Subaru Impreza (2008-2011) for Sale near Ottawa, IL

The vehicle is peppy and fun to drive, is extremely dependable, is the safest thing I have ever driven in bad conditions, and has cost me very little to maintain. It makes me happy every time I get inside, and it looks up-scale enough to generate many complements when people ride in it.

I've owned my 09 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport for 6 months now. I like the car overall, which has good looks and great handling. I had never driven in the snow before, but I did try the car in upstate NY (Hudson valley) this winter: no problem at all. I had only the stock all season tires but I could drive to work in an unplowed road with more than a foot of virgin fresh powder. You have to drive carefully of course, but the car never slips or surprises you in any bad way --except if you feel playful, like I felt. I was freaking out driving in the snow but I got myself the perfect car for it. It's not a snow tank (low-ish ground clearance) but it will still take you out of your driveway and beyond on unplowed roads. That being said it's a hatch --gotta love that to like the car at all. I prefer hatches anyway, and the cargo room is the same than in the sedan, except more accessible (and the sedan's trunk is not even flat (check for yourself)). Interior space is good but I confess I rarely if ever have someone in the backseat. Power comes from the classic subie 170HP boxer engine, which is OK given the weight of the car. I'd say it's probably enough for most people, including myself, but I sometimes like to feel a rush of instant power (for fun or safety) and the Subaru doesn't deliver that. The fault lies in the primitive gearbox, which shifts and downshifts correctly, but is just not modern. Subaru stuck to a 4-speed (sic) while modern cars today regularly get 6- to 8- speeds in automatic versions. The result is sub-par acceleration and sub-par fuel economy. It's a shame because again the car looks good and sporty, the handling is fantastic, and the only letdown is the gearbox. I hear they will improve the gearbox on the new 2012 model, but I'm not sure. Besides, the car is comfortable; I have several back problems and I never feel tired or hurt in anyway in this car's seat. I hear Subarus are very reliable but at the present I can't testify on that. Their warranty is good and covers many things, but the maintenance is expensive ($220 for the 22,500 miles maintenance --but that's my dealer's fault). Overall I like the car very much. Outside of a modern gearbox, I wish it was a little more on the quiet side on the freeway, that it would get better fuel economy, and that I didn't have a mild but annoying sound coming from the dash (my pet peeve). the ratings I gave represent my appreciation of the car, a bit on the harsh-ish side, and when I didn't know I gave 3 stars (as in reliability, family car and back seats)

Performance - The acceleration is acceptable for a non-turbo AWD car. Braking is really nice and responsive. Handling couldnt be better. It will take corners faster than my dad's BMW. Build Quality - No bad things to speak of. Appearance - Much better than that of the 2.5i hatchback. Paprika Red Pearl colored paint looks a lot better than it sounds. Cost of Ownership - 25mpg city, 30-32mpg highway Fun Factor - a BLAST to drive. The manual tranny is a must. It will take anything you can throw at it, but the speed is that only department in which it is lacking. If you're looking to buy, spring for the WRX.

Performance: The performance of the 2.5L boxer engine are pretty good for a compact car. The accelerations are okay and there's enough power to overtake on the higway without being scared. The sound of the engine is amazing, I love the metallic growl it does. The manual transmission is not very precise, but is nice to manoeuver. The AWD system is probably the best feature of this car, it's not a fake AWD (like on the Matrix/Vibe), it's a REAL one... This means, the 4 wheels are always turning. Also, you can disable de traction control to drift during the winter! Build Quality: The build quality is correct, but nothing more. Everything is well built, but the materials are really crappy (hard plastic everywhere!). But it's a compact and Subaru reduced the price of the Impreza since 2008, so they had to cut somewhere! At least, it doesn't feel like it's gonna fall apart like old Ford and GM trim from the '90s. Since it's plastic everywhere, there are some rattles and squeaking sounds when it's cold. I drove it on REALLY bad roads and the car feels very solid! Appearance: I love the appearance of this car, the tail lights are my favorite piece of design. I also love the fact it's a hatchback, I hate sedans! The interior is a little bit "beige" but it's not as bad as a Corolla per say. Everything is placed accordingly and you don't need to read the owner's manual to understand what the buttons and knobs do (unlike in an Acura). I also like the Impreza because it's kinda exclusive, it's not a Mazda 3 or a Honda Civic. Cost of Ownership: Amazingly, the base model is pretty cheap. Mine is a rental and it was cheaper than a Honda Fit or a Mazda 3, mainly because of the low interest rates and the resell value (which is pretty high). Insurance wise, it's also cheap because it's considered as a compact (if I'd bought the WRX, it would have been a different story). The gas mileage is okay. Because of the AWD system, it's higher than any other compact, but you won't have as much fun during the winter with another car! Fun Factor: Amazingly fun to drive during the winter or any harsh climate. The AWD system is great and keeps the car in the right way.

Acceleration isn't all that great but definitely isn't bad, could definitely be fixed with the WRX instead but I didn't have the money. Exterior has some solid styling I really like it. The car is fun to drive and gets great gas mileage. The payments are very low as well.