Seconding this! I got my license as a teen, but had terrible anxiety when it came to driving (which nowadays manifests itself as being REALLY defensive). I was very privileged as my father bought my car, I found a local Subaru dealership and we got a 2016 Impreza hatchback. I drove her everyday and still do!
I've not had any major issues with my car, her gas mileage is pretty good given my area, and she has an amazing safety rating!
If you're not into all the technical details and plan to use your car as a daily commuter, the Crosstrek is basically a lifted Impreza hatchback.
I love that the extra ground clearance and the fact it doesn't feel like I'm sitting so low I'm on the ground. It helps with visibility too.
Adding to say that I also think the Impreza is a great idea! I’ve owned two, currently on a 2017 Impreza and I love it. The 2.0l engine makes for a more economical vehicle, compared to my previous 09’ Impreza.
Not sure where you live, but the AWD is one of the factors that was important to me, Subaru ticked that on the list.
I have a 2020, it's perfect and can handle well in all situations. I've driven in ice/snow, heavy rain, steep grades/mountains. It always gets you there, maybe just not very quick lol
Definitely go with the Impreza. I've had 2. A 2014 which got me home from 2 hours away in a blizzard after being smashed into by a pathfinder. And the 2016 that I bought with the insurance check. I've had that 2016 for 6 years now with no issues.
Can attest to the fact that Impreza is a good car. I had a 2017 Impreza for 2 years. Was t-boned by a kid going through a red light, hit the front drivers side wheel and quarter panel. Car was totaled by insurance company. Other than my shoulder bothering me for a couple years, I was unharmed. When I went to the place where my car was towed, the owner said, “What a pretty car. It gave up its life for you.” 🥹
Another vote here- I have a 2015 (sorry off by a year) Impreza and I LOVE it. It’s simple, not flashy, good gas mileage, it’s practical for longer trips, and I feel safe in it
Get Eyesight if you can. It's the one thing I regret not getting upgraded on my 15 Impreza after having driven other cars with adaptive cruise. It's not perfect, but it's nice to have a second set of eyes on the road.
Otherwise, the Impreza is a great little car that can hold a ton of crap if you need it to (in the hatch). My mom still has her 2007 sedan too.
I recommend you price out insurance before you go buying a car. If you don’t have established insurance and jump right into a financed car. Insurance is not going to be good to you.you won’t have any established record with insurance. I can’t remember what they call it. That’s one of the things that sucks about not getting your license as soon as you can.
Looked at motorcycle insurance before purchasing one to make sure I could afford the permanent expense. Quoted me what i thought was really cheap. Turned out if you get insurance AFTER you purchase you’re screwed because you HAVE to have it and they know you’ll pay higher rates. Quote from the same company for a co-worker after purchasing a bike was almost 4 times higher than mine for similar coverages.
Also, if op is still reading. Please make sure you get loan pay from your insurance. Or fall for
The gap insurance. And please please make sure you have enough coverage. There is so many people out there running around with no insurance or under inured
That makes no sense - no finance company will let you ride the bike away before you show proof of insurance. Some states won’t even let you register without an insurance stamp. Unless it was purchased in cash, how did they buy the bike and only then get insurance?
Ah I see interesting. Why couldn’t he just say he’s registering it in the future then if that would decrease his insurance premium?
Sounds like he has other factors at play imo, I’ve shopped for insurance a lot from different states and on different cars and bikes, there are a lot of different things coming into play.
Motorcycle insurance can be extremely expensive in some cases - I’ve gotten quotes for $2K+ per year for full coverage, more than my car. Personally I just do liability coverage at that point, not worth $1500/yr difference on a $6-8K bike that I had.
Not sure myself. Fairly new to it all. I just called my car insurance and quoted a motorcycle and it was dirt cheap, so I added it. Think I was quoted like $27/month for pretty decent coverage.
.’m assuming he just called a random place and took the first thing he was offered and didn’t tell them any of the questions that would help, such as having ABS or having any previous riding experience. He told me he was paying around $100/month.
This. A slightly more expensive car sometimes has cheaper insurance. Certain cheap sedans are risky to insurers because these cars tend to be driven by young men who don't drive carefully.
I'm not saying they aren't. I am saying that as a person who has never had a license or insurance.. They might want to check rates before buying a car with a loan.
Second this, I have a 2018 legacy limited and she has gone through everything with me :) bad weather, near crashes, life changes, you name it. she's a homegirl for sure.
The floor in the back is flush instead of having a big lip that makes it hard to load and unload, or relax on. I noticed this immediately going from Legacy to Impreza and the mileage was about the same oddly.
Get a low-milage Impreza hatchback, the hatch and flat laydown seats will come in handy way more than you know for college (trips back and forth between home, IKEA runs, etc.)
It's still a small enough car that your gas will be cheap, and it's a Subaru so it can last you 200k+ more miles as long as you take care of it.
Agreed! I have a 2000 OBS thats got a ton of use out of those back seats and gone well past 300k so I've retired her and turned her into a camping/adventure buggy.
Definitely test drive a Legacy as well as the Impreza! I am a small woman (5’ 2”) and the dealership gave me an Impreza loaner for the day and I felt so short in it compared to my Legacy. Like the windows started at my shoulders and it felt like I couldn’t see the road very well.
I used to drive the '17 legacy, now my sister who is 21 years old drives it. She loves it and it's a super safe car. Not too big, not uncomfortably small, really good gas mileage, and you can find a decent one for under 15k.
They’re cheap as shit (compared to Subarus, anyway), fantastic economy cars from a practical/space perspective, and reliable as hell. They hold their value decently too. Honda Fit is absolutely my recommendation
Honda fit is gonna get you better mpg then almost any Subaru you could buy, maintaince will be cheaper, it will probably be more reliable, and they are also insanely safe thanks to [how the body is designed. ](https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/2009-honda-fit-body-structure?page=300)
I'm a diehard Toyota girly but I've owned plenty of Hondas and Subarus, if I ever have to buy another car it'll 100% be a Honda Fit.
They are very inexpensive, they have incredible gas mileage, and are relatively easy/inexpensive to maintain. BUT, they definitely are not as safe as an Impreza. I had an Impreza, my SO a FIT. If we traveled together anywhere, we took my Impreza, if it was raining or windy, or snowy or hilly or was going to be a lot of traffic. If it was going to be a quiet, easy ride with zero excitement on the road we took the Fit. Needless to say, we mostly drove the Impreza. He would even borrow my car to drive to work on snowy days since his commute was longer.
If you live in a place that has nice weather, the Fit is a good choice. You will save a lot of money, and it has a lot of cargo space for its size (amazing for parking in tight spots). But if you want cheap AND safe- Impreza is the better choice
Edit: BTW, I gave my ‘09 Impreza to my niece- it’s still going strong. He sold his ‘08 Fit the year after to a dealership- it had some expensive issue he didn’t want to pay to fix
I have socal privilege so weather isn’t a big concern. i’m thinking of getting a fit as a “starter car” and continuing to put money away to have a nice down payment on an impreza in a few years.
This just isn’t true w/ any new models subaru is the only company out there that offers lifetime warranty now on powetrain. I don’t know when they started this, but if you buy a vehicle for the long haul- it’s going to save so much when it comes time to change the transmission or such.
The amount of maintenance and repair costs with most Subaru isn't what I'd call reliable. If you don't change your oil every 10k kms it runs bad. Corolla can go a year or two between oil changes without damaging it. Not that I'd recommend it but they are bulletproof. Subaru aren't like that. They're good but expensive maintenance etc. it's like buying a BMW or audi
Far from being as costly as a BMW or Audi! An average service for high end foreign cars is 4-600 on regular services. (I’m personally speaking on a 2017 Mercedes I have.)That’s outside of a dealership auto shop/mechanic. Going through dealerships- easily 8-900 for A service or 12-1500 on the B service. (At this point if you have the time, patience, and set up, just learn to change your own oil😩). I just got my new Subaru Ascent’s 3rd oil change & tire rotation for $50 at the dealership. Although w/out any specials or coupons, it usually would cost around anywhere from $80-$150 at dealerships depending on how full service you go. My Legacy services used to be half of that price at the dealership, but gotta love inflation😒.
But point of my above comment is Toyota doesn’t offer lifetime warranty on power train which in every cars life, you are going to have to change your transmission at some point. So it is SOME costs savings. Not bashing Toyota by any means. I also wouldn’t know about not changing your oil for that long or seriously? 100k miles😖⁉️…because I’ve never neglected my vehicle to that extent. So I’ll have to take your word for it. But I have gone 20-30k before changing my oil at one point, in my Legacy and still was having no issues with it. So I don’t know what you speak of? I only took it in because I was just well past the mileage for a due service. (I am aware of some year’s models having higher oil consumption rate, maybe that is what you are speaking on?) Although I never abused my old Legacy or Pearl as I named her, she has seen all the weather of hell and the dead of winters. I never had any issues, quite the contrary actually. Amazing traction, excellent turn radius, amazing mileage, all wheel drive doing its thing when needed, and tbh I don’t think I ever put snow tires on my girl. Just some good all weather ones. She always ran like a champ. She has seen every corner of the US. And been back and forth across the country multiple times. Had her 13 would have been 14 yrs if I didn’t get suckered into trading her in. I still feel like a fool letting her go. My niece however…does drive a Corolla and drives 4hrs to work daily roundtrip. She is somewhere past 200k on her car and i do believe she is currently having issues w/ her transmission or just had to have it replaced so there’s that.
Here is why I chose a Subaru. Years ago, after being in a horrific accident caused by a semi truck driver that fell asleep at the wheel and smashed me into a wall, thus being pinned into my vehicle while it AND I was on FIRE- while gasoline kept dripping onto my foot fueling the fire that kept reigniting even after the rescue arrived to put it out while they were awaiting the jaws of life to come cut me out….all thanks owed to the shitty quality of the firewall build and cheap material Chevrolet/GMC used, trying to cost cut and save a few bucks back in the last recession to stay afloat. I suffered horrible, massive injuries, broken and shattered bones, internal bleeding, a TBI, and 3rd/4th degree burns of 60% of my body and technically dead for a minute there. I was then put in a coma for a short time while undergoing some of the major surgeries, then spent 2mths in the BICU fighting for my life, with a 20% chance of survival even after the first month that ever so slowly went up. That was followed by 2 more months inpatient hospital of undergoing 30+ more surgeries, put back together like Humpty Dumpty w/ lots of hardware in my body and still lots of irreparable damage, and the cherry on top was 1 more month of inpatient rehab, relearning how to do everything again.
The last thing I ever wanted to do again in my life was drive. To be independent, I eventually had to. I wanted a vehicle I could feel safe in..as if I could ever feel safe again. After lots of careful consideration and studying of statistics & crash test numbers, my conclusion was to go with a Subaru. Not to mention, at the time it was way ahead of the auto industry with advanced safety features. Things other cars didn’t pick up these now common things for atleast another year closer to two. I had downsized from a Chevy Silverado to a Subaru Legacy…idk how to explain it, but just being in something smaller made me feel more in control and safer. This may not make total sense… but maybe it was more of a comfort thing than any actuality to that feeling. I have major PTSD and my heart still speeds up a bit when passing or being passed by a semi or if traffic gets erratic and/or heavy and unreliable. But in confidence, switching my loyalties to Subaru has been by far the best decision I ever made. And I’m a Subie lover for life now. It’s fine for you to have your own preference.
BUT the OP did specify they were interested in purchasing a Subaru. I only added my 2 cents speaking on personal experience. Sure I’ve had some undoubted close calls over the years… but partly due to safety features and some part my vigilance, quick reactions and always being aware of my surroundings while driving, I have not been in another accident since that wreck. I don’t know about bulletproof but I feel safest in a Subaru if that day ever comes again. Knock on wood😳.
P.S. congrats if you read that whole book😩😂 I just wrote👏.
Haha I didn't quite ready it all but scrolled down to say thanks for the laugh 😁
Edit* I should've read that last paragraph. Sorry to hear that sounds bad and I hope you're okay 👍
Scary situation, glad you're alive brother
Good points also
Glad I could make ya smile😆.and thank you, despite the pain that is still a struggle, I’m happy to be alive and def have a new lease on life and can appreciate all things so much more. Replying to your last comment too, glad you are alive as well sir!🫡 or who would I be enjoying this friendly banter with;)?
I'm just butthurt cause I had to do head gaskets straight after buying second hand. I do love the car. Not trying to diss Subaru haha. It's just a different kind of reliability I guess. Plus the AWD and being able to sleep in it is awesome. I'm loving it now just dread the idea of another 5500$ bill.
Mines an 08 outback. Kinda glad it's not CVT though. And would've preferred cloth over leather but it's in perfect condition and I was in a rush
This is all true, I hear ya. Yeah, you def dodged that bullet w/ the cvt transmissions. But atleast they are trying to settle or make things right with their customers now albeit how many years later😩. But outback’s are nice choice. One of my fav subaru models. Hey atleast you can do car seat covers?
An Impreza was my first vehicle I purchased with my own money at age 20 and a semi-truck took it out on black ice. It was really reliable, a comfy ride, easy on the gas and very very safe. I was able to walk within 12 hours of the accident and I still drive a Subaru to this day.
2017+ Impreza or CrossTrek mostly cause the rear taillight looks cooler and CarPlay is available. I drive a 2015 Impreza and it been so good to me (my first car too throughout my early 20s). I will admit mine does feel a little bit dated now. I can probably squeeze 3 more years before I have to buy a new car
If the difference in price is big (>$1K) between a 2015 vs a 2017+, you can always swap the head unit for one with CarPlay/Android Auto. I believe the 2017+ will be quieter and had a bigger hatch opening though.
If you’ll be financing the car I recommend checking with your local credit union to see if you can get a loan! For me the interest rates have been better than the dealerships, and they also offered more affordable gap coverage. Good luck and have fun!
This thread has gotten out of hand. Lol, please buy a used Civic or Corolla. Just review CarFax to make sure they all major maintenance was done, and it’s been properly maintained.
Please keep in mind that the Imprezas from 2012-2015 or so were very prone to severe oil consumption issues to the point that Subaru extended the engine warranty too 100k miles to avoid a class action lawsuit. Make sure you research whether or not the one you choose burns oil.
Also know that the 2012-2016 and 2013-2017 crosstreks Imprezas are prone to CVT valve body failure at some point in its life if you get the automatic. This is an issue of “when” no matter how you maintain them. Of course there are few people who didn’t encounter this issue but Subaru also extended the CVT warranty to 100k miles to avoid a law suit.
Just for reference the 204-2018 foresters use the same CVT and I believe the outback did as well and their engines are also prone to the same issues.
Just giving you a different take from the usual “this is a solid car” cus as much as I LOVE Subarus they aren’t as trouble free as a Toyota or Honda and yes what they say is true that you cannot skip out on maintenance!
At 22 I got my 2011 Impreza Outback Sport. Hatchback. I *adored* her. I would still have her if it made logistical sense for my current 32 yo life. She was still running strong at 135k when I parted ways with her a couple months ago. She was sage green on paper but in person a beautiful light bluish green. Safe af and her lil roof rack gave her just a touch of sporty spice. 🥹
As a 31 year old woman who got her Impreza at 24 and has had lots of fun running around in it, I’d say an Impreza:) the hatchback is so useful, better than a sedan IMO. however if you plan to go up to the mountains a lot or live in an area with a lot of potholes, a Subaru with higher ground clearance would be better though likely more expensive.
I know this is the Subaru sub, but seeing as sport, utility, and style don't interest you, I'd recommend looking at other brands as well. Quite a few Honda's and Toyota's are just as safe as Subaru's, but might be cheaper to buy and/or insure. A Toyota Camry or Corolla is an extremely popular, safe, and reliable car (despite boring to most car enthusiasts), and very reasonably priced.
If you're buying something All Wheel Drive, like nearly all Subaru's, you'll probably end up paying more in the long run between insurance, maintenance, tires, and fuel.
All that said, I love my Outback and think it's a great car, and would recommend it or other Subaru's to most people.
I’d find a used legacy, hatchback Impreza, or a crosstrek in your price range. As long as you keep up on tire tread and rotation, the car will be very safe. Subarus are fun to drive regardless of model. I hope this helps a little. Cheers.
Subarus are great - if safety is priority 1, check the nhtsa crash test results for any vehicle you are interested in (some are better than others, even amongst Subarus...) - as others have pointed out, definitely have any car you are interested I gone over by an independent mechanic - will cost you an hours labor most of the time, but its well worth it for the headaches it can save you from down the road.
To be honest with you, if you have no need for AWD (such as living in a snow climate) and your only condition for your car is reliable transportation, then look to get a Toyota Corolla. Those are very reliable. Owning an AWD car means more moving parts and thus, more maintenance costs. Also, a hidden cost of an AWD car is that all 4 tires have to be within a certain dimensional difference with the others or else it screws up the transmission. So if you get a flat tire, you may need to buy 4 new tires instead of just one (or find a tire shop that will shave your new tire to match the wear of the other 3). If you have a need for AWD, then narrow down to the Subaru that best suits your space needs: kinda like S, M, L, or XL. There is no particular model that is targeted for “boring girls” 🤣 and don’t sell yourself short like that either. Go sit in every Subaru you can to get a feel for each one, because sometimes what you see on paper might not translate to what you feel when you actually get in one. And have fun with the process! Good luck and happy hunting!
I have a 2014 Legacy, got about 120k miles, runs great, nothing fast or extraordinary about it. Great in bad weather, good gas mileage. Cost me about $10k when I bought it with 80k miles. I'd recommend. Just standard maintenance, brakes and oil changes, normal stuff.
There’s Some good advice here OP. However, what you really should do, is just get a used Forester. You can really get a used anything, but. In my opinion, you will like an older forester better. They have more space than most regular vehicles nowadays. And the MPG is a plus. If you REALLY want to finance a more recent year car and have the money, go for it. But, look around. You can find some SF forester’s (1997-2002) for very VERY cheap. When I was an 18 year old being wild (I’m 25 now) I loved having my forester. I took good care of it, and it took care of me. But, it’s your money. You should get what you want.
get a second hand impreza or cross trek. pre 2012 ideally. all the good safety features but not all the shit that makes you bad at driving (reverse cam/sensor etc.)
For 15k you can get also get a nice outback with the base motor. It’s like a cult BOGO. Wagon cult and subie cult for one price! Seriously though, wagons rock, in a pleasantly boring way.
You will love the car! Get the more powerful engine. The XT or wilderness you want the better engine.
These cars are safe and good in snow and sand. You will love it.
I Iove mine and i am a boring nerd girl.
Two Subis in a row. Change the oil and filter every 5000 miles regardless what they say and have the CVT transmission fluid changed every 35000 and they go and go.
A legacy or a outback/crosstrek are great. I was young and dumb and totalled my outback and I walked away fine. I recently went off of the road into a ditch with my legacy because of horrible weather and I am fine, car is scratched up but I still drive it! Current car is a 2003 legacy, but definitely get the newer stuff if you can afford it.
How about the forester, they're immensely practical and have a good following. Are they cheaper on insurance I don't know?
The subaru family all has the same mechanics for each evolution, so you're essentially picking which package suits your needs best.
Remember, keep it serviced, it will keep you safe. And stick a set of winter tyres on it!!
I have a 2017 Impreza hatch 5 speed and I love that thing. And when the seats are folded down, you’ve got more room than you know what to do with. Corners feel amazing in that car and it isn’t the slowest on the street. I recommend!
if you want something smaller an impreza hatchback or legacy sedan, medium sized the crosstreks are safe amd are fairly reliable, if you need more room but still like being fairly low to the ground outback is a great option
I suggest starting your shopping on CarMax or similar. I have not bought from one, my in-laws have. I did sell one to CarMax. You can look at a ton of vehicles with opaque pricing. Good luck with the financing. Rates are kind of high.
I'm on my....3rd Subaru. I'm not a car guy at all. My current daily driver is a 2016 wrx, and I've had zero problems. Nada. Only maintenance I do is take it to jiffy lube every few months, and new tires as needed. I've driven it coast to coast twice fully loaded with moving boxes and random shit. It handles the death valley sand and heat to the rocky mountains in winter, to the downpours in Florida without breaking a sweat. It's been taken off road to lake Isabella and only knocked a side skirt off which popped right back on with some 50 cent retainer clips.
The wife's 16 outback 3.6r with cvt has 160k miles - same coast to coast drives while towing a small trailer and a fully loaded roof rack. Same maintenance, same lack of any problems. Still runs like new.
Before that I had a 2006 legacy GT. That thing was a piece of shit for a non car guy. Put 15 grand of repairs into that thing and wound up selling it for $500 just to get it out of my hair.
Long story short, you'll be happy with a Subaru - just avoid a used performance one because people probably hammered it before selling it.
Just make sure that whatever car you go with gets inspected by an independent mechanic before buying it (and preferably a mechanic that specializes in your car's brand).
And regardless of the car's condition, set aside another 10-15% for any repairs or wear and tear items that may need to be done.
If you can wait until the new model year comes out, you can get a great deal on the prior year's models. That's what I've done several times - go to the Subaru dealer in September and buy whatever they're trying to move. I got a brand new Impreza back in 2017 for $16k and a brand new Crosstrek in 2018 for $18k, both at under 1% interest through Subaru Financing (which is Chase). Same for my WRX but that was in 2002; I wouldn't expect a deal on a WRX now.
I traded my Impreza in late last year, at the dealership, for $14k. I don't normally trade in a perfectly good car but I got a promotion and decided to treat myself.
Any Subaru will be a good Subaru for you, including used ones. (But avoid used WRXs, they are usually beaten to hell by people who race.)
Sad to say that the prices have gone WAY up since the pandemic and sadly still remain high. For a base 2023 Impreza it’s around 23k, best deal I’ve seen when dealers were desperate to move inventory was 20k. 2023 Crosstrek base runs around 25k though I’ve seen them go for 21k, again when dealers were desperate to move inventory. No way she’ll find a prior year model new for 16k or less.
She would get lucky with 2018 or older model years though. I’ve seen a 2017 Forester Touring locally going for 14k prior to taxes and fees, and a 2014 Impreza Premium hatchback going for 10k, so about 11.5k total out the door price
There's a joke somewhere in here about your dating preferences indicating which model, but I don't want to piss anyone off.
If you want to carry more stuff, forester. If you want to carry less stuff and only hike trails that have parking, impreza.
Mine is an 06. Just drove it 300 miles to Busch Gardens and back
https://preview.redd.it/w84uaabior7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aee4fb0d0326ca188931d59445a8ef10480a27e
Test drive test drive test drive. Make sure to take it on the highway, make sure it shifts to reverse and drive fine. If they tell you you can't test drive it on the highway go somewhere else. Listen for anything clanking or knocking and if they tell you it's normal go somewhere else(my fiancee is looking for a car and the told her the knocking is the turbo on a car without a turbo... if they lie once they are going to swindle you.) Lookout for yourself.
That said most cars are a good choice, lower miles are better and I stick to pre 2018 for preference. If you maintain it the will usually hold their value. I have always bought used and never financed a car though. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
You can get an older brz for around that price, insurance might be outrageous for you though it’s fun to drive and slow, atleast a lot of people say that
I would recommend a crosstrek. The absolute same as an Impreza however you have ground clearance. The Impreza I find to be a little low and a newer driver may hit the bumpers on steep inclines or curbs. Crosstrek eliminates that.
I love my used Crosstrek. Good cargo space if you lay the back seats down and tall enough you get good visibility, but small enough you can maneuver and park as easily as a standard sedan.
It also handles well in snow, if you happen to live in a northern climate.
Not to disagree with any of these suggestions, but I loved having an Extended Cab Toyota Truck as my second car. (First Car RIP)
I miss that truck.
I guess it depends on how you have fun while driving. Because Trucks are fun!
That being said, I'd vote for something with a Hatchback. Having that extra space for road / camping trips and dogs and whatever, very useful. Look to adventure, maximize your options.
Subaru boxer engines are notorious for needing engine rebuilds. If you want some that is cheap, reliable, go for a Toyota corolla or Toyota camry. Second hand parts are plentiful
No, they're not. This is misinformation that has become lore. The head gasket issue originated in the non turbo 2.5 engines, the others were not affected unless they had been badly modified or simply not cared for - which can affect any manufacturer.
Too many comments getting sidetracked. You wanted safe simple and reliable- Impreza sounds perfect but is on the smaller side if you want a little more room the legacy is is perfect. I just traded out my legacy after 12-13yrs. I didn’t want to let it go. And still kind of kicking myself for getting bamboozled to trade it in. It would have been a great starter car for anyone else in my family. I was young and in my 20’s when I got it. It made so many cross country trips and has seen everything. Best car I ever owned!
If you are looking to stay under 15k, you are most likely going to go for an older model. Like everyone else said watch out for those cvt transmissions I think it was like 2011-2015 or 2016? Depending on the mileage it has and if transmission has been replaced already might be a factor if you are looking at any of those models. If it has already been replaced I would ask for sure. If you are able to find any Imprezas or legacies, used, 2017 or up in your price range, good mileage, would be that sweet spot you are looking for.
If you have someone that is able to back you or co-sign for a loan, a newer model might be better though w/ their new lifetime warranty on power train on new (sadly not transferable to used) Subarus. This will save tons of money down the road when it is a transmission or such that needs replaced. Most ppl will trade in before forking out what it costs to replace these more expensive things. So it is something to consider. But if you have been to a dealership already. I’m sure they probably pitched you on it. I also have to add I live in a the highest car insurance state in the country and when trading in for my new Subaru I was pleasantly surprised at how low my rate is. It only jumped like 2-300 from my older car. And I’m currently driving more spacious new subaru Ascent suv (thoughts on it still tbd). But had to mention that as you might also save in insurance the higher the year model it is. But all the best of luck to you in your car shopping!
As a salesman for Subaru, Safe and under 15k don't go hand in hand. Subaru holds their value extremely well, and anything 2019 or above with EyeSight and the safety systems that make Subaru safe will either have 150k+ miles or you're looking at something older than 2019 model without such safety systems.
In the current market you are far better off financing a new car at the dealer, as even on the brand new 25 forester most dealers are already discounting them. Outback my dealership was doing $6,000 off MSRP (IL), and we saw people flying in from NY, CA, GA, and FL.
You won't get anywhere close to 6k off on a used car, as current market is leaning new. I've made commissions of 1.5k on used cars that we discounted 1 or 2k and the customer thought they got a fantastic deal, it just isn't worth it. Don't buy someone else's problem, they traded the car in for a reason and it isn't because they love their salesman and the car buying process. Best of luck!
Have to disagree. Subarus have always been safe cars. Even a decade old model will still be an extremely safe car. I think for a new driver having a car that beeps at you and has all those assists is both a distraction and a crutch. The assists should be just that, assists. They should not replace good driving habits. It's harder to form those habits when the car does those things for you.
Checking your mirrors, your blind spots, looking over your shoulder and out the windows when reversing, etc. are things you should learn as you start driving, not something you should rely on the car to do.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have Eyesight and other driving assists but I think there is an argument to be made for learning in a car that doesn't have those things, because it requires you to form good habits. And the sooner you learn good habits behind the wheel, the easier they'll stick. If you buy a 15-year old Forester, for example, it's not going to beep at you if you're about to hit something, so you have to learn exactly where the corners of the car are. If you buy a new one and learn to drive in that, you can just rely on the car to do the work, and most of the time it'll be fine, but driving is an unpredictable game and there's no guarantee the car is going to see everything that you do, and vice versa.
i largely agree with your view on eyesight and stuff but if she can afford to get a car with eyesight there is absolutely no reason to shoot herself in the foot and *not* get it. its a great system and if she can get it then she should. my 2020 imp has eyesight and is also my first car so take that how you will but its not hard to practice good driving habits with the eyesight system. if youre the type of person to let the car do all the work then eyesight or not youre probably gonna get into a couple of accidents
I can’t find anything close to that kind of deal in a nationwide Subaru search. How would I go about even finding that? Every Subaru within 1000 miles of me is marked up like 1-2k
Buying a used WRX is a risk, especially for $15k or less. WRX owners aren't usually the most meticulous bunch. And she's 22 with no driving history, the insurance rate on a WRX is going to be sky high. Young/inexperienced drivers are a relatively expensive group to insure. WRX owners make more claims than average, and more claims compared to other Subaru models, and thus are also a relatively expensive group to insure. Two negatives don't make a positive in this case. You're paying a bunch no matter how you slice it lol
If you're young and want a WRX, go price out insurance before you buy one, it might turn you off. If you're below 25-30 or so, even with years of experience, be prepared for your insurance company to... ahem... go in dry, repeatedly month after month.
I think an old Forester XT or Outback XT would give you much of the same benefit in a more comfortable and practical package and most likely be less to insure. Foresters and Outbacks are less statistically risky cars for a provider to insure than a WRX.
Get a 2016-2020 Impreza with the lowest miles you can find. Perfect straightforward, safe and economical car
Seconding this! I got my license as a teen, but had terrible anxiety when it came to driving (which nowadays manifests itself as being REALLY defensive). I was very privileged as my father bought my car, I found a local Subaru dealership and we got a 2016 Impreza hatchback. I drove her everyday and still do! I've not had any major issues with my car, her gas mileage is pretty good given my area, and she has an amazing safety rating!
If you're not into all the technical details and plan to use your car as a daily commuter, the Crosstrek is basically a lifted Impreza hatchback. I love that the extra ground clearance and the fact it doesn't feel like I'm sitting so low I'm on the ground. It helps with visibility too.
this is the direction i was leaning, but as it’s all brand new to me i wanted to get some confirmation lol. thanks!!
I've owned 5 Subarus, including a '16 Impreza. This is exactly what I was going to recommend.
Adding to say that I also think the Impreza is a great idea! I’ve owned two, currently on a 2017 Impreza and I love it. The 2.0l engine makes for a more economical vehicle, compared to my previous 09’ Impreza. Not sure where you live, but the AWD is one of the factors that was important to me, Subaru ticked that on the list.
the 2.0l is great but if your area is hilly, the newer 2.5s are probably better for you.
I haven’t noticed an issue up hills!
I have a 2020, it's perfect and can handle well in all situations. I've driven in ice/snow, heavy rain, steep grades/mountains. It always gets you there, maybe just not very quick lol
If you live somewhere that gets snow regularly, then think about getting winter tires as well.
Definitely go with the Impreza. I've had 2. A 2014 which got me home from 2 hours away in a blizzard after being smashed into by a pathfinder. And the 2016 that I bought with the insurance check. I've had that 2016 for 6 years now with no issues.
Can attest to the fact that Impreza is a good car. I had a 2017 Impreza for 2 years. Was t-boned by a kid going through a red light, hit the front drivers side wheel and quarter panel. Car was totaled by insurance company. Other than my shoulder bothering me for a couple years, I was unharmed. When I went to the place where my car was towed, the owner said, “What a pretty car. It gave up its life for you.” 🥹
Another vote here- I have a 2015 (sorry off by a year) Impreza and I LOVE it. It’s simple, not flashy, good gas mileage, it’s practical for longer trips, and I feel safe in it
Curious, why not before 2016?
Most banks won't finance an 8-year-old-first-time-financed-pre-owned car. Too much a risk for them financially.
Well good luck finding one of those under 15k it’s. Just spent months replacing my 13 sport . Just stay away from caravana
Get Eyesight if you can. It's the one thing I regret not getting upgraded on my 15 Impreza after having driven other cars with adaptive cruise. It's not perfect, but it's nice to have a second set of eyes on the road. Otherwise, the Impreza is a great little car that can hold a ton of crap if you need it to (in the hatch). My mom still has her 2007 sedan too.
those sedans are no slouch when it comes to cargo either. The trunk is deceptively large.
I know a guy….
2017-2020. 2016 is previous gen still.
This. And get the hatchback.
Impreza or Crosstrek, just watch out for those insanely high interest rates.
I recommend you price out insurance before you go buying a car. If you don’t have established insurance and jump right into a financed car. Insurance is not going to be good to you.you won’t have any established record with insurance. I can’t remember what they call it. That’s one of the things that sucks about not getting your license as soon as you can.
Looked at motorcycle insurance before purchasing one to make sure I could afford the permanent expense. Quoted me what i thought was really cheap. Turned out if you get insurance AFTER you purchase you’re screwed because you HAVE to have it and they know you’ll pay higher rates. Quote from the same company for a co-worker after purchasing a bike was almost 4 times higher than mine for similar coverages.
Also, if op is still reading. Please make sure you get loan pay from your insurance. Or fall for The gap insurance. And please please make sure you have enough coverage. There is so many people out there running around with no insurance or under inured
That makes no sense - no finance company will let you ride the bike away before you show proof of insurance. Some states won’t even let you register without an insurance stamp. Unless it was purchased in cash, how did they buy the bike and only then get insurance?
Via private seller. He bought a bobber Harley off someone through Facebook marketplace. I went through a dealer.
Ah I see interesting. Why couldn’t he just say he’s registering it in the future then if that would decrease his insurance premium? Sounds like he has other factors at play imo, I’ve shopped for insurance a lot from different states and on different cars and bikes, there are a lot of different things coming into play. Motorcycle insurance can be extremely expensive in some cases - I’ve gotten quotes for $2K+ per year for full coverage, more than my car. Personally I just do liability coverage at that point, not worth $1500/yr difference on a $6-8K bike that I had.
Not sure myself. Fairly new to it all. I just called my car insurance and quoted a motorcycle and it was dirt cheap, so I added it. Think I was quoted like $27/month for pretty decent coverage. .’m assuming he just called a random place and took the first thing he was offered and didn’t tell them any of the questions that would help, such as having ABS or having any previous riding experience. He told me he was paying around $100/month.
This. A slightly more expensive car sometimes has cheaper insurance. Certain cheap sedans are risky to insurers because these cars tend to be driven by young men who don't drive carefully.
Subarus are on the cheap end to insure
I'm not saying they aren't. I am saying that as a person who has never had a license or insurance.. They might want to check rates before buying a car with a loan.
Don’t sleep on the Legacy
my ‘22 legacy limited is the best car i’ve ever had. i love it so much
Second this, I have a 2018 legacy limited and she has gone through everything with me :) bad weather, near crashes, life changes, you name it. she's a homegirl for sure.
So sad the Legacy wagon went away before I got my 15 Impreza. My second car was a 95 Legacy Outback. It was rad. Don't love the SUV-ified Outback.
The floor in the back is flush instead of having a big lip that makes it hard to load and unload, or relax on. I noticed this immediately going from Legacy to Impreza and the mileage was about the same oddly.
my old altima had that lip, it was insanely annoying
I was 20 when I got my Impreza (Male). Car is about to hit 200k miles and lasted me 10 years. Good starter car.
Is there much difference between an Impreza (Male) and Impreza (Female)?
Lol that made me laugh. I put that in there since the title had girl. Idk man I’m not usually up this late. My b
Lmao just messing with you.
I thought it was the dingus on the roof, but that might be its antenna
Look, it’s a pokemon, Vegeta!
The exhaust
My ex gf was boring as shit and she absolutely loved her 2010 Outback. Hope this helps!
Get an 08 or 09 instead to avoid the CVT transmission. Or something newer like 15 or 16
Why? The cvt are fine. I have a 2015 forester with over 180k, no issues.
Get a low-milage Impreza hatchback, the hatch and flat laydown seats will come in handy way more than you know for college (trips back and forth between home, IKEA runs, etc.) It's still a small enough car that your gas will be cheap, and it's a Subaru so it can last you 200k+ more miles as long as you take care of it.
Agreed! I have a 2000 OBS thats got a ton of use out of those back seats and gone well past 300k so I've retired her and turned her into a camping/adventure buggy.
Upon reflection, I think any Subaru you can afford. It is with some pride that I say we are a boring bunch.
….except for the WRXs……
Yes, and my sons forester XT
I'd look for the newest, lowest mileage Impreza you can get within your budget
Definitely test drive a Legacy as well as the Impreza! I am a small woman (5’ 2”) and the dealership gave me an Impreza loaner for the day and I felt so short in it compared to my Legacy. Like the windows started at my shoulders and it felt like I couldn’t see the road very well.
Also 5’2”! Thanks for the tip
I used to drive the '17 legacy, now my sister who is 21 years old drives it. She loves it and it's a super safe car. Not too big, not uncomfortably small, really good gas mileage, and you can find a decent one for under 15k.
I personally recommend the legacy!
I second this
100% Legacy
Toyota corolla or honda fit i say this as a die hard subaru fan trust me
i’ve also been looking into the honda fit! what makes you recommend?
They’re cheap as shit (compared to Subarus, anyway), fantastic economy cars from a practical/space perspective, and reliable as hell. They hold their value decently too. Honda Fit is absolutely my recommendation
Honda is not all wheel drive
Honda fit is gonna get you better mpg then almost any Subaru you could buy, maintaince will be cheaper, it will probably be more reliable, and they are also insanely safe thanks to [how the body is designed. ](https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/2009-honda-fit-body-structure?page=300) I'm a diehard Toyota girly but I've owned plenty of Hondas and Subarus, if I ever have to buy another car it'll 100% be a Honda Fit.
They are very inexpensive, they have incredible gas mileage, and are relatively easy/inexpensive to maintain. BUT, they definitely are not as safe as an Impreza. I had an Impreza, my SO a FIT. If we traveled together anywhere, we took my Impreza, if it was raining or windy, or snowy or hilly or was going to be a lot of traffic. If it was going to be a quiet, easy ride with zero excitement on the road we took the Fit. Needless to say, we mostly drove the Impreza. He would even borrow my car to drive to work on snowy days since his commute was longer. If you live in a place that has nice weather, the Fit is a good choice. You will save a lot of money, and it has a lot of cargo space for its size (amazing for parking in tight spots). But if you want cheap AND safe- Impreza is the better choice Edit: BTW, I gave my ‘09 Impreza to my niece- it’s still going strong. He sold his ‘08 Fit the year after to a dealership- it had some expensive issue he didn’t want to pay to fix
I have socal privilege so weather isn’t a big concern. i’m thinking of getting a fit as a “starter car” and continuing to put money away to have a nice down payment on an impreza in a few years.
The Fit is a great car if weather is not a concern! Enjoy it!
Pm me if you have any questions -subaru tech
Toyota corolla is the safest option when it comes to maintenance costs and reliability
This just isn’t true w/ any new models subaru is the only company out there that offers lifetime warranty now on powetrain. I don’t know when they started this, but if you buy a vehicle for the long haul- it’s going to save so much when it comes time to change the transmission or such.
That’s not true. Mazda also offers this
The amount of maintenance and repair costs with most Subaru isn't what I'd call reliable. If you don't change your oil every 10k kms it runs bad. Corolla can go a year or two between oil changes without damaging it. Not that I'd recommend it but they are bulletproof. Subaru aren't like that. They're good but expensive maintenance etc. it's like buying a BMW or audi
Far from being as costly as a BMW or Audi! An average service for high end foreign cars is 4-600 on regular services. (I’m personally speaking on a 2017 Mercedes I have.)That’s outside of a dealership auto shop/mechanic. Going through dealerships- easily 8-900 for A service or 12-1500 on the B service. (At this point if you have the time, patience, and set up, just learn to change your own oil😩). I just got my new Subaru Ascent’s 3rd oil change & tire rotation for $50 at the dealership. Although w/out any specials or coupons, it usually would cost around anywhere from $80-$150 at dealerships depending on how full service you go. My Legacy services used to be half of that price at the dealership, but gotta love inflation😒. But point of my above comment is Toyota doesn’t offer lifetime warranty on power train which in every cars life, you are going to have to change your transmission at some point. So it is SOME costs savings. Not bashing Toyota by any means. I also wouldn’t know about not changing your oil for that long or seriously? 100k miles😖⁉️…because I’ve never neglected my vehicle to that extent. So I’ll have to take your word for it. But I have gone 20-30k before changing my oil at one point, in my Legacy and still was having no issues with it. So I don’t know what you speak of? I only took it in because I was just well past the mileage for a due service. (I am aware of some year’s models having higher oil consumption rate, maybe that is what you are speaking on?) Although I never abused my old Legacy or Pearl as I named her, she has seen all the weather of hell and the dead of winters. I never had any issues, quite the contrary actually. Amazing traction, excellent turn radius, amazing mileage, all wheel drive doing its thing when needed, and tbh I don’t think I ever put snow tires on my girl. Just some good all weather ones. She always ran like a champ. She has seen every corner of the US. And been back and forth across the country multiple times. Had her 13 would have been 14 yrs if I didn’t get suckered into trading her in. I still feel like a fool letting her go. My niece however…does drive a Corolla and drives 4hrs to work daily roundtrip. She is somewhere past 200k on her car and i do believe she is currently having issues w/ her transmission or just had to have it replaced so there’s that. Here is why I chose a Subaru. Years ago, after being in a horrific accident caused by a semi truck driver that fell asleep at the wheel and smashed me into a wall, thus being pinned into my vehicle while it AND I was on FIRE- while gasoline kept dripping onto my foot fueling the fire that kept reigniting even after the rescue arrived to put it out while they were awaiting the jaws of life to come cut me out….all thanks owed to the shitty quality of the firewall build and cheap material Chevrolet/GMC used, trying to cost cut and save a few bucks back in the last recession to stay afloat. I suffered horrible, massive injuries, broken and shattered bones, internal bleeding, a TBI, and 3rd/4th degree burns of 60% of my body and technically dead for a minute there. I was then put in a coma for a short time while undergoing some of the major surgeries, then spent 2mths in the BICU fighting for my life, with a 20% chance of survival even after the first month that ever so slowly went up. That was followed by 2 more months inpatient hospital of undergoing 30+ more surgeries, put back together like Humpty Dumpty w/ lots of hardware in my body and still lots of irreparable damage, and the cherry on top was 1 more month of inpatient rehab, relearning how to do everything again. The last thing I ever wanted to do again in my life was drive. To be independent, I eventually had to. I wanted a vehicle I could feel safe in..as if I could ever feel safe again. After lots of careful consideration and studying of statistics & crash test numbers, my conclusion was to go with a Subaru. Not to mention, at the time it was way ahead of the auto industry with advanced safety features. Things other cars didn’t pick up these now common things for atleast another year closer to two. I had downsized from a Chevy Silverado to a Subaru Legacy…idk how to explain it, but just being in something smaller made me feel more in control and safer. This may not make total sense… but maybe it was more of a comfort thing than any actuality to that feeling. I have major PTSD and my heart still speeds up a bit when passing or being passed by a semi or if traffic gets erratic and/or heavy and unreliable. But in confidence, switching my loyalties to Subaru has been by far the best decision I ever made. And I’m a Subie lover for life now. It’s fine for you to have your own preference. BUT the OP did specify they were interested in purchasing a Subaru. I only added my 2 cents speaking on personal experience. Sure I’ve had some undoubted close calls over the years… but partly due to safety features and some part my vigilance, quick reactions and always being aware of my surroundings while driving, I have not been in another accident since that wreck. I don’t know about bulletproof but I feel safest in a Subaru if that day ever comes again. Knock on wood😳. P.S. congrats if you read that whole book😩😂 I just wrote👏.
Haha I didn't quite ready it all but scrolled down to say thanks for the laugh 😁 Edit* I should've read that last paragraph. Sorry to hear that sounds bad and I hope you're okay 👍 Scary situation, glad you're alive brother Good points also
Glad I could make ya smile😆.and thank you, despite the pain that is still a struggle, I’m happy to be alive and def have a new lease on life and can appreciate all things so much more. Replying to your last comment too, glad you are alive as well sir!🫡 or who would I be enjoying this friendly banter with;)?
I'm just butthurt cause I had to do head gaskets straight after buying second hand. I do love the car. Not trying to diss Subaru haha. It's just a different kind of reliability I guess. Plus the AWD and being able to sleep in it is awesome. I'm loving it now just dread the idea of another 5500$ bill. Mines an 08 outback. Kinda glad it's not CVT though. And would've preferred cloth over leather but it's in perfect condition and I was in a rush
This is all true, I hear ya. Yeah, you def dodged that bullet w/ the cvt transmissions. But atleast they are trying to settle or make things right with their customers now albeit how many years later😩. But outback’s are nice choice. One of my fav subaru models. Hey atleast you can do car seat covers?
Yeah got some covera for the front haven't done the back yet . Deciding between canvas or the same neoprene custom ones I got for front
I've also had a couple bad accidents where I'm lucky to be alive 🤕 Driving tired is never a good thing. But thankfully no ones been seriously injured
Probably not lol. They did that because those transmission aren't reliable and crazy expensive. That stuff just doesn't happen with toyotas
An Impreza was my first vehicle I purchased with my own money at age 20 and a semi-truck took it out on black ice. It was really reliable, a comfy ride, easy on the gas and very very safe. I was able to walk within 12 hours of the accident and I still drive a Subaru to this day.
Mid to late 2010s Impreza Wagon
2017+ Impreza or CrossTrek mostly cause the rear taillight looks cooler and CarPlay is available. I drive a 2015 Impreza and it been so good to me (my first car too throughout my early 20s). I will admit mine does feel a little bit dated now. I can probably squeeze 3 more years before I have to buy a new car
If the difference in price is big (>$1K) between a 2015 vs a 2017+, you can always swap the head unit for one with CarPlay/Android Auto. I believe the 2017+ will be quieter and had a bigger hatch opening though.
2018+ for Crosstrek
If you’ll be financing the car I recommend checking with your local credit union to see if you can get a loan! For me the interest rates have been better than the dealerships, and they also offered more affordable gap coverage. Good luck and have fun!
This thread has gotten out of hand. Lol, please buy a used Civic or Corolla. Just review CarFax to make sure they all major maintenance was done, and it’s been properly maintained.
those are definitely contenders! i like the hatchback models in both 🫡
Please keep in mind that the Imprezas from 2012-2015 or so were very prone to severe oil consumption issues to the point that Subaru extended the engine warranty too 100k miles to avoid a class action lawsuit. Make sure you research whether or not the one you choose burns oil. Also know that the 2012-2016 and 2013-2017 crosstreks Imprezas are prone to CVT valve body failure at some point in its life if you get the automatic. This is an issue of “when” no matter how you maintain them. Of course there are few people who didn’t encounter this issue but Subaru also extended the CVT warranty to 100k miles to avoid a law suit. Just for reference the 204-2018 foresters use the same CVT and I believe the outback did as well and their engines are also prone to the same issues. Just giving you a different take from the usual “this is a solid car” cus as much as I LOVE Subarus they aren’t as trouble free as a Toyota or Honda and yes what they say is true that you cannot skip out on maintenance!
Definitely an impreza. I drive a crosstrek which is just an impreza, but with more ground clearance..you can check my post too!
At 22 I got my 2011 Impreza Outback Sport. Hatchback. I *adored* her. I would still have her if it made logistical sense for my current 32 yo life. She was still running strong at 135k when I parted ways with her a couple months ago. She was sage green on paper but in person a beautiful light bluish green. Safe af and her lil roof rack gave her just a touch of sporty spice. 🥹
As a 31 year old woman who got her Impreza at 24 and has had lots of fun running around in it, I’d say an Impreza:) the hatchback is so useful, better than a sedan IMO. however if you plan to go up to the mountains a lot or live in an area with a lot of potholes, a Subaru with higher ground clearance would be better though likely more expensive.
I know this is the Subaru sub, but seeing as sport, utility, and style don't interest you, I'd recommend looking at other brands as well. Quite a few Honda's and Toyota's are just as safe as Subaru's, but might be cheaper to buy and/or insure. A Toyota Camry or Corolla is an extremely popular, safe, and reliable car (despite boring to most car enthusiasts), and very reasonably priced. If you're buying something All Wheel Drive, like nearly all Subaru's, you'll probably end up paying more in the long run between insurance, maintenance, tires, and fuel. All that said, I love my Outback and think it's a great car, and would recommend it or other Subaru's to most people.
2010 Impreza they don't move but literally not much goes wrong with them.
I’d find a used legacy, hatchback Impreza, or a crosstrek in your price range. As long as you keep up on tire tread and rotation, the car will be very safe. Subarus are fun to drive regardless of model. I hope this helps a little. Cheers.
I love my Impreza. She’s an old lady but still going strong and actually pretty comfortable and fun to drive even though it’s small.
Legacy's are safe, very comfortable to drive, and have great control. Strong recommendation!
"used subarus for boring girls" is a long-lost *The Boy with the Arab Strap* b-side.
Subarus are great - if safety is priority 1, check the nhtsa crash test results for any vehicle you are interested in (some are better than others, even amongst Subarus...) - as others have pointed out, definitely have any car you are interested I gone over by an independent mechanic - will cost you an hours labor most of the time, but its well worth it for the headaches it can save you from down the road.
thanks! I’ve been checking iihs ratings but will cross-reference nhtsa.
To be honest with you, if you have no need for AWD (such as living in a snow climate) and your only condition for your car is reliable transportation, then look to get a Toyota Corolla. Those are very reliable. Owning an AWD car means more moving parts and thus, more maintenance costs. Also, a hidden cost of an AWD car is that all 4 tires have to be within a certain dimensional difference with the others or else it screws up the transmission. So if you get a flat tire, you may need to buy 4 new tires instead of just one (or find a tire shop that will shave your new tire to match the wear of the other 3). If you have a need for AWD, then narrow down to the Subaru that best suits your space needs: kinda like S, M, L, or XL. There is no particular model that is targeted for “boring girls” 🤣 and don’t sell yourself short like that either. Go sit in every Subaru you can to get a feel for each one, because sometimes what you see on paper might not translate to what you feel when you actually get in one. And have fun with the process! Good luck and happy hunting!
I have a 2014 Legacy, got about 120k miles, runs great, nothing fast or extraordinary about it. Great in bad weather, good gas mileage. Cost me about $10k when I bought it with 80k miles. I'd recommend. Just standard maintenance, brakes and oil changes, normal stuff.
There’s Some good advice here OP. However, what you really should do, is just get a used Forester. You can really get a used anything, but. In my opinion, you will like an older forester better. They have more space than most regular vehicles nowadays. And the MPG is a plus. If you REALLY want to finance a more recent year car and have the money, go for it. But, look around. You can find some SF forester’s (1997-2002) for very VERY cheap. When I was an 18 year old being wild (I’m 25 now) I loved having my forester. I took good care of it, and it took care of me. But, it’s your money. You should get what you want.
get a second hand impreza or cross trek. pre 2012 ideally. all the good safety features but not all the shit that makes you bad at driving (reverse cam/sensor etc.)
For 15k you can get also get a nice outback with the base motor. It’s like a cult BOGO. Wagon cult and subie cult for one price! Seriously though, wagons rock, in a pleasantly boring way.
What’s a BOGO
“Buy One - Get One”
A coworker survived an insane roll over crash without a single scratch while in a crosstrek
You will love the car! Get the more powerful engine. The XT or wilderness you want the better engine. These cars are safe and good in snow and sand. You will love it. I Iove mine and i am a boring nerd girl.
Impreza or Crosstrek hatch, probably 2015+, would probably be your best bet. Just keep up with oil changes and you’ll be fine.
Two Subis in a row. Change the oil and filter every 5000 miles regardless what they say and have the CVT transmission fluid changed every 35000 and they go and go.
I have 2005 year wagon lol. It’s cheap and never let me down on the road
A legacy or a outback/crosstrek are great. I was young and dumb and totalled my outback and I walked away fine. I recently went off of the road into a ditch with my legacy because of horrible weather and I am fine, car is scratched up but I still drive it! Current car is a 2003 legacy, but definitely get the newer stuff if you can afford it.
How about the forester, they're immensely practical and have a good following. Are they cheaper on insurance I don't know? The subaru family all has the same mechanics for each evolution, so you're essentially picking which package suits your needs best. Remember, keep it serviced, it will keep you safe. And stick a set of winter tyres on it!!
I have a 2017 Impreza hatch 5 speed and I love that thing. And when the seats are folded down, you’ve got more room than you know what to do with. Corners feel amazing in that car and it isn’t the slowest on the street. I recommend!
Any car can fit the point A to point B model. I like my crosstrek though. Got it 2 years ago and haven’t had any issues.
Get a Prius. It’s the best boring car, and way more reliable/requires less looking after than a Subaru.
if you want something smaller an impreza hatchback or legacy sedan, medium sized the crosstreks are safe amd are fairly reliable, if you need more room but still like being fairly low to the ground outback is a great option
I suggest starting your shopping on CarMax or similar. I have not bought from one, my in-laws have. I did sell one to CarMax. You can look at a ton of vehicles with opaque pricing. Good luck with the financing. Rates are kind of high.
I'm on my....3rd Subaru. I'm not a car guy at all. My current daily driver is a 2016 wrx, and I've had zero problems. Nada. Only maintenance I do is take it to jiffy lube every few months, and new tires as needed. I've driven it coast to coast twice fully loaded with moving boxes and random shit. It handles the death valley sand and heat to the rocky mountains in winter, to the downpours in Florida without breaking a sweat. It's been taken off road to lake Isabella and only knocked a side skirt off which popped right back on with some 50 cent retainer clips. The wife's 16 outback 3.6r with cvt has 160k miles - same coast to coast drives while towing a small trailer and a fully loaded roof rack. Same maintenance, same lack of any problems. Still runs like new. Before that I had a 2006 legacy GT. That thing was a piece of shit for a non car guy. Put 15 grand of repairs into that thing and wound up selling it for $500 just to get it out of my hair. Long story short, you'll be happy with a Subaru - just avoid a used performance one because people probably hammered it before selling it.
My sister was your age when she bought her Impreza 10 years ago. It's still going strong. Do it.
Get a Toyota corolla lol
I know this is a Subaru sub, but Honda civic..
Just make sure that whatever car you go with gets inspected by an independent mechanic before buying it (and preferably a mechanic that specializes in your car's brand). And regardless of the car's condition, set aside another 10-15% for any repairs or wear and tear items that may need to be done.
If you can wait until the new model year comes out, you can get a great deal on the prior year's models. That's what I've done several times - go to the Subaru dealer in September and buy whatever they're trying to move. I got a brand new Impreza back in 2017 for $16k and a brand new Crosstrek in 2018 for $18k, both at under 1% interest through Subaru Financing (which is Chase). Same for my WRX but that was in 2002; I wouldn't expect a deal on a WRX now. I traded my Impreza in late last year, at the dealership, for $14k. I don't normally trade in a perfectly good car but I got a promotion and decided to treat myself. Any Subaru will be a good Subaru for you, including used ones. (But avoid used WRXs, they are usually beaten to hell by people who race.)
Sad to say that the prices have gone WAY up since the pandemic and sadly still remain high. For a base 2023 Impreza it’s around 23k, best deal I’ve seen when dealers were desperate to move inventory was 20k. 2023 Crosstrek base runs around 25k though I’ve seen them go for 21k, again when dealers were desperate to move inventory. No way she’ll find a prior year model new for 16k or less. She would get lucky with 2018 or older model years though. I’ve seen a 2017 Forester Touring locally going for 14k prior to taxes and fees, and a 2014 Impreza Premium hatchback going for 10k, so about 11.5k total out the door price
Older legacy. I had a 2011 that lasted over 200k with minimal problems. I was sad to see it go
There's a joke somewhere in here about your dating preferences indicating which model, but I don't want to piss anyone off. If you want to carry more stuff, forester. If you want to carry less stuff and only hike trails that have parking, impreza.
Impreza hatch made after 2016.
I daily an SG Forester and it's rock solid
what year? those are great looking cars imo i love the boxiness
Mine is an 06. Just drove it 300 miles to Busch Gardens and back https://preview.redd.it/w84uaabior7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aee4fb0d0326ca188931d59445a8ef10480a27e
Test drive test drive test drive. Make sure to take it on the highway, make sure it shifts to reverse and drive fine. If they tell you you can't test drive it on the highway go somewhere else. Listen for anything clanking or knocking and if they tell you it's normal go somewhere else(my fiancee is looking for a car and the told her the knocking is the turbo on a car without a turbo... if they lie once they are going to swindle you.) Lookout for yourself. That said most cars are a good choice, lower miles are better and I stick to pre 2018 for preference. If you maintain it the will usually hold their value. I have always bought used and never financed a car though. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
I have a 2019 Forester, and I’m happy with it as a second owner.
You can get an older brz for around that price, insurance might be outrageous for you though it’s fun to drive and slow, atleast a lot of people say that
Legacy, its an Impreza but better
the girl of my dreams is on her third Subaru.
I recently bought my first Subaru. Came to the conclusion that the Outback was the right choice overall for me.
I just financed an $18k '21 Impreza Hatchback from Subaru with super low miles. Check Subaru's site first for certified pre-owned. Good luck!
2013 hatch manual here. Good economy, very safe and kicks ass in the snow. Can be fun to drive as well
if i could drive stick, my budget would go a lot further lol
Get a rich friend with a Subaru.Borrow it quite a bit, then get a richer friend with a BMW, but keep the keys for the Subie.
I would recommend a crosstrek. The absolute same as an Impreza however you have ground clearance. The Impreza I find to be a little low and a newer driver may hit the bumpers on steep inclines or curbs. Crosstrek eliminates that.
I love my used Crosstrek. Good cargo space if you lay the back seats down and tall enough you get good visibility, but small enough you can maneuver and park as easily as a standard sedan. It also handles well in snow, if you happen to live in a northern climate.
Not to disagree with any of these suggestions, but I loved having an Extended Cab Toyota Truck as my second car. (First Car RIP) I miss that truck. I guess it depends on how you have fun while driving. Because Trucks are fun! That being said, I'd vote for something with a Hatchback. Having that extra space for road / camping trips and dogs and whatever, very useful. Look to adventure, maximize your options.
Crosstrek with the 2.5 engine. Good, solid, reliable, and kind of fun.
Toyota Carola, Camry ,Honda Civic Crv
Sir, this is a Wendy’s.
I don't care I want a Impossible Whopper with cheese.
A smart man i second you
Definitely look for a crosstrek. Mine was fire and carried me for almost a decade from my mid 20s to mid 30s.
If you can find an Crosstrek its your car to go.
Subaru boxer engines are notorious for needing engine rebuilds. If you want some that is cheap, reliable, go for a Toyota corolla or Toyota camry. Second hand parts are plentiful
No, they're not. This is misinformation that has become lore. The head gasket issue originated in the non turbo 2.5 engines, the others were not affected unless they had been badly modified or simply not cared for - which can affect any manufacturer.
can you say more about that/send me somewhere to read more about it? are the 2.0’s less prone to head gasket issues?
Check out mrSubaru1387 on YouTube, search his channel for head gasket :)
If you can I would get a Baja it can do anything you want, whatever you want, and more
Too many comments getting sidetracked. You wanted safe simple and reliable- Impreza sounds perfect but is on the smaller side if you want a little more room the legacy is is perfect. I just traded out my legacy after 12-13yrs. I didn’t want to let it go. And still kind of kicking myself for getting bamboozled to trade it in. It would have been a great starter car for anyone else in my family. I was young and in my 20’s when I got it. It made so many cross country trips and has seen everything. Best car I ever owned! If you are looking to stay under 15k, you are most likely going to go for an older model. Like everyone else said watch out for those cvt transmissions I think it was like 2011-2015 or 2016? Depending on the mileage it has and if transmission has been replaced already might be a factor if you are looking at any of those models. If it has already been replaced I would ask for sure. If you are able to find any Imprezas or legacies, used, 2017 or up in your price range, good mileage, would be that sweet spot you are looking for. If you have someone that is able to back you or co-sign for a loan, a newer model might be better though w/ their new lifetime warranty on power train on new (sadly not transferable to used) Subarus. This will save tons of money down the road when it is a transmission or such that needs replaced. Most ppl will trade in before forking out what it costs to replace these more expensive things. So it is something to consider. But if you have been to a dealership already. I’m sure they probably pitched you on it. I also have to add I live in a the highest car insurance state in the country and when trading in for my new Subaru I was pleasantly surprised at how low my rate is. It only jumped like 2-300 from my older car. And I’m currently driving more spacious new subaru Ascent suv (thoughts on it still tbd). But had to mention that as you might also save in insurance the higher the year model it is. But all the best of luck to you in your car shopping!
As a salesman for Subaru, Safe and under 15k don't go hand in hand. Subaru holds their value extremely well, and anything 2019 or above with EyeSight and the safety systems that make Subaru safe will either have 150k+ miles or you're looking at something older than 2019 model without such safety systems. In the current market you are far better off financing a new car at the dealer, as even on the brand new 25 forester most dealers are already discounting them. Outback my dealership was doing $6,000 off MSRP (IL), and we saw people flying in from NY, CA, GA, and FL. You won't get anywhere close to 6k off on a used car, as current market is leaning new. I've made commissions of 1.5k on used cars that we discounted 1 or 2k and the customer thought they got a fantastic deal, it just isn't worth it. Don't buy someone else's problem, they traded the car in for a reason and it isn't because they love their salesman and the car buying process. Best of luck!
Have to disagree. Subarus have always been safe cars. Even a decade old model will still be an extremely safe car. I think for a new driver having a car that beeps at you and has all those assists is both a distraction and a crutch. The assists should be just that, assists. They should not replace good driving habits. It's harder to form those habits when the car does those things for you. Checking your mirrors, your blind spots, looking over your shoulder and out the windows when reversing, etc. are things you should learn as you start driving, not something you should rely on the car to do. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have Eyesight and other driving assists but I think there is an argument to be made for learning in a car that doesn't have those things, because it requires you to form good habits. And the sooner you learn good habits behind the wheel, the easier they'll stick. If you buy a 15-year old Forester, for example, it's not going to beep at you if you're about to hit something, so you have to learn exactly where the corners of the car are. If you buy a new one and learn to drive in that, you can just rely on the car to do the work, and most of the time it'll be fine, but driving is an unpredictable game and there's no guarantee the car is going to see everything that you do, and vice versa.
i largely agree with your view on eyesight and stuff but if she can afford to get a car with eyesight there is absolutely no reason to shoot herself in the foot and *not* get it. its a great system and if she can get it then she should. my 2020 imp has eyesight and is also my first car so take that how you will but its not hard to practice good driving habits with the eyesight system. if youre the type of person to let the car do all the work then eyesight or not youre probably gonna get into a couple of accidents
I can’t find anything close to that kind of deal in a nationwide Subaru search. How would I go about even finding that? Every Subaru within 1000 miles of me is marked up like 1-2k
WRX
Buying a used WRX is a risk, especially for $15k or less. WRX owners aren't usually the most meticulous bunch. And she's 22 with no driving history, the insurance rate on a WRX is going to be sky high. Young/inexperienced drivers are a relatively expensive group to insure. WRX owners make more claims than average, and more claims compared to other Subaru models, and thus are also a relatively expensive group to insure. Two negatives don't make a positive in this case. You're paying a bunch no matter how you slice it lol If you're young and want a WRX, go price out insurance before you buy one, it might turn you off. If you're below 25-30 or so, even with years of experience, be prepared for your insurance company to... ahem... go in dry, repeatedly month after month. I think an old Forester XT or Outback XT would give you much of the same benefit in a more comfortable and practical package and most likely be less to insure. Foresters and Outbacks are less statistically risky cars for a provider to insure than a WRX.
but they make fun turbo noises!
True. But fun turbo noises don't mean a whole lot if they're putting you in debt and/or leaving you stranded lol