but I find the seats somewhat stiff (base RS seats) for longer trips. Fuel mileage is great for this engine and AWD. I've gotten a best of 32 MPG on the highway in the Winter, driving 120 km/hr. I imagine 35 MPG highway is attainable in the Summer. Features are alright. The radio is poor - changing the faceplate helps. Parts are expensive (import). I'd buy another one!
Amazing car!!
ScoobyRex, 01/22/2009
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX AWD 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my 05 with 15000 miles on it. Great performance car, with minor (about $1500) engine upgrades its at est 285hp/285 tq and runs with most cars on the road!! And I can still haul my daughter and a trunk full of groceries without a problem. I get 22-28 mpg AFTER being tuned to almost 300 hp. I have driven on horrendous winter roads with it (and Blizzaks) and it is amazing--more controlled and sure-footed than the 4wd Explorer I owned in the past. My only regret is not buying one as soon as they hit the US shores in 2002!
My 2.5RS w/ sport package
JEFF CHEN, 04/16/2005
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my white 2.5RS in March 2005. I love it. I drive it everyday. It is a practical car. I'm still breaking in my engine and shift up before 4k rpm. The engine sounds great even under 4k RPM, the ride is smooth, and the handling is responsive. However, the launch from zero of this car seems to be soft ( I guess it is due to AWD torque distribution), and the braking is soft too. The braking is acceptable but NO where near impressive. I may upgrade the brake in the future. You don't get WRX or STI from this one, but you got an Impreza, too. I'd proudly recommend this great car.
Amazing car! You'll be hooked.
Nic, 07/16/2010
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi AWD 4dr Sedan w/Gold-Painted Wheels (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I purchased my STi used two years ago, and have loved every minute! I live in NE Wisconsin and enjoy twisty roads in the summer on performance tires, and switch to snow tires in the winter. What an amazing car that does so many things well. The mechanical build quality is superb, steering feedback is great and tracks like the cars on rails, and suspension is taught. WARNING: The suspension is firm, most would call harsh. It's a rally car, buy a Buick if your not hardcore about suspension firmness. The drivetrain is a gem. The 2.5 L turbo and 6 speed manual are perfect matches. Fuel economy is great for a performance car, I average 21 mpg with a lot of highway commuting.
Maybe the best all around car
Subie4life, 03/09/2010
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sport Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
I just got back from the dealer for a recall. Yep, after 96,000 miles this is the first time I took it to the dealer. What a great car. I've totally abused this thing (from landscaping materials to my 4-60 lb dogs) and it begs for more. I've only done routine maintenance (tires at 50k, oil every 3k) and it's as strong as ever. It thrives in bad weather (torrential downpours here in Miami and trips to the snow in NC). I get not great, but definitely good gas mileage (21-22 city, 26-27 hwy) and it has plenty of room for just about anything I need. Yes...you should buy one. I expect to keep mine for well over 5 more years and 100k miles.
An Excellent Value
ScoobieDoobie, 05/17/2005
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX AWD 4dr Sport Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have ~5000 miles on Scoobie and it is a fine car so far. My wife wanted a wagon and I wanted a Mustang GT - a good compromise? I think so. Decent performance but this car is rough around the edges - the ride is firm, mechanical clatter and road noise are always present. Scoobie's economy car roots show through at times.
Perfect all around vehicle
Justin, 02/18/2005
2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS AWD 4dr Sport Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I did a lot of research before buying my Subaru. I narrowed my choices to a Jeep Liberty, Mazda 3, Toyota Rav4, and the Subaru Impreza. The Impreza won out for a few reasons. I was looking for something that was good in the snow since I live in Minnesota. I was also looking for something that was good on gas, but could also be rugged and haul my camping gear. The Subaru Impreza was the perfect mix of everything I had wanted in a vehicle. It performed extremely well this winter in the snow. The car does better than an SUV for gas, but worse than most small cars. I am getting 23 city, 28hwy. Overall, I couldn't be happier with my decision.