2009 Subaru Impreza Reviews

You can save a motza on a late-model used car, because the first owner has already taken the biggest hit... usually 30-50 percent, in depreciation. Ideally, you want to be the second owner, and hang on to the car for a few years, to maximise the value you get from your motoring dollar. We've picked our top five used

Ewan Kennedy reviews the Subaru Impreza from 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 as a used buy.

Subaru Impreza is a small-medium car imported from Japan and one that has a well-deserved reputation for long life and high resale ratings. Subarus in general give the feeling they are designed by people who are more interested in engineering and driving than in marketing and over-the-top styling. Ride and handling

NEW - The WRX rally weapon inevitably comes to mind when you think of the Subaru Impreza, but the smallest member of the Subaru family is much more than that.If the WRX is the one young tearaways buy, the regular Imprezas are the ones bought by regular people. The new model that arrived in 2007 as a hatch only boasted all-wheel drive like all Subarus, and that’s what separates it from its rivals.Subaru made the smart move to all-wheel drive many years ago when it was struggling to find a place in the market, and has gone gang-busters ever since. Two body styles were offered; initially it was only a hatch in 2007 before a sedan arrived a year later.It was longer, higher and heavier than the previous model, with reasonable boot space. Power was provided by a 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine that had a little less power than the engine in the previous model, but more torque.In total it had 110 kW and 196 Nm, which was enough to get the job done without causing any excitement. In standard guise the Impreza came with a five-speed manual transmission with the option of a four-speed automatic, and the final drive was through all four wheels.On the road the Impreza showed the advantage of all-wheel drive in the poise and traction is had on all surfaces. It particularly came into its own on slick surfaces where other two-wheel drive cars struggled.There were three models offered before you got to the sporty ones like the WRX, these were the R, RX and RS. The RS had previously been a sporty model in earlier Imprezas, but was now a regular model with the same mechanical package as the rest of the regular range.NOWThe Impreza doesn't have any issues that need concern a used car buyer; the trade gives them its tick of approval. But one thing to be aware of is that, like all boxer engines, they use oil and you need to keep on top of it by regularly checking the oil and topping it up as needed.Don't leave it thinking that it will be right to leave it until the next service, because you might run it out of oil in the meantime and that could mean a big repair bill.It's important to check the oil level on any car under consideration for purchase, if down ask why. Some owners become less focussed on servicing once the warranty runs out, often skipping or delaying services and that can be where trouble starts, so be particularly attentive when inspecting a car when the warranty is up.SMITHY SAYSGood solid car that won't give trouble if it's properly serviced.Subaru Impreza - 2007-2010Price new: $26,490 to $31,490Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 110 kW/196 NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, AWDEconomy: 8.8 L/100 km, ULPBody: 4-door sedan, 5-door hatchbackVariants: R, RX, RSSafety: 5-star ANCAP

So you, the driver, can choose who sits in the remaining seat. No kids in the back jabbing each other with their elbows, staring at the floor so they turn green with car sickness or whine about not be

Like how a former president of the United States had a father who also did the job and how another ex-president's wife had a big stab for the same job.And like the thought that one of the world's best car makers is Subaru yet, purely coincidentally, the same car maker is one of the world's most dreary car designers. Remarkable.I don't know what you think — and really, I do care — but the latest Subaru Impreza hatch just does not do it for me. It doesn't stand out on the road and say: Look at me, I'm the latest and greatest.It says: Yep, me again.That's an awful shame. The Impreza is very well screwed together and has the best safety in its class, equalled only by the Mitsubishi Lancer.The hatch is nice to drive, feels solid on the road, has understated cabin features and though a bit more expensive than others, has the lure of things like the maximum safety star rating and all-wheel drive. It just looks, well, ordinary.AppearanceNow there's another Impreza. One that doesn't look ordinary and, in WRX trim tested here, actually looks like something you would pleasantly park in your driveway without your boring neighbour starting hee-haw noises over the fence.This is the Impreza sedan.Sit inside and it's all the same as the hatch. But walk around the outside and it has a cute tail that balances out the profile.The WRX gets a rear spoiler atop this boot lid, further impressing the audience.There is also a STI-look grille that successfully hardens up the almost floral decoration of the one on the standard hatch.The Impreza is finally balanced, in proportion and now armed with sufficient styling to draw attention. That can only be good.There is a certain austerity to the cabin but no complaints about the finish.Inexplicably, the audio system in the WRX is one of the best around in terms of sound quality and the enveloping nature of the speakers.The touch-screen system (optional) is excellent and sat-nav is appreciated though the buttons are weeney making it awkward for the driver to change the modes.And the seats are a pleasant compromise between sports and comfort, with sufficient lateral support so tired bodies like mine can plop in and creak out.Naturally the sedan has a bigger boot than the hatch though it still has a high floor. Combined with the small lid, it will limit the car's cargo-carrying flexibility though some relief is in the split/fold rear seats.The boot floor hides a space-saver spare and there's precious little room for anything else.FeaturesThe WRX comes standard with pretty much everything you'll want in a small car.It seats four adults, has climate airconditioning and electric windows and mirrors. There is a six-disc CD player and iPod jack, trip computer and cruise control.There is also height and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, height adjustment for the driver's seat, privacy glass for the rear doors and DataDot security technology.As the penultimate Impreza, the exterior gets colour-coded door handles and mirrors, alloy wheels, the mandatory spoiler and body kit.PricingThe hatch and the sedan versions of the WRX start at the same $39,990 — the same as in previous years despite the jump in performance and features.But the test car added leather upholstery, the sat-nav system — which replaces the six-disc CD player with a single-disc unit to allow room for the DVD map — and sunroof. Subaru bundles these three together and offers the WRX for $45,480.DrivetrainThe flat-four gets more power but the accent is on its delivery to the four wheels.That engine is still 2.5 litres and there's a turbocharger to give it a kick, resulting in power rising 26kW to 195kW and torque to 343Nm from 320Nm.This all arrives at higher revs which is a surprise given how much easier the car gets off the mark. The torque hits its peak at 4000rpm (previously 320Nm at 2800rpm) and power at 6000rpm (previously 169kW at 5200rpm).A graph (unavailable for viewing) may show a fatter torque band at lower revs.The flat-four engine drills through a five-speed manual — “no need for a heavy six-speed,” Subaru says — and ends at the front wheels and, via a limited slip differential, the rear wheels.Disc brakes are all around with ventilated units up front. Spot the WRX models by their red-painted calipers on show behind the spokes of the 17-inch alloys.Suspension is MacPherson struts at the front and, in a recent move, double wishbones with coils at the back that replace the struts used in previous models.Subaru has also tweaked the suspension with firmer joints to sharpen steering input and flatten out the bends.DrivingA decade-old Subaru can be identified just by cranking over its starter motor. You don't have to see the car to know it’s Subaru.Well, the latest one is less easy to pick by sound. Better body insulation has muffled the dentist-drill starter and a bigger exhaust system has muted the exhaust note. Not killed the note, merely turned the volume down a tad.The latest WRX gets quieter and has added a bit of softness in the power delivery despite the extra kilowatts and Newton-metres.From the driver's seat it's nice and simple and a lot like before.But press in the clutch and engage first and the shifter feels positive with less resistance than the older model.Drive the machine and the box shows shift improvements especially the downchange into second cog and then into first.The engine is a winner. Less fussy than before and with almost no willingness to stall off the mark, it displays more low-end guts to make driving so much easier.That rush still comes on hot from 2000rpm and pushes through 3000rpm with a bit of a thrust at about 4000rpm. There's no harshness about the delivery — it's smooth, linear and easy to control.The box, also, suits the extra torque. The WRX would run harder with a six-speed unit but, in truth, the five felt fine and given the engine's flexibility, was a no-brainer. It’s lighter and cheaper than a six, too.Impreza steering is a tad firm but that suits the car and the way it's supposed to be driven.Subaru has played with the suspension but you'd never call it harsh. It's a good balance between smooth and coarse bitumen with the only bit of nagging aimed at the noisy tyres.Basically, an easier WRX to drive and own. And, thankfully, prettier.SnapshotSubaru Impreza WRXPrice: $39,990 ($45,480 as tested)Engines: 2.5-litre, flat-4-cyl, turbocharger, intercoolerPower: 195kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 343Nm @ 4000rpmFuel economy (official): 10.4 litres/100km, (tested): 10.8 litres/100kmTransmission: five-speed manual; constant 4WD

Having softened off the new WRX for its hatch launch last year, Subaru has put the bite back into Rex with the arrival of the sedan."It is not a matter of putting back anything that was taken out, rather an advancement of some characteristics to further improve the car," Subaru boss Nick Senior argued."The 2009 car is a bit more aggressive and goes a bit harder but it is still a car you can live with from Monday to Sunday."When the new generation Impreza hatch range was launched in August last year there was an unapologetic move to make the cars more attractive to a demographic Subaru felt it had been missing — middle-aged male and females who wanted performance without the raw edge.The WRX, which had built its street-smart reputation on being something of a junkyard dog, lost some of its mongrel appeal as a by-product of the refinement.With the arrival of the sedan and a whole range of upgrades — including an extra 26kW of power, 23Nm of urge and a specific suspension package that brings back dynamic handling — the big dog is back, albeit better trained.The key to the reformed character of the '09 WRX is in two critical areas, engine performance and suspension tuning — the first to be utilised across the Subaru world, the second a special toy for Australian buyers alone."The WRX has evolved into a very mature sports car," Senior said.Sales and price When the WRX was first launched in 1994 monthly sales were running at around 25, a figure which has peaked and troughed over the years. The current model, available only in the hatch variant until this week, is averaging 80 cars a month — a figure Subaru is hoping will jump closer to 150 a month with the arrival of the sedan. Both variants are priced from $39,990."There has been a good deal of hold-off for the sedan, a model that was well known to be coming this year," Senior said.Engine Under the bonnet the extra power and torque comes chiefly from a larger and more efficient turbocharger — a slightly detuned version of the one used in the STI models.Maximum target boost pressure is up 18 per cent to 92kpa compared to the 2008 turbocharger but still down 10 per cent on the STI.Road manners To answer the criticism of a more plush and less controlled handling characteristic for the '08 model Subaru's engineers have increased spring rates and retuned the dampers to keep the WRX flatter through corners and under braking. As well as sharpening turn-in feel for the steering the incorporation of a new damper valve in the hydraulics dramatically reduces kickback when the front-end is under load through corners."This (handling improvement) has been achieved through larger diameter stabiliser bars front and rear, stiffer springs up to 38N/mm on the front and 34N/mm on the rear," Subaru Australia's Derek Ashby explained."Strut top mounts have also been changed to the same as that used on the STI WRX."Combined with these changes as a total suspension package, shock absorber damping rates both front and rear have been retuned to provide a much more sports handling characteristic."While the five-speed manual transmission has been retained for the WRX — it has the distinct advantage of being 20kg lighter than the 6-speed option — there have been modifications to improve shift feel.Appearance Externally the makeover for the year model change is minor but noticeable. The sedan and hatch share a new grille and WRX badges front and rear.Interior changes are almost non-existent and the predominance of hard plastics is still an Impreza trait.The in-house sports seats are well sculpted and supportive, bolstered enough for the odd session on the track and comfortable enough for extended road cruising.Driving A back-to-back comparison with the superseded model on the Winton track was enough to give credence to Subaru's claims of getting back the attitude.Flatter through the corners, easier to set up and turn-in and quicker to get on the game out of the corners the entire feel of the car was sharper and yet more under control.Coupled to the new suspension package is a rethink on the rubber and with the wider Dunlop SP Sport tyres (225/45R 17 compared to the 205/50R Yokohama's from the 2008 specs) the result is chalk and cheese.As dramatic as the track improvements were it was away from the smooth tarmac that the best of the engineering improvements shone through.On a highly corrugated gravel run the ability to steer through a broken corner without fear that the steering wheel would be torn from your grasp was refreshing.Overall — across tarmac and gravel — the '09 WRX exhibited a behaviours that was an impressive blend of go-hard poise and daily-drive compliance.Amid all the attitude and performance increases, Subaru has managed to trim combined fuel efficiency figures from 10.7L/100km to 10.4L/100km.That'll do Rex, that'll do.Subaru WRXPrice: $39,990Engine: 2.5L/4-cylinder turbo, 195kW/343NmTransmission: 5-speed manualEconomy: 10.4L/100km (combined cycle)