Used 2009 Subaru Impreza Hatchback Consumer Reviews
Under a month and in love
After owning (and loving) my Acura RSX Type S for almost 7 years I sold it and bought the 5-door WRX Premium. This car is almost perfect in my book. It's all there, utility, comfort, features, power, solid build with sex appeal. Any criticisms I have are minor at best. It's a thrill to drive. I highly recommend this car if you're even considering it. Nothing else out there equals it in its class. Pictures don't do it justice. It's a must see and must drive. And if you have the cash spring for the STI version. That's even faster and more aggressive looking.
A Great Experience
I just bought my Subaru in September 2008 and have already put over 6000 miles on it. It is safe, reliable, and fun to drive, especially with the 5-speed manual. It handles great in the snow and off-road and is great to take on trips. I have not had one problem and am very satisfied with just about everything. I drive the car roughly 100 miles city and 320 miles highway on an average tank of gas and get close to 28-29 MPG every time (with an average highway speed of 75 MPH). The car does not have the power or the luxury of my previous one (a BMW) but is an awesome point A to point B car. Subaru should adjust gear ratios from 4th to 5th gear as the car seems sluggish when entering 5th gear.
Incredible "Bang" for the buck
This is my second Subie, also have an '08 OBS. This gets about as good mpg as the 173 hp auto in the OBS. I've gotten as high as 29.4 on the road and generally get over 27 even with occasional passing bursts. Town seems to be in the 23 range. Very happy about this. I've owned most everything performance wise, Vettes (2), BMW, Porsche, Audi's (3), Mercedes (4), Lexus. This is my 63rd car and it is a real winner for a fraction of what I've paid for some other iron. No it doesn't have Porsche precision or BMW steering, or the finesse of an Audi, but it gets the job done on par with any of them and it's loads of fun I'm sold on Subaru. Car and Driver article sold me on the WRX over the STI.
Amazing value for performance enthusiast
Coming from an 04 Acura TSX, I was looking for something a little sportier and this fit the bill perfectly. 24k for a car that'll run mid 13s in the quarter, mid 20s for mpg, and have the utility of an AWD wagon (I live in New England) is unbeatable. I considered the MS3 and even the Cobalt SS but FWD on those was a major drawback. Plus the Cobalt looks like a Cobalt. The 08/09 MY Impreza wagons are the first Imprezas I've cared for stylistically (the rear of the sedan version is hideous IMO). I just broke the 1k mark but I've opened it up a few times already and man, the power is a huge improvement over my Acura. Averaged 25.5 mpg in single digit temps on a recent road trip too.
Gravity-defying, unique and fun car
Impreza is sort of a middle between focus and RAV4 and then it has a class by itself. The fuel economy could be better but it was a trade-off to AWD. What caught the eye first is the interior finished with better grade plastic, and chrome accents, leather wrapping are a nice capping. Fuel economy is ranged between 20-26 mpg pending on your driving style (go easy on that pedal and use some hyper-miling techniques). Interestingly the car looked like a lowered suspension version of Lexus 400h with Corolla-esque lights. I struggled between premium and sport, finally decided 17" + taller susp. > sunroof. Road noise is slightly higher to other cars I test drove.
Solid Package
Owned 87Accrd, 94Maxima, 97Taurus, 00Accord, and after researching deprec. rate, insurance, cost of operation, and reliability against models like CR-V, RAV4, and Focus I decided that Impreza make a very solid pkg, and after I test drove it (2.5i prem and GT)I decided that I'd go for real value: Outback Sport (seat warmer+17" alloy/ raised susp. > sunroof+2 xtra spkr). GT was a nerfed version of WRX, and if I am ready for an WRX I'd go STI anyway. Overall I really liked VDC; it gave the already phenomenal AWD feel an extra polish and ctrl. But it will be tough for your brakes as it will brake harder than you'd intend to, road noise is also slightly more noticeable than top compacts I tested.
Easy On The Pedal Easy On The Gas
I'd wanted a WRX all the way back in 02, but got into Sentra V-spec on price. Fast forward 7 years, and my patience was rewarded with the 09 wagon. Overall, I've enjoyed it after a month of mostly 100 mile daily commutes. People seem interested in mileage. On Trip A and B the car has a fuel mileage calculator. I reset trip A at each fill up. Yesterday, was the usual $30 donation to the gas gods. Determined, I wanted to see what extremely mild driving could do for this car's mileage. On the drive in this morning, I averaged 29.7 mpg. Not bad for average speed of maybe 60 to 65 MPH in stop and roll traffic. Not a prius, but not a gas guzzler either. Power is just tap of the pedal.
Replacement for 03 Wrx
Just got the car so these are just my first impressions. My 03 WRX was stolen so I went with a new 09! It's got more pep and more bells and whistles and is a blast to drive just like my old 03. It is softer for sure but I don't think this takes away from the car in any way. Great buy! Forget the 08, this is a different car by a thousand miles!
My first AWD
I love this car! I really needed an AWD for Tahoe and couldn't stand another season of having to chain up in the snow. After researching AWD Vehicles, Trucks and 4WD SUV's, this appeared to be the best choice for me, someone who's always driven a fuel efficient Honda Civic. It handles great! I drove it through the Sierra Nevadas then the Santa Cruz Mountains all in my first weekend. Smooth clutch, super stable around corners and sharp turns. Nice look, comfy and roomy inside. My first and foremost concern when purchasing a new car was safety for me and my child. I feel very safe in my new car, so happy with my purchase!
Best bang-for-your buck sporty hatchback
I just love how practical this car is for its performance. It's a complete blast to drive, but offers excellent utility. It handles great (I added a rear STI sway bar). With a few parts & some tuning, this thing will embarrass cars costing twice as much! As the engine breaks in, my hwy mileage has increased to around 26 mpg. And this is one of the few small cars that's comfortable for me to drive (I'm 6' 5"). I'm extremely pleased with my WRX!