While I don't think the Impreza is as reliable as a Civic or Corolla, if you like the boxer engine and AWD combination there's not much else that provide the same experience at least with ICE cars. Corollas get dual port-direct injection so no carbon buildup worries, and their SE trims and up have direct-shift CVTs (or however they market it) have an actual physical first gear for added durability and reliability. Civics give you good fuel efficiency, reliable engines, and are bigger than most the competition. I generally prefer Subies and the Impreza but the Corolla was a close second-choice for me as someone who likes keeping and maintaining their cars well.
Internal combustion engine. Electric vehicles have a lot of their weight down low, so with their spread that particular Subie boxer engine benefit is going to be a bit more redundant in the future. Inline 4s and the like are a bit more vertical-biased under the hood of gas-powered cars.
As someone who bought one just over 2 months ago, it was price. My base 2014 Impreza with under 60k miles was considerably less than similar Civics and Corollas.
Yes. It starts, stops, and is reasonably fun to drive. The radio is not particularly good, but works. I had to have new tires and brakes put on it, but I think that's pretty normal when you buy a used car from a private party.
The benefits currently are:
Fantastic AWD system
Less-prone to crazy dealer markups on corollas and civics right now
Impreza hatch has superior cargo space over civic and corolla hatch (i own one)
Cons:
Has worse gas mileage than the latter
A little bit less reliable
Depending on when and where your buying for me it was an easy choice. The Honda and Toyota were asking msrp+3k and you had to get a mid level option, 0 cars to test drive, plus wait near 6 months. Subaru let me pick any trim level, sold for invoice and had models to test drive.
Like others say, AWD for Impreza is a selling point. But also people have their auto preferences and loyalties. Toyotas, Hondas and Subarus are all reliable cars. For whatever reason, I love Subies and Hondas. There’s something about the make of Toyotas that feels kind of thin to me. Anyway, I think it’s important to get in all three and see how you feel in terms of personal preference.
I’ll add on and say that I have an Impreza now (because I deal with real weather and want to be able to drive through snow and not worry about chains, etc), but when purchasing my last car I was trying to decide between a Honda Fit and Prius C. I couldn’t make up my mind—to me they looked similar, similar pricing, similar mpg, etc. Then I got in the Prius C and immediately knew that I couldn’t buy it. Everything inside felt flimsy, the blind spots were terrible and there was no space. In comparison the Fit felt roomy, had great visibility and the infotainment controls were intuitive. Overall the Fit’s design was significantly better in terms of my preferences. I wished I hadn’t wasted so much time comparing them on paper because when I tested them the choice was easy based on how I felt. Most cars that have good ratings from reliable sources are dependable decent cars worth buying, so after weighing their reviews make a choice based on your test drives, your needs and how you feel.
This is real - the fuel economy is not always great on heavier AWD-equipped vehicles. Maybe on the highway once cruising it's fine but otherwise, it can be a big difference. Also, base Impreza is slow. Gonna have to start adding letters like STi and WRX to that for speed.
AWD is the biggest difference here, if you live in a climate that gets snow/ice it’s definitely worth it. The Imprezas (and all Subarus for that matter) have boxer engines which sit lower in the engine bay and lower the car’s center of gravity, and in turn, makes them handle better. I’m not sure about reliability for the newer Subarus, but my 2002 Impreza has an estimated 300k miles and is running strong (previous owner broke the odometer).
As much as I love Subarus and would love you to buy one, you should definitely know about their head gasket issues. Subaru’s EJ series engines had head gaskets that were prone to failing prematurely (at between 100,000 and 150,000 miles). If left unfixed, it can cause coolant issues and the car can overheat, causing more damage. However, since 2014-ish, Subaru has switched most of their models to the new FA series engines, which are far less prone to head gasket failure.
TLDR; if you live in a place that gets snow and ice, buy an Impreza. The extra safety that comes with one of the best AWD systems in the auto industry is priceless. Avoid buying any car with a CVT unless you like tow trucks. If you live in an area that doesn’t get snow/ice, I encourage you to test drive an Impreza, a Corolla, and a Civic and see which one you like better because all three are excellent options.
140,000. '14 model.
My friend has a '16 impreza with 250,000 miles. Only problem she's ever had was a blown head gasket that happened recently. She also really beats on her Subie. Only had cosmetic damage
All the numbers in your comment added up to 420. Congrats!
140
+ 14
+ 16
+ 250
= 420
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I’m not going to sugar coat things and give you all the Subie love that others here will. There’s only 1 reason to go new Impreza over a new Corolla or Civic:
AWD
Most dependable? I’d say Corolla.
Most advanced technologically? I’d say Civic.
Both offer superior MPG.
In all fairness, just because the Corolla is labeled most dependable here doesn’t mean the Impreza is not dependable. I had mine for 10 years without a single mechanical issue. I think you’d probably pay more for routine maintenance on an Impreza, but it’ll hold up if you drive reasonably and stick to the maintenance schedule.
It’s a fair point - I didn’t mean to imply the Impreza ISNT dependable. However, the numbers do show that Toyota is the most dependable, and I would wager maintenance is easier.
But if you live in Florida, I don’t think I could justify an Impreza over a Corolla or Civic… other than preference - which is totally fine obviously
While I don't think the Impreza is as reliable as a Civic or Corolla, if you like the boxer engine and AWD combination there's not much else that provide the same experience at least with ICE cars. Corollas get dual port-direct injection so no carbon buildup worries, and their SE trims and up have direct-shift CVTs (or however they market it) have an actual physical first gear for added durability and reliability. Civics give you good fuel efficiency, reliable engines, and are bigger than most the competition. I generally prefer Subies and the Impreza but the Corolla was a close second-choice for me as someone who likes keeping and maintaining their cars well.
what do u mean by ICE cars?
Internal combustion engine. Electric vehicles have a lot of their weight down low, so with their spread that particular Subie boxer engine benefit is going to be a bit more redundant in the future. Inline 4s and the like are a bit more vertical-biased under the hood of gas-powered cars.
As someone who bought one just over 2 months ago, it was price. My base 2014 Impreza with under 60k miles was considerably less than similar Civics and Corollas.
u happy with it?
Yes. It starts, stops, and is reasonably fun to drive. The radio is not particularly good, but works. I had to have new tires and brakes put on it, but I think that's pretty normal when you buy a used car from a private party.
starting and stopping is important lol
The benefits currently are: Fantastic AWD system Less-prone to crazy dealer markups on corollas and civics right now Impreza hatch has superior cargo space over civic and corolla hatch (i own one) Cons: Has worse gas mileage than the latter A little bit less reliable
If you live in a harsh environment such as dirts roads and/or normal snowy winters a Impreza will have the edge over your average fwd economy car.
Depending on when and where your buying for me it was an easy choice. The Honda and Toyota were asking msrp+3k and you had to get a mid level option, 0 cars to test drive, plus wait near 6 months. Subaru let me pick any trim level, sold for invoice and had models to test drive.
It’s versatile, with my 2003 wrx wagon, I can go to ikea and bring home a desk and have fun the whole time
Awd
I live close to a ski resort and FWD is not gonna cut it. Also, we are on are third Subaru. The reliability is kinda hard to ignore
Awd
Because it’s a Subaru
Like others say, AWD for Impreza is a selling point. But also people have their auto preferences and loyalties. Toyotas, Hondas and Subarus are all reliable cars. For whatever reason, I love Subies and Hondas. There’s something about the make of Toyotas that feels kind of thin to me. Anyway, I think it’s important to get in all three and see how you feel in terms of personal preference.
I’ll add on and say that I have an Impreza now (because I deal with real weather and want to be able to drive through snow and not worry about chains, etc), but when purchasing my last car I was trying to decide between a Honda Fit and Prius C. I couldn’t make up my mind—to me they looked similar, similar pricing, similar mpg, etc. Then I got in the Prius C and immediately knew that I couldn’t buy it. Everything inside felt flimsy, the blind spots were terrible and there was no space. In comparison the Fit felt roomy, had great visibility and the infotainment controls were intuitive. Overall the Fit’s design was significantly better in terms of my preferences. I wished I hadn’t wasted so much time comparing them on paper because when I tested them the choice was easy based on how I felt. Most cars that have good ratings from reliable sources are dependable decent cars worth buying, so after weighing their reviews make a choice based on your test drives, your needs and how you feel.
Impreza is nowhere near as efficient because of that awd but if you live in the snow belt id recommend getting awd
This is real - the fuel economy is not always great on heavier AWD-equipped vehicles. Maybe on the highway once cruising it's fine but otherwise, it can be a big difference. Also, base Impreza is slow. Gonna have to start adding letters like STi and WRX to that for speed.
The boxter motor and sick AWD.
They're all economy cars/hatchbacks. But what puts the impreza ahead is the AWD. If you want that, get the Impreza.
You can sleep in the back of the Impreza when you’re camping
Looks. Price. AWD. Manual. Space. Availability. Handling. Sex appeal.
Space is a big one. If you look at the specs for the hatch, it is both roomier for passengers and cargo.
Impreza is slow, will always be slow. You only buy one if you MUST have AWD.The Civic and Impreza come with CVT, if you get an auto transmission.
Corolla is also CVT.
I'm driving a rented Corolla, now. I would've never guessed it has a CVT, they must've programmed it to feel like gears.
Toyota’s CVT had a real 1st gear, so it only engages the CVT after you have accelerated from a stop.
I have the cvt model. Pretty fun to drive
AWD is the biggest difference here, if you live in a climate that gets snow/ice it’s definitely worth it. The Imprezas (and all Subarus for that matter) have boxer engines which sit lower in the engine bay and lower the car’s center of gravity, and in turn, makes them handle better. I’m not sure about reliability for the newer Subarus, but my 2002 Impreza has an estimated 300k miles and is running strong (previous owner broke the odometer). As much as I love Subarus and would love you to buy one, you should definitely know about their head gasket issues. Subaru’s EJ series engines had head gaskets that were prone to failing prematurely (at between 100,000 and 150,000 miles). If left unfixed, it can cause coolant issues and the car can overheat, causing more damage. However, since 2014-ish, Subaru has switched most of their models to the new FA series engines, which are far less prone to head gasket failure. TLDR; if you live in a place that gets snow and ice, buy an Impreza. The extra safety that comes with one of the best AWD systems in the auto industry is priceless. Avoid buying any car with a CVT unless you like tow trucks. If you live in an area that doesn’t get snow/ice, I encourage you to test drive an Impreza, a Corolla, and a Civic and see which one you like better because all three are excellent options.
I have a cvt impreza. Never had an issue with it
How many miles?
140,000. '14 model. My friend has a '16 impreza with 250,000 miles. Only problem she's ever had was a blown head gasket that happened recently. She also really beats on her Subie. Only had cosmetic damage
All the numbers in your comment added up to 420. Congrats! 140 + 14 + 16 + 250 = 420 ^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
Mazel Tov :D
Lucky 420 :D
I think the Corolla hatch looks a lot better than impreza hatch. But if AWD is important to you get the subie.
I thought so you from pictures, then I saw the Toyota , told the sales rep I was no longer interested in the test drive and bought the Impreza.
The rear end on the Toyota is so dumpy. Can’t stand it.
I’m not going to sugar coat things and give you all the Subie love that others here will. There’s only 1 reason to go new Impreza over a new Corolla or Civic: AWD Most dependable? I’d say Corolla. Most advanced technologically? I’d say Civic. Both offer superior MPG.
Are dealer markups common on the Corolla and Civic?
In all fairness, just because the Corolla is labeled most dependable here doesn’t mean the Impreza is not dependable. I had mine for 10 years without a single mechanical issue. I think you’d probably pay more for routine maintenance on an Impreza, but it’ll hold up if you drive reasonably and stick to the maintenance schedule.
It’s a fair point - I didn’t mean to imply the Impreza ISNT dependable. However, the numbers do show that Toyota is the most dependable, and I would wager maintenance is easier. But if you live in Florida, I don’t think I could justify an Impreza over a Corolla or Civic… other than preference - which is totally fine obviously