Review of the 2011 Subaru Impreza

In September of 2010, I purchased my first new Vehicle: A 2011 Subaru Impreza Premium (5-Door). My previous vehicle was a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, which had treated me well, but had seen better days. I was looking for a vehicle with better fuel efficiency, but did not want this to be a trade-off for the performance (specifically winter driving) that the Jeep Cherokee offered. Having driven the Subaru Impreza for over a year, I can say with confidence that I got exactly what I was looking for. I will outline the highlights and lowlights as I see them of the Subaru Impreza now that I have had the ability to use the vehicle in all seasons and have given it the test of time.

• 2011 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium, Dark Gray Metallic
• 5-Door (Hatchback)
• Power Moonroof, Fog Lights, All Weather Package, Heated Seats
• Bluetooth Phone/Audio Connectivity/USB port
• Dealer installed leather seats (not a factory option until 2012)

1. AWD- From my experience the AWD system in Subaru's is the best in the automotive industry, especially on a price adjusted basis. The performance of this vehicle in snow is equal to if not better than the Jeep I had driven prior to this Subaru. I feel this is mainly a result of the low profile of the vehicle which prevents wind from being a factor when driving in the middle of a storm.
2. Fuel Economy- Obviously an AWD vehicle will not have the fuel economy of a Toyota Prius, yet this vehicle has been surprisingly efficient. It has an EPA rating of 20/26, yet I often achieve 28mpg in mixed driving. If I drive mainly on highways this increases to about 30mpg. This was a pleasant surprise.
3. Bluetooth- While this option is seemingly becoming standard across all auto manufacturers I've found that the Bluetooth Audio in the Subaru is very easy to use, specifically with the iPhone.
4. Price- For a vehicle (in my case) for slightly over $20,000, the Subaru offers "a bang for your buck." Most other AWD vehicles are closer to or above the $30,000 price range. Additionally, the AWD and Wagon distinction given to this model by insurance companies help reduce the price burden in that respect as well.
5. Visibility- Going from an SUV to a smaller hatchback this was a great area of concern for me. That said, I found it surprisingly easy to see other cars on the highway across all lanes of traffic.

1. Back Seat Legroom- It's definitely a cramped backseat when trying to fit 4 adults into the vehicle.
2. Automatic Transmission- Having only a four speed automatic transmission can be somewhat of a hinderance when driving up hills or in between gears. That said, the "Sport Mode" comes in handy in these instances whereby the driver can control these gears manually. This is also helpful when driving on slippery roads, giving an experienced driver more control.
3. Sound System- While the controls for the audio are very easy to use, the quality of the sound could use improvement. My model came equipped with the premium sound (which basically adds two tweeter speakers on the corners of the dashboard), but music with any bass seems to create intense rattling noises in the doors. This can be fixed by adjusted the EQ settings, but with the adjustment the sound certainly lacks depth.

To summarize this car in one word, the best choice would be "value." Taking this a step further, Subaru's have one of the highest re-sale values of any manufacturer, leaving the option open to sell at anytime for a reasonable price. The only question left to answer is how this vehicle will fair in terms of longevity, but I don't anticipate this being a problem based on testimonials from owners of Imprezas from prior model years years.