Go Your Own Way, Have Fun In The Subaru Impreza 5-Door

By Jon Druker

Jon Druker

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1,452 views Apr 26, 2010

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2010 Subaru Impreza 2.5i five-door

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I was recently ferociously berated for an article I wrote about electric cars, saying they would have to be more like conventional cars for me to consider buying them. But I would consider buying one. What I meant in the article was that they need to look good and just as importantly, sound good, something akin to the combustion engines found in your regular cars nowadays. Or even something like a Star Wars spaceship.

I am a firm believer in the total experience where cars are concerned. It has took good, feel good, and just as importantly the sound, nay, dare I say the melody has to be right. The music some engines produce is in some cases the tipping point when buying a car. It's an identifier in many cases. Teams of engineers tune an exhaust sound like someone might tune a musical instrument. Just ask the Miata, Ferrari or BMW engineers. So what does any of this have to do with this particular postin?. More than you'd think.

But I need to digress first.

Unique Is Good
Friends of ours came over for dinner the other night, and my buddy likes cars, and F1 and we always chat about cars. And he brought over his newly leased Subaru Impreza 5-door. And before we start, I have to be honest -- I like Subies, always had a soft spot for them ever since I saw a Subaru Brat when I was a kid. In particular, the sound of that distinct, unique, non-mainstream, raspy boxer engine.

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Post Dinner Spin
So after we ate, I urged my buddy to let me take a test drive in the car, and thankfully he obliged. And as I approached the dark gray Impreza, all I could think of was "I can't wait til the engine cranks up." But before it did, I spent a few minutes admiring the interior. It was basic but nice. Clean shapes, clear gauges, no flimflammery, straightforward layout. Decent quality. I also liked the seats and just as importantly, the adjustability of the front seats. The range of the driver's seat actually reminded me of a VW Golf. This interior while not large will accommodate beings of various sizes.

On the minus side of the interior ledger, there was only tilt steering and I love tile AND telescopic steering. Think it should be mandatory. And my friend succumbed and got an automatic. Naturally I have to question his car credentials from now on, but he's a good guy.

What's To Like? A Lot
As we took off, I could hear the grumble of the boxer and when I briefly put my foot in it, I was impressed with the sound and the oomph from the 2.5 L boxer 4. It's got a bit of kick, nice torque and with the AWD, it's instant motion. My Mazda always spins its wheels if I try and jump away from a stop light, and that drives me nuts. Not with the Subie. And since I live in a snow-covered part of the world for many months of the year (at least until global warming really kicks in), AWD is a nice feature despite the fuel economy penalty.

I also like the steering. Light, but not too much so and accurate. To me, an accurate tiller is a good sign of a car company that cares about driving. The brakes could have bitten sooner, there was some travel before they grabbed, but nothing to make you nervous. But most importantly, I felt connected to the car, and the engine reminded me I am driving something, not just loafing along.

My only other nitpicks were the smallish outside mirrors, the automatic, which is only a 4-speed, and the trunk. It's small, but there is AWD hardware under there and unless Subaru comes up with a way to shrink it radically, it will always be small. And Subaru needs a 5- or 6-speed automatic.

The Final Tally
So would I recommend this Impreza? Would I get this car? Yeah, it's got a lot going for it. It's a unique looking package and nice to drive. But of course I would want the WRX.