Used 2005 Subaru Impreza Sedan Consumer Reviews
Great kid car
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.
Cheap & Fun AWD Car!
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!
Impressive Impreza!
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
2005 Subaru Toy.
It's a great performance bargain, bought mine used for $13,000 with only 37,000 miles. The car runs flawless 227hp, 24/28mpg and AWD makes this one of the best choices for a good all around car. Don't let the teenager car looks fool you because it can surely put a smile in your face. Excellent in city and highway. Easy to make most sports cars look like an economy car from 0-60 and all on a budget.
My 2.5RS w/ sport package
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.
A true driver's car
This is a car for anybody who loves driving and wants some performance to go along with utility. At this price, I do not know of any other car that provides this kind of performance and handling with 4 doors and all-wheel drive. This car puts you in a special community too: other WRX drivers on the road ALWAYS smile and wave at me! How many other Japanese sedans have that kind of following?
Amazing car!!
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!
WRX has No downsides
I have a '05 WRX in World Rally Blue with 16 inch rims and this car has been so much fun. 13,000 miles on her now and no problems. All wheel drive really helped when a friend and I were caught in a snow blizzard. We never needed chains but I saw that mostly everyone else did; even those big full size and 1 ton trucks need chains on and in 4 wheel drive.
Subaru WRX is a great overall car
The Subaru Impreza WRX is an amazing overall vehicle. It has great pickup, reliability, and styling. For the money I give this car a 12/10. I have had no problems and enjoy driving my 5 speed Subaru everywhere. It always feels good when you see everybody else looking at your car and giving you the thumbs up. The Subaru is a great buy because of the price, safety, and it is fun to drive.
Prime "hidden" sports car
Exceptional covert turbo station wagon. Greatly priced for the performance and features Subaru offers. Slight lag when below 3000 rpm and turbo seems to fail when in 5th gear. Good overall visibility, good comfort (driver's seat could be a bit higher for better visibility, esp. over hood scoop), handling is by far the best and smooth, center of gravity is slow and makes the ride feel extremely safe, sound system quality excels, fuel economy is good but fails with A/C and turbo acceleration. Interior room is larger than expected. Updated exterior is stylish and yet subdued. As my second Subaru purchase, I am more than satisfied with the Subaru quality of AWD and exceptional service.
Fun Car
Purchased an 05' WRX, absolutely love it. The all wheel drive definately sets it apart from other cars in its class. If you want a fun and comfortable car to drive i would recommend looking into a WRX.
Most Fun Compact Car with AWD!
I've had my Impreza 2.5 RS Sports Wagon for just over a month. It's exactly what I'm looking for -- compact size, reasonable power, and lots of cargo space. I've had two other compact cars (Dodge Neon and Ford Focus) and the Impreza is the best by far. The front seats are excellent for everyday driving, they are very supportive and controls are exactly where they should be. Passing power is great in city, I can change lanes with ease. One thing that I'm uncertain about the Impreza are the frameless doors, although they feel sporty, but might increase wind noise in a couple years ?
YOU WANT THIS CAR!
I have had my Impreza wagon for almost a year now. No issues less a little window screech now and again. I live in Vermont now, and the AWD is superb in the snow (drove to Boston in a blizzard and it was wicked fun!), and solid feeling on wet roads in driving rain as well. I will only be getting a new one when there is a moonroof option and leather seating. It would be nice to have cold weather packages in dealer stock, like wiper warmers, and wheel well warmers to counter snow build up in the front especially. Despite my desire for perfection ... a true winner. My sister has an '04 automatic, and having driven both extensively, I recommend the manual for more power.
Very solid, just a few minor dislikes
I have 83,000 miles on the clock at this time. It's been very solid and reliable. It drives pretty well. I have found over the years that the suspension does not feel as solid and connected to the road as it used to. The interior noise can be bad when you have passengers. Overall it's been a very reliable and solid car.
Next time I'll go Manual
We're getting ready to trade in old Scooby due to punishing fuel consumption and need for more room for older-folks stuff like groceries, boxes of toys, gallon jugs of milk, etc. The car's been utterly reliable; nothing's fallen off; nothing creaks or buzzes, even after 3 1/2 years. The interior's pretty dull to the point of being jail cell-like. The base engine / auto box combination is far from ideal -- pretty sluggish actually, but really, I can't complain. It handles superbly and corners like it's on rails, you run out of courage before the car runs out of grip. It's hardly depreciated, always started, and would make a brilliant student car. Well done.
Truck replacement
I was looking for a car to replace my truck so I got the Subaru and a utility trailer. The Subaru with AWD is much better than my truck in 4WD in the snow. The Subaru gets 24-27MPH the truck got 17-18. They are equal speed. I can tow up to 1500 pounds including the weight of the trailer which is all that I need for house hold chores and toy (ATV/Dirtbike) hauling. The mechanics of this car are solid. I am not easy on it and nothing has failed me. I even went 80,000 before replacing the brakes and 50,000 before the tires. This car handles so well in the snow that it is not even fun.
Super commuter car!
We compared this 2005 Impreza RS2.5 to the Civic SE and couldn't believe the difference. MUCH better handling, power, and performance. This is my commuter car and it is perfect for just that. Quiet interior, superb handling; a lot of fun to drive. Build quality is solid with a great looking interior. How can this car and the Civic be in the same price category?
WOW
I'm recently out of a 2002 Civic Ex and into an Impreza RS 2.5 auto. I was shocked to see how much my Subaru rode and handled like a VW. The Subaru is rock solid, has excellent handling and sticks to the road like glue. Made my old Civic EX feel like I was driving a wheelbarrow. Fit and finish are on par with the rest of Japan. This vehicle comes highly recommended
Made the Right Choice
Got it over a week ago and I can't take my hand off the wheels. I was aiming for the turbo model but decided to go for the RS mainly because of fuel economy, theft avoidance and it's my daily driver. It's a thrill to drive especially on twisty corners. Gears and suspension are outstanding. The engine growls like a beast. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my RS's performance and handling. Can't wait to drive it snow.
Week Old & Totalled
I only had the opportunity to drive the vehicle about ten times before the accident. It handled really well and was fun to drive. The seats became pretty uncomfortable for both my wife and me after 45-60 minutes of driving. I would suggest anyone looking at buying an Impreza to take a long test drive before deciding to buy. I have concerns over the safety of the vehicle from rear impact accidents. Both seat backs broke and were in the reclined position after our accident. In fact the seats went back so far that they bent over the rear seat. We were also pushed into the car in front of us at a considerable speed and the airbags did not deploy.
Cool car!!!
I got this car as a present for my 16th birthday! its coool and i love the stereo. I had to take it to the car dealer one time because the ECU wouldn't let me rev the tachometer pass 4000 rpm! it cost me $243 for labor and parts but that's all good plus Subaru refunded my money because that should've been covered by my warranty
Fun to drive
This car is awesome to drive. It is fun, and provides good handling and feel for the road. Not recommended for driving over bumpy roads, unless you want a sore behind. A bit rough, definitely not a luxury car. The interior is cheap; for my car, the seat material was wrinkling up (got it fixed through warranty), drivers visor mirror fell off, stock armrest extension not secured well to the car (quite fragile), and several other issues. This car was definitely meant to be modded (modified).
Great car, poor lumbar support
If you're looking for a fun-to-drive car that's inexpensive, yet fast "out of the box" -- look no further. Yes, an Evo is faster, but you can get a dealership down to $23/24K with research and careful choice of options. Also, I wonder if Mitsu Co. will be around in a decade. For anyone who has a long commute, I would heartily recommend buying lumbar support. Otherwise, after the 1K break-in period, this all-wheel drive turbo fun machine will have you grinning at every driving opportunity. That is, if you can drive a manual transmission. I'm 6 foot with a 32 inch inseam, and have no problem fitting into the driver's seat. The pedals are set for heel-toe driving, so get tapered shoes.
Good For The Money
This is an excellent small sedan that, while not a WRX, is still plenty of fun. The reliability and build quality have proven to be top notch so far. The interior is well-designed and sporty-feeling, and I personally LOVE the exterior design of the Impreza. Acceleration is very good from any speed, handling is very predictable, and the motor has a nice deep rumble to it. The ride quality is very good, though to compensate, there is quite a bit of body roll during aggressive cornering. Fuel economy is good for a 3000-pound car with all-wheel-drive; I've been getting around 25 mpg with hard driving, both city and highway. All in all, a great choice if you just can't afford a WRX.
my best car so far
I'm a car enthusiast, and a former owner of two Acura Integras and one Nissan 350z and by far my Impreza WRX has been my best ride, sporty yet practical, fast, not flashy, reliable, and most important fun to drive on a daily basis and to own for that matter.
Great "Middle of the Road" Sports Sedan.
I used to drive a 2003 Nissan SER SpecV and the WRX is better in every aspect. Fantastic car to modify. The possibilities are endless. Love the aftermarket/car club atmosphere surrounding this car. Not a better deal for $23k....shoulda bought an STi.
Lots-a-fun
This is my 7th Subaru. All except the '98 RS coupe got to 200k miles. VERY tossable. Now we have 30k on it and only a few mods. Silencer removal, Prodrive 17's with M3's, K&N, front and rear braces. Future mods on order include braided lines, Hawk HPS pads, front & rear skid-plates from Primitive Racing, and full synthetic Redline conversion. Went playing in 12" of unplowed wet snow for 1.5 hours. Took 4 hrs to get the snow off it. Worth the work! Buy it -Have fun.
Patiently breaking it in...
This is my third Subaru. After one week of ownership I still get a smile on my face everytime I get in and take off. The car has been flawless so far.
good car
it is a very good buy for the price. this is my first one, and i am going to buy one for my sister.
The Best WRX Yet!
I purchased one of the first 2005 WRXs in my local area, and boy am I satisfied. I am very young but even before I could drive I had my eyes on the WRX. The car is very sleek, and very sneaky. Upon launch it feels like any other four-cylinder until the turbo kicks in right before 3000rpm, then you're flying. The AWD provides perfect handling in any weather condition. The 227hp Boxer engine sounds quite muscular. This car catches the eye and fools the ignorant. GO TEST DRIVE ONE TODAY!
Subaru Impreza RS
So far I've had this car for a week, and I love it! It's so smooth and handles the roads very well. I can't get enough of it's cute and sporty look.
Blown away
Subaru has just lowered the price of the 2005 Impreza RS from last year. They also just came up with a lease price that's hard to beat. So, I leased my first car ever. With it's All Wheel Drive, (AWD) 2.5 165 hp motor, I find it the most fun and safe car I have ever owned. I always knew they were great cars, but I am blown away at the handling of this new and improved 2005 RS from Subaru! Kudos to Subaru.
Thank god for Subaru
I definitely am enjoying this car. I sold my acura for this car. It is awesome to drive, handles great in street driving. You can definitely dig in to any cornern and feel safe. It has enough power even with the 160 hp version. Smooth shifting, instant response, no delay w\non turbo. So as a daily driver or out for some fun this car can do both.
great car and fun to drive
Trying to keep it under 4000rpms for the 1st 1000 miles. I researched about 4-5 cars the past 8 months and it all came back to the WRX, a little more than i wanted to spend but I just love the car.
The car of the Century
This car is an amazing vehicle, although it is not as gas efficient as i would like, i would not trade it in for anything, it is the funnest car to drive, just hearing that turbo whistling is music to my ears.
love it!
this is great fun to drive: very sneaky, as it doesn't look like the great little sports car it really is. Handling is absolutely tight at really high speed on questionable roads, the turbo kicking in is a lovely thing indeed. This is the best fun I've had in several years!
I am in love with this car
I have been a huge fan of the 2000 impreza RS and was very disapointed with the re-designed exterior in 2002. Now, I have to say, I like the 2005 styling even more than both (even without the hood scoop). Not to mention that this car handles like its riding on rails and has plenty of power. This car is my first brand new car and I am a total subaru fanatic now. Also, this is one of the most inexpensive cars subaru makes. It was less expensive than some used 2002 WRXs and only a couple thousand more than a used 2001 RS I was looking at. Overall, I have fallen in love with this car and look forward to driving it everyday.
Great Car
It may not be a turbo but it will walk away from everthing else but the WRX. Handles great and the suspension is stiff. Transmition is solid and precise, no floppy stick. The AWD is amazing, power on turns on slick or uneven surface, no wheel spin, just go. Seats have lots of side support. It is just a blast to drive. The production finish on the paint of any car I have ever seen. Cons: The instrument package is basic on the RS, fuel level and water temp only. The radio antenna is painted on the rear window and has a pre-amp. If you tint the rear window you loose some reception. Also if you replace the radio make sure it has a power lead for the antenna pre-amp.
Just wait until you downshift...
Patiently waiting until I can drive this car past 3000 RPMs. Great car, smooth acceleration, awesome handling, with very clean exterior design. This car is perfect for driving safe,and also lets the person have fun when they want to downshift and have the turbo kick in. Not driving past 3k before turbo spools, I can push it to close to 29-30 mpg. yet when your curising at 3000, downshift and the turbo pulls you forward....GREAT FUN!
What a blast but...
I have only had my new WRX for one week and I must admit I love driving again! Seats are comfortable, wheel feels great in your hands and the power of the engine makes me smile everytime. The only issue I am having is trying to shift into reverse... not very easy. Some quick searches on other sites found that I am not the only one with this issue. Obviously I still love the car and just hope the shifting is one of those subie quirks!
2.5TSsedan-somewhat disappointing
We have about 10,000 miles on the 2.5TS and are pleased with the appearance, handling and the AWD. The performance is only average as the HP is not adequate for the weight of the car and the AWD. We also purchased a new Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and it has much better performance with the same power. We have some problems with the Subaru that the dealer says are normal,after short trips the car gives off a strong rotten egg odor from the exhaust (catalytic converter), we are also getting very poor gas milage with the car, about 14 miles to the gallon.we would not consider buying another subaru as the dealer is not willing to help us with our problem.
awesome car
Got it as a Christmas present...Driving this car is so much car... Probably the one car thats completely performance packed... Turbo engine, AWD, sport suspension... Everytime there is a reason for me to go out, i get excited just to drive the car.. absolutely fun car...
Awesome ride a must own
We got it 2 days ago and I keep getting people coming up to me saying it's a beautiful car! Fun to drive, plenty of power despite not having a turbo all in all for the price you cant go wrong.
The Definition of "Bang for the Buck"
Leased an '05 WRX in November, and have 6K miles on it. I looked at lots of different cars in the segment, RSX-S(Acura heritage and interior, 6-speed, but stubby exterior, no AWD) Lancer (terrible standard features, and just plain ugly) Mazda 6 (slow, no AWD) and SRT-4 (dude, it'a a NEON!), and there was no comparison with the amazing WRX. Explosive acceleration, killer styling, awesome winter handling, and the most fun you can have under $30K. This was the only car that had it all, and is the most fun car I have ever driven. Do yourself a favor, and test drive this car, It will benchmark all the other cars you're looking at. Now, if only they had a better transmission for this rocket..
Awesome car
I drive this thing very hard and it has held up well (except for the time I crashed into a curb while shredding up the snow). This car rocks when it comes to driving in the snow. It is a fun car. This car handles incredibly well and accelerates quickly with the turbo. The turbo lags a little..
awesome
incredible vehicle, love it to death and will buy a new one.
Extremely Multi-Talented Car
The WRX is a car that does many things well, but is not particularly outstanding at any one thing. As a sports car person, I never expected to own a 4-door car. But here I am and I'm quite happy with it! At high revs with the turbo working, the WRX has good power and definitely puts a smile on your face.-Handling is very sharp. This means the ride is a bit rough over bumpy roads, but the WRX doesn't pretend to be a luxury sedan.-AWD and 4 doors make the WRX actually pretty practical.-Standard equipment is quite nice. Not outsanding, but still very sufficient.
BEST CAR IV'E EVER HAD!!!
This is an excellent car and is one of the most impressive cars I have ever drove. The styling for the Impreza WRX is superb with the just noticable hood scoop and the unique spoiler. Also the power on this car is great. But unfortunatly the fog lights are a bit strange.
I love the WRX!
Performance that can't be beat for the price! Much more solid than the SRT-4 and superior handling to the Mustang. The WRX is great through the turns or on the highway. Interior is comfortable but the cup holders are a nuisance. The car is suited for any and every condition (try taking it on some dirt roads for a real treat!) and is a pleasure to drive. Headlights aren't strong enough for a vehicle of this performance and the brakes are a bit squishy, but the car can take a beating and keep on going!
Nice toy car!
I only had this car for 4 days and must say I really enjoy driving this car! Handling is superb for a stock suspension. Nice alternative for the pricey STi.