2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon 5dr Man STI w/Gold Wheels/Nav

• 2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Summary
• 2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Handling
• 2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Safety
• 2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Noteworthy

2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Summary
The 20008 Impreza has very substantial redesign from the 2007 model. Improvements include a roomier (4.5 inches longer and wheel base is expanded by nearly 4 inches too) and more refined interior with better materials and the exterior style is meant to have broader. Some reviewers, including Edmunds, Caranddriver, Automobilemag and CNET say its look is a bit too mainstream. All trims offer all wheel drive and comes in sedan and hatchback body styles and has 2 sporty trims in the turbocharged WRX and high-performance WRX STI. It is nearly 4 inches longer and has better interior and exterior materials. It is a better car than prior years but pokey styling and outdated transmission make it hard to compete with new stylized versions of the Audi A3 and Mazda 3. But the Impreza and and more so the WRX, starting at 17,000 and 24,000, are still a cheap way to get into a sports sedan / hatchback. Those looking for a responsive sporty drive should select the WRX STI, says Edmunds and others, as the WRX and base model are sluggish, not very responsive and not a firm enough body. The 2.5i has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 170 torque. The Impreza 21008 WRX model is turbocharged with the same engine now producing 224 horsepower and 226 torque. Finally, the WRX STI generates 305 hp and 290 torque. Noteworthy: Larger, much quieter ride, more leg room than previous models but exterior style is bland and does not have Subaru trademark looks as noted by Caranddriver which referred to it as toadlike and unattractive. CNET remarked that the dashboard has a very easy to use simple layout and next generation graphics, interface and mapping features are among the best they have seen. A number of reviewers including Cars mentioned that a much needed improvement would be to add a 6th gear to the manual transmission and 5th gear to automatic transmission to improve acceleration. It is not the most fuel ecnomocial car but what one would expect with an all wheel drive sports car.

2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Handling
The WRX STI will still please enthusiasts with its handling and power. The all wheel drive does help hold corners well as stated by a number of reviewers including Automobilemag and CNET. However, the steering can be loose and the car could be a bit more firm to prevent body roll. A few reviewers recommended selecting higher-performance tire options over the standard option as a means to significantly improve handling.

2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Review Safety
The Impreza offers standard safety features including antilock brakes and side curtain airbags. The Base 2.5i models have rear drum brakes and with a Premium package include rear disc brakes, the Brake Assist for the antilock brakes, stability control and a hill-holder function for manual transmission-equipped cars. These upgrades come standard on the Outback Sport, WRX and WRX STI. The 2.5i models also have active front head restraints to help reduce crash-induced whiplash.

2008 Subaru Impreza Wagon Noteworthy
Larger, much quieter ride, more leg room than previous models but exterior style is bland and does not have Subaru trademark looks as noted by Caranddriver which referred to it as toadlike and unattractive. CNET remarked that the dashboard has a very easy to use simple layout and next generation graphics, interface and mapping features are among the best they have seen. A number of reviewers including Cars mentioned that a much needed improvement would be to add a 6th gear to the manual transmission and 5th gear to automatic transmission to improve acceleration. It is not the most fuel ecnomocial car but what one would expect with an all wheel drive sports car.