Review
It has been a pleasant experience owning the car over the past 3 years. While one can expect maintenance costs to be slightly higher than its competitors, the Impreza delivers on road dynamics and relative comfort.

What I like
-Stability during wet weather, sure footedness
-Boxer rumble giving it an unique characteristic, closest to a 911 for Jap prices :P
-Looks after some slight aesthetic tweaks
-Subarus are known for safety so it is quite reassuring
-Cabin insulation, especially in comparison against B&B cars of that generation
-Holds up relatively well despite being 12 years old, expect usual wear and tear

What I do not like
-Pricier maintenance especially with regards tasks such as spark plug changes
-Can be thirsty for its engine capacity
-Could do with more torque

Review
Driving the 2.0m verison . Love the handling of car when cornering at higher speed, not a problem at all. Love the car awd system when pickup quickly, very grippy. Drove lancer ex b4, when pickup fast,the front tyre will spin 😂

What I like
The handling

What I do not like
The road noise abit noisy

Review
I drove the 1.5A on an 18'' and loved the handling and superb drive feel. Of course upgrading to an 18 fro 16'' costs me 50km in mileage but better drive feel. Engine was reliable the entire 3.5 yrs i had it and problem free.

What I like
engine performance
handling
sleek look as mine had front scoop

What I do not like
consumption for a 1.5A was heavy due to it being on an 18'' and of course Subaru is a drinker...
seats might be too low for some.

Review
Bought a 2nd hand 1.5r Auto 4D on Dec 2014 due to my prev ride Lancer CS3 COE expiring. Chosen this ride despite all the complaints on poor FC due to the price as its cheaper or on par with Avante, Cruze & Forte. This is the only jap car.( i am a sucker for jap cars due to reliability).

During the initial phase of driving, as I am used to cvt gearbox the 4 speed gearbox was a huge shock adjustment to my old style of driving. I was practically cursing and swearing at my ride on its pickup as its super underpower when I dun accelerate more than 2krpm(light footer) especially moving off slope, any vehicle can tia me easily. I can see all vehicles overtaking me super malu at the beginning.

Over the months that I drive till now 8 months later, I manage to grab the technique to handle the gear ratio and driving style. Pickup is much better due to my adjustment in driving style, at least not all vehicles can overtake me.

FC in the beginning was 9.4km/l after 2 servicing and changing of tyres my fc now is 10.6km/l for city and highway(50/50). My city ride to office involves a steep slope of 2km which explains my low fc for combined driving. If there is no slope, I believe will be much better. With few more oil changes will be more better. On expressway, I can achieve an avg of 13km/l but for my city slope I can only achieve an avg of 8km/l.

Other than the pickup compared to my previous ride everything was considered an "Upgrade" For me. So far nothing happens so far in terms of engine and overall reliability, except wear and tears as its a 5yr old ride which is normal and expected. I am quite satisfied with the ride so far despite the fc, i believe i still made the right choice of choosing this ride over the kimchis.

What I like
Handling
Stability
Reliability

What I do not like
Pickup
Gear ratio (preferred a 5-6 speed gear and faster gear change)

Review
My aunt recently leased this car for a month, and while back in Singapore on holiday I had the chance to drive it a fair bit, and also spent a lot of time as a passenger while taking lifts from her, sometimes in the front passenger seat, sometimes at the back. Therefore, I write this review as both a driver and passenger, and if asked whether I would recommend this car, I would definitely say yes, but certainly not the 1.5l auto model. A manual one would give far more control over the power delivery and complement the many good points of this car.

The exterior was rather plain and nothing to shout about. The interior reminded me strongly of the 2005 version WRX I borrowed from a friend some time back. The seats were different and while not luxury grade, were definitely more comfortable and family-friendly than the WRX. The dashboard looked highly similar to the WRX, however the speedometer was larger (I recall the tachometer looking even more prominent than the speedometer on the WRX, for obvious reasons).

The front passenger seat was comfortable and the space in front of the seats allowed me to stretch a bit. The rear seats, however, did not offer much legroom, even though at 1.7m, I am not considered tall. If you have any family member or friend who is tall and will be taking rides regularly, do not consider this car unless you can allow him to sit in front! Apart from the limited legroom, the back row is quite OK as my cousins, who are not tall but quite fat, did not complain.

The visibility was quite a big issue for the driver. Although the mirrors did not seem small in comparison with other cars, they gave poor coverage of the sides, and the blind spot while driving was fairly large. This wasn't much of a problem to me as I have never lost the habit of turning my head to check the blind spots with every turn or lane change, but for complacent drivers who rely too much on mirrors, watch out. Also, I later found out that the A and B pillars were quite intrusive and in a position in which I had to lean forward every time to check traffic coming from the left and right at a T-junction - the two pillars effectively blocked off my view if I didn't lean forward.

What I like
The engine was very quiet at idle. At normal speeds, it could be heard clearly, though fairly muted - for comparison, slightly louder than a Toyota Corolla Altis I drove a few months back. At highway cruising speeds, all that could be heard from the engine was a high-pitched whine which was barely audible. I did not go any faster than 100km/h, so I cannot give any comments on engine noise at anything more than Singapore's legal speeds. When pushed, as in during overtaking, the engine note was quite enjoyable to me - not loud from inside the car, but hinting of the boxer engine under the hood. For those who value silence on the road, this may be a drawback. The sound insulation was only average - at normal urban speeds it was quiet enough inside the car, but at highway speeds the road noise was fairly loud.

The handling of this car is remarkable for a Japanese family sedan. The driving position and seats were quite comfortable. The steering wheel had a nice solid feel and was in just the right position. It felt light enough to turn effortlessly but not so light as to cause a lack of confidence driving at high speeds. The steering was very precise and the car would move exactly where I wanted it to move with every turn of the wheel. This particular car was on Bridgestone B250 195/65/R15 tyres, and the car handled well, as I expected from the all-wheel drive, and gripped well on these tyres. Although I keep strictly to the speed limits, it was raining for much of the time I spent driving this car, and this car gave me a lot more confidence in the wet weather than I would have thought. The brakes were also something I could appreciate - great pedal feel and instant stopping power (at least at sane road speeds) without being overly sharp.

What I do not like
All this added up to a great driving experience, but the power delivery and gearbox erased out all the good points. The 4-speed auto transmission on this car was totally inadequate and did not match up to the rest of the car. The car is stated as having 107bhp on the SGCarMart website, and this is a reasonable amount of power for a small general purpose sedan like this. However, the gearing made acceleration from standstill or low speeds painfully slow. The first gear seemed to drag longer than other 4-speed automatics I have driven, and a slight easing of the throttle did not bring an upshift at speeds less than 20km/h - I had to lift my whole foot up for this to happen. Yet this dragging didn't mean better acceleration. The pedal response was poor. At times when I had to change lanes or overtake, I found that only a violent increase in pressure would force a downshift, and this only after a lag of what seemed like two seconds. This made it tricky to match up to the speed of the next lane before moving in. The car came with a steptronic mode, allowing upshifts and downshifts manually through the gear lever. However, even the response from manually shifting was slow, with a noticeable delay before the next gear (whether up or down) kicked in. Once I got used to this mode, however, I used it all the time, never just leaving it in D, as it offered much more control over the power delivery, of prime importance in changing lanes. This is in direct contrast to other automatic cars I have driven, where I found the full auto mode more than sufficient for Singapore's driving environment.

The fuel economy of this car was fairly poor. My aunt's driving style and mine are similar - brisk pickup from a standstill but relaxed otherwise, on highways keeping to 90km/h and staying mainly in the center lane apart from quick overtaking. Over this period, our best FC amounted to just over 8km/l. Of course, we did a lot of city driving, but still I wouldn't have expected it to be this bad. I suppose a lot of it had to do with the fact that we had to literally floor it to make a normal lane change while on other cars, a slight increase in throttle would have done the job.

Review
I test drive Kia cerato forte and Kia cerato koup at leng kee...i even try Mitsubishi Lancer MX and Subaru Impreza 1.5R Manual on the same day...The sales person even get bored of me. hehehe. I'm a customer, and I'm buying something that satisfied me. Whenever the salesperson promotes the car, I don't really listen. I even ignore. hehe.. I follow my heart says.

At my first look on subaru 1.5R, Seriously... I find it ugly. I prefer the older version of subaru that seen on the road. More bigger and muscular look. Kia Cerato Forte and Koup has the best look ever. But, some negative that I don't like about it.

What I like about Subaru 1.5R Manual was the handling, safety and comfort which is very important in a car with my budget.

Almost 5months I been driving this car day and night to work. I'm a person who love to drive in Malaysia on weekends. I been to KL using this car about 8times after a month I bought it. This car is totally HARDCORE. It can goes up to 180km/hr. Tested with a friend of mine who are driving a BMW beside me on the highway to KL. The handling is very good at high speed and cornering.

The acceleration I give is 6/10. Its not that good in high speed acceleration due to its solid body. But, in terms of any crash, at least it save my live with its solid door.

The interior is the same like WRX. EXACTLY the same... the first day I drive my parents from Pasir Ris to Jurong..I wonder, they felt asleep just when I enter the Expressway. The AIRCON and the COMFORT makes ALL of us Sleepy...hehe. I give this 9/10. Disadvantage, make me sleepy too. Luckily now I'm used to it.

You should try cornering. Subaru is the car with AWD. All Wheel Drive which is similar with a 4 Wheel Drive. Less force needed on the steering. Sharp corners grips the car. If a normal FWD car, please don't try. Ever tested and accident before. hehe

The Engine is very good. Very silent when you ON it. No vibration at all due to its BOXER Engine Technology.

What I like
Like I said, all I need in a Car with my budget are
1) Handling 2) Safety 3) Comfort... This Subaru has it all...for a JAPANESE CAR

And lastly, the price is going up every month. Bought it at $54999.

What I do not like
The Exterior look on this new model makes me don't like. But, it still has that sporty look anyway.

Review
Test drove Avante, Cruze, Lancer Ex and Impreza to decide what my new ride would be. At the end of the test drives, it was very much between Ex and Impreza. Ex is really a beauty, exceling in both the exterior styling and won hands down with interior design.

What swung my vote towards Impreza was the exceptional handling of the vehicle. Engine was placed at the base for lower CG, mechanisms placed at doors to ensure they can be opened in event of crash, AWD ensures neither understeer nor oversteer unlike FWD or RDW. What's more it has won the safety award for small cars 2010 by Forbes recently (other winners include Honda Civic, VW Polo, Nissan Cube and Kia Soul).

What I like
- Safety (AWD, low CG, emphasis on safety)
- Stability
- Responsive (if have the budget go for 2.0)
- Spacious
- Huge boot

Review
Wanted to change to a new car and was considering a few brands: Mit Ex, Altis, Hyundai Avante, Forte, Peugeot, Citroen, Civic, and Mazda 6.

Test drove all of them and almost went for the Altis because it is most reasonable in terms of $, control, power and comfort. Never did I want an Ah Beng car but my wife said since I test drove so many already, just try la.

I tot the new look of the Impreza 2.0 4d-S was quite good save for the rear which looks rather cheapo. The Sale Rep just said why dun i just test and see first.

"ok lor" so I went. Wow! Was blown away by the handling and the pick up for the car. I was test driving at Leng Kee and I zoomed in and out, over taking easily but safely due to the car's fantastic handling. My wife was impressed too. Really tight, i mean at the corners, good grip, great acceleration and the engine sounds like u wan to push the car more.
Left the showroom, went home, did my finances and returned the next day to buy me a 2.0 that is worth every cent of the ride.

The design of the front is nice, better than the 'pig-nosed' design or the frog eyed designs of the previous models. Interior is average. Back is lacking in creativity and curves. Boot is real deep but a tad shallow but that can be countered by removing the spare tire and the foam support which actually can free you another 4 inches of vertical depth. 16" rims good and nice. Interior nice curves but a little too 'plasticky'. Cruise control, 3 types of drive mode available. Nice Wipers for greater aerodynamics. Adjustable lights and the red speedometer and RPM is nice.

Drive is fantastic, pick-up is super for its price range. Control excellent, easy to drive and turn. Braking is responsive and not too 'jiak'. the AllWheelDrive is shiok. Balance is great due to its central gear box and symmetrical engine design (unlike other jap/korean models). Important! The central seat belt is 3 point instead of 2 points, thus safer for the middle rear passnger too.

What I like
Driving comfort and power well-balanced.
Great control and responsiveness.
Less lag in transmission compared to other brands
Symmetrical Engine Design
Engine ability to "drop" when involved in serious accident headon, just like a BMW or Merz, thus ensuring the driver's and front passenger's safety.
'Cage' design in case car rolls over, ensuring we wont get crushed.
Side bar and additional clamp lock at the doors to help distribute side impact.
3 point seat belt for middle passenger.
Great looking head lamps.
Bucket seats FOC.
Pick-up quick.
Easy to park and u-turn
Free fog lights.
Deep boot.
additonal 2.5k discount or 5k credit for accessories upgrade.
light 16" rims, dun need to change to bigger ones outside, better FC.
overall? Value for $$$. A 2.0 car for less than 70k. Where to get for this quality? hmmmm.

What I do not like
Average interior features, lacks climate control like many others said.
Plasticky feel of the finishing for the console.
Rear lights look like very "made in China". Now must be content with the red overall plastic.
Spoiler will collect water at the top of trunk. Must wipe away if u dun wan birds to come and swim or bathe on top of boot.
Shallow boot.
No FOC leather bucket seat, only fabric.

Review
Test dove the 2.0 4dr Manual version, didnt push it to the max as it was raining at the time. Pick up is good and engine is quiet at 3-4k rev.

Power delivery is not a problem on this 2.0 like others have said. Have not tried the 1.5 model, went straight for the 2.0.

Shifting gears is easy and clutching is good. Driving pleasure definitely a plus point here with very comfy bucket seats.

Handling is standard subaru style with AWD, no problems!

Boot space is big enough for chld seat, pram and even a golf bag. Deep but shallow.

Interior space is also a plus point. With my seat adjusted near the back, the rear passenger still has much leg room! Only the person sitting in the centre wont be happy.

Interior design is a bit disappointing as the air con dials look very retro.

Overall it is a great car to own for this 2.0 model.

FC is not much of an issue to me.. Although i drive 70km just to get to work n home daily. Whats more important is to drive a car i like n enjoy driving it every day!

A lousy car get get me from point A to point B saving alot of petrol.. but... driving pleasure is PRICELESS!

Some ppl say that this car is ugly.. But there are many other uglier cars out there! This sedan model gives a 'executive' look and well it performs! Thats more impt!

What I like
3k worth of accessories! (but 1.2k used for the leather)
Opted for:
WRX Bonnet
STi Strut Bar
STi Gear Knob
Leather Seats (Should be standard item as most cat b cars)

What I do not like
Interior air con dials look abit "classic", should look more modernized like the STi.
Leather should be a standard item for this 2.0 model

Review
Test drove this couple of weeks back...

Tried the 1.5L R(A) version

1st impression of it is the AWD is still as great as ever...

Cornering is still good as before too with much less bodyroll.

Further to this, Subaru had also made its engine quieter, similar to the Lancer EX, probably wanna target more as a family sedan with good

Disappointing is the pickup on the auto is not that good, according to salesperson, manual pickup is better for the 1.5L.

Accessories wise, only the electric folding mirrors are probably the additionals...

Boot space is also acceptable as well.

Overall, except for some little additionals, it should be an ok car to get.

What I like
- Good drive with AWD capabilities
- Electric folding mirrors

What I do not like
- Auto version bad pickup
- No climate aircon as standard
- Slightly pricy compared to many other models to look at

Review
I have just driven the car for one week and still happy i made the choice of changing to this car. Though COE was high but with the promotions, I do get the bodykits and change my headset to the latest touchscreen dvd player with Ipod, usb, GPS and reverse camera. This car also come with the latest compact IU unit which mean I could use my credit cards to pay erp also.

As mentioned by others here, pick up is weak but hey i still love the ride comfort with AWD and simply adore the exterior after installation of the body kits and changing of my rims to a 17" sport rims. Its really enhance the character of my Subaru.

I would recommend any person this car who wants to get a different kind of driving experience but don't if you just want a good fuel saving from a car.

What I like
Interior with leather wrap steering wheel, auto retractable mirror and basically everything inside.
Exterior especially with body kits enhancement and rims changed.
Overall driving experience when u step inside the car.

What I do not like
weak acceleration - but I feel it will get better
nothing bother me so far

Review
Just thought I should contribute back, as this is one of the fourms that help me make the decision.

Have this Impreza 1.5R 4D for 2 months, and I just love it even more over time.

I was comtemplating between getting Toyota Altis, Honda Citi, and Subaru Impreza:
Altis - OUT even though 5 out of 5 friends recommended it to me. It just... not appealing externally and in its interior design. Although I must say it is a very practical car, i.e. low fuel consumption, alot of parts avail, low maintanence.
Citi - nice car with good power, but was put off by its price, and high insurance premium. Another thing I didnt like is its light steering control.

It was between Altis and Impreza for me (with my budget). Between heart and practicality, I chosed to go with my heart.

My feel about the impreza:
I do not like to be categorized as Ah Beng, but the new Impreza change my perception. The sedan has a good executive look yet it is sporty.
The funny thing is... after 2 months driving it, I actually become more Ah Beng in cars - I become more tolerant to all the car posers, even learn how to appreciate adding assessories to the car.

The control of the car is brilliant. I feel I am at full control of the car, at high speed or cornering. The driving experience is 'fun'.

The pick up of the car however is not great with the 1.5R model. Those who has more budget should go for the 2.0.
I noticed it at the test drive, and it is the same thing to my own car. However the pick up significantly improved after I run in the car at 1000km. It feel much smoother and faster now.

All in all, personally I think that at 50k, Impreza is the most value for money, especially if you are sporty person (or want to be one).

What I like
- nice design, except the rear (5D looks much nicer at the back)
- it is BIG!
- very nice control, especially at turning corner
- you feel safe driving at high speed
- look more luxury than its actual price
- Sports mode where you have the manual gear option, when you feel like

What I do not like
- rear design
- pick up is not good, especially so with a new car. But MUCH MUCH better after you run in
- have more blind spots as compared to my previous driving experience with Proton, MyVi, and Liana

Review
Just a bit of background.
I've been driving this car for the past 2 months. Previously drove 2 variants of sunny, honda civic, Camry and Epica.

With a baby on the way, I was looking for something ard 55k with decent boot size and not too "uncle" for a young dad.

So I test drove
-Corolla Altis
-SX 4 hatchback
-Honda Jazz
-Nissan Latio HB

In the end it was pretty much the head against the heart battle between the Altis and Impreza

From a value for $$ perspective (interior/comfort wise/fuel consumption/price) Altis would probably be the choice since it has the most frills such as climate control etc and is cheaper than impreza but what swung it for me was the driving experience.
The handling from Impreza is the best among all I tested.

In the end I bought the sports auto version.

What I like
-Excellent cornering. The AWD really holds and grips during cornering with minimal roll. Now I corner like a crazy man and accelerate out of bends

-The front and side of the car's very sporty and the line along the side of the car is reminiscent of a BM

-Ample boot size. Can put at least 2 large size luggage with spare space.

-Lots of aftermarket items available to beautify the car further(though there's nothing for the rear yet)

-New look looks more European/subtle and less Ah Beng than the previous models. Older folks in the family all think it is nice

-At higher gears, the response is good. Can accelerate and overtake on highways.

-Heavy weight means it's very stable even at 120km/h. You don't feel like you are about to take off

-Sports/Semi auto mode available. Sports mode makes the car more responsive and fun to drive. Can manual shift as well but 4 speed auto not much pt.. but still a fun option though

-Interior design is simple and clean which I like. The standard sound system is pretty decent with 6 disc changer and USB connectivity. Nice red colour scheme for the speedo

- Nice family size sedan that's made in Japan at 55k (where to find?)

What I do not like
-No Acceleration at low gears. You really have to rev hard at traffic lights to get it moving from 0-40 quickly, only when the 3rd gear kicks in then the car really starts to move. (but I'm comparing against 1.8l civic and the 2l rides. It's abt the same as the sunny. Bobian for 1.5l lah....if want acceleration get a bigger engine or turbo)

-The rear is ugly. The chrome looks like it's taken from Toyota while the lights are boring.

-Noise insulation is only so-so. Rain sound is quite loud on the roof. Can hear CTE tunnel noise at high speed (Ard 90km/h onwards)

-Fuel consumption is around 11 litres/km (from the trip computer)on 70-30 City/Highway driving which i guess is decent although it could be better... (this is with broquet installed...trade off against the AWD handling)

-No digital climate control

Review
I think it is generally accepted that the new Impreza doesn't look 'impressive'. The old Impreza has a 'love-hate' design while the 08 model is so middle-of-road that it looks just like any other Hondas or Toyotas (no offence). Heck, its looks are now so forgettable that new Subaru owners are probably no longer associated with "road rebels".

I've owned this car now for 2 months and the key swing factor in buying it is its price. $50.5k for 1.5 AWD, Auto with leather seats, Made in Japan and drives like a Conti / American.

The kerb weight at 1.3tons is heavy and feels good on highway cruising. But when mated with a 1.5l engine, feels very sluggish. Weight and AWD also takes it toll on fuel consumption. The 2.0l version is probably better powered (at only $7k more)

Handling is good and much lesser roll when cornering (esp when compared with my previous car). The heavy steering closely resembles Contis and feels really good on highway.

The price has probably appreciated by abt 5k, but there are not that many Made in Japan cars for this price. The closest comparable Lancer EX cost almost 10k more (with similar accessories).

What I like
Main ones:
- totally no frills
- masculine exterior lines, clean dashboard / clutter free
- AWD and v little roll
- excellent to cruise in (due to heavy kerb weight)
- decent sound insulation
- Sportronic (semi-auto) function

Other little things:
- built-in fuel consumption meter
- the headrest on the front seat is curved more inwards, providing better neck support (most other headrest lie flatter, only support head not neck)
- front seat is more sporty with slightly better ergonomics/ curves
- heavier steering feel (than Honda/Toyota)
- like the "zig-zag" auto gearbox (ie your gear stick travels a zig-zag path to select P to D)
- MotorImage gave a DVD player and reverse camera
- if u need a big boot, get a sedan. The hatchback has a tiny (and quite unusable) boot. The sedan's boot can probably take 3 golf bags. No fancy compartments to compromise the horizontal boot space.

What I do not like
Main ones:
- 1.5 is a little under-powered (even though it has more HP than the older 1.6). Accelerates like a snail unless u literally floor it.
- dashboard / door plastic feels cheap
- too little storage compartments in the cabin
- high fuel consumption

Other little things
- MotorImage supplied a cheapo solar film. Hardly worked plus it interferes with my GPS signal. Had to rip it off and install other solar film myself

Review
I test drove the 2.0R(M).

Her feel is good, the car is not too light and not extremely heavy, she feels just right. Im not sure how the 1.5 feels like, but the power in 2.0 is definitely enough for regular Singapore roads.

If you are to compare her with the EX and Civic, i think your paying so much cheaper for exactly the same power. She comes with a boxer engine and a AWD system which makes the drive really smooth!

Imagine this for mods, decat the boxer engine (to get those gurgle sounds), tune her for better performace, add air boost and gear compressor to get those extra power for that initial get go and there you have a fairly cheap and powerful vehicle ready to challenge a wrx on the road. For those speed demons can consider installing a turbo to raise the Horse power by at least 100-150bhp

What I like
I like its,

Driver cockpit, very comfy, you can even shift the steering wheels
Boxer Engine
AWD
Body that is definitely tougher than a CIVIC
Handling
Cheapness

What I do not like
no keyless entry
no rain sensor
the rear boot should have been a littler bigger to support high spoilers
lack of internal gadgets