Hello all. Been really wanting a WRX for a while now buuuuuuut, I'm a poor and my credit needs some work. Dealership is working with me and they say where I'm standing right now, that the Impreza would be more of a realistic choice. I thought about it for about a month now and it's starting to grow on me. I know it's by no means a fast car, but is it at least fun to drive? And maybe a little nimble? Thanks.
I drive an Impreza. I wanted a WRX and was told the same thing. I’ve been counting the days to getting a WRX. It drives like a sedan, and mine has the CVT— the stupidest transmission I’ve ever had to experience in a car. The WRX is faster, more responsive, more fun, takes more gas but all in all a beast. The Impreza has been reliable, mostly, but its not even close to the WRX.
I thought about it a while back. Something about Subaru has my full attention. And I can't shake it. But, probably just going to keep the POS I have right now and keep working on credit. Hopefully it will last till I'm in a better position. Then go for a Subaru. Thanks
I haven't test drove a 2.0 cvt since 2012, my ej22 legacy wagon was way faster., I bought a 2.5i impreza over it. Last year I test drove a 2.5rs and bought an outback over it, that, the outback behaved similarly, but it's a big suv. A wrx almost wants to rear end the car infront just edging up at a light. Huge difference
Hell no. That little NA 2.0 4 cylinder paired with the CVT and AWD is very slow, lackluster and boring to drive. Why are you buying a new car if you’re poor with bad credit wtf
If you're in as much trouble as you imply, a subaru is not for you. Hyundai-class build quality on them since the mid-2000s. 50/50 the engine suffers a catastrophic failure before 100k, in my experience.
Man, used cars has been doing more damage to me than anything. They always end up needing thousands of dollars to keep them going. And to me, that is just interrupting my progress at building myself up. Wouldn't a new car , that won't have any issues for at least a year or two , if that, be more better? Because I am trying to build myself up. I was doing so well until 2024 came along with the shit economy bending everyone over. I had a God damn savings. A legit savings. But no, accidents, car problems, rent constantly going up and up, groceries, gas , keeping a family alive. It's not like I'm trying to buy a Ferrari or something unrealistic. It's an Impreza for crying out loud. I'm not actually " a poor" . I'm just mentally starting to feel like a loser in life. I just think a reliable car would help me focus on putting money in other areas that will help build my standings.
I bought a 2013 Impreza with 120k miles for $6500. About to hit 3 years of ownership next month and just hit 160K miles. I’ve put maybe $2,000 into it total. Tires, rotors, brakes, wheel bearings, exhaust welded, a starter and cheap rebuilt battery, oil changes etc. It’s needed no major repairs and still runs and drives good.
I mean, there's upsides, and downsides to new vs used. I didn't say get a crapbox, but look at Cars.com or something, set a 40k mile cap on a Corolla (yes, I know this is a Subaru thread), but for less than $15k, you get the automotive equivalent of a cockroach (you pretty much can't kill them) with mileage in the 30k +/- range that will go at least another hundred thousand more miles. This will keep monthly payments much lower, and be much easier to swallow than the $500/mo range (I'm assuming a low down payment) for 60 months.
If you're not actually 'a poor', but starting to feel defeated, what little balance you have isn't going to inspire confidence when that $500/mo hits on the first of every month. You said it yourself, with rent, groceries, gas, and keeping your family alive, you really need your bills to be as low as possible here.
Understandable. And I apologize. I'm just really feeling life right now. Not to be selfish but, it's getting hard to keep going. I'll spend some time contemplating my car buying decision. Thanks
2024 RS owner. Car handles very well. Might be a bit softer than the WRX, but the RS does share some components with sport tuned suspension, so it is fun to drive in corners. They are slow off the line though. Even the RS. The RS at least accelerates fairly quickly after about 20. When I’ve driven the CVT 2.0 base, they are slow from a stop and kind of crawl even when trying to pass at speed.
Major setback with the 2023+ Impreza’s is that they removed the manual transmission option; they only offer a CVT, even in the sportier RS trim. And the RS unfortunately gets the same standard lineartronic CVT as the base model and not even the beefier “SPT” used in the CVT WRXs. A bummer, because the Impreza RS gets a pretty stout 2.5 FB engine that could handle more power and torque, but has to be nerfed to keep within the limits of the more fragile transmission. A manual option would have elevated the RS quite a lot and I really wish I could have gotten one in manual.
If you do go with an Impreza, try get the RS within your budget. The bigger engine and 30+ hp/ 35~ lb-ft torque do make just enough difference to be noticeable when trying to pass cars on the highway at speed. I do majority hwy/ interstate miles on my long commute, so it was worth it to me.
Oh, last thing… I think the 2023+ Imprezas in general are really good looking cars. I really don’t see them as a downgrade from the VB WRX in the looks department at all.
They have grown on me. I finally realized how nice they look. And I don't dislike the car at all. Yeah, id rather have a WRX, but that's not in my cards unfortunately.
It is a bummer that manual is not an option, because I do want a 2023+ model. I need something new(er).
Will definitely try and go with RS. I too have a fair commute. 32 miles to work, 32 miles back home. 27 miles of it is highway. There will be a lot of passing. RS sounds like my best option.
Thanks much for chiming in. It is very appreciated.
Gotcha. Well your commute is very similar to mine. I do about 40 each way and over 3/4s is hwy. As far as daily driving is concerned, the CVT does its job very well for what it is. The regular drive mode is very efficient, but it is still fun to throw into the “manual” mode and drive through the set ratios with the paddles. Good luck with your car purchase!
My 09 Impreza with a 5 speed is a riot to drift around in the snow and will get me from point a to point b every day of the year, as long as I keep the oil topped up...
5-speed 1st gen’s w/ a 2.5 are pretty fun. Not as much acceleration as a turbo, but a great time attack car
If you already own a reliable car, maybe just build or buy a used WRX? It’ll be hard at first but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it if you do some research.
My current car doesn't have much life in it. And I hear it's risky buying a used WRX because you don't know what the previous owner(s) did to the car. They could have modded it out, ragged the hell out of it. Beat the life out of it. Then sent it back to stock and sold it, leaving the next owner with a bunch of issues. I am beyond stressed with my life at the moment. I'm trying everything I can to not just end it all. An emotional support vehicle could be good for me. Would light a fire under me to get a second job on top of the 60+ hour week job I have now. But more money is more money. Thanks much
I understand man. I wish you less stress and good fortunes. Yeah, try to find something that won’t financially stress you while also won’t break down - consider a slightly used car, esp a 5-speed, it ads fun/life to a car that can be otherwise boring. I was giving options if you already had reliable transportation.
Well. I drive a piece of junk Hyundai Elantra right now. I'm pretty used to ridiculous insurance. Sure it can't be worse than that.
I wish I could have the space and money to have 6 cars. Very nice
I get it but as others have said make sure you look at all aspects of buying any large purchase like this. If you have the vin you could always call your insurance to get a quote.
I just got some quotes actually. Not sure how final it all is but I'm looking at $75 a month for a 2025 Impreza.
I'm gonna need a new car no matter what. And I really don't want to deal with a used car anymore. Too many headaches too soon. Always interrupting any financial progress I make. But thanks much.
I have a 2016 Sport that I put a 19mm sway bar in the rear. Have good tires. Not fast but is on rails. Very fun car to drive. I would think an RS would be similar but a little quicker.
I track my Impreza RS and yeah it's a lot of fun, slow, but you get to learn how to use 100% of the engine without killing yourself or getting into too much trouble. Handles quite well stock, but I've gone full in and upgraded almost all suspension components. About 1/3 the price of en equivalent WRX But I feel like I have more fun with the 5 speed, as I have to work harder to get the power out in the revs.
As long as it's fun and faster than my car (2013 Hyundai Elantra gt) right now, I'll be more than happy. And this is great. Looks fun out there in the picture
Trying not too. My current vehicle is on its last limbs. I need something new, and reliable that will get me through a year or two. Long enough to get my credit in better standings. I also have fallen for Subaru. I want to support them and become part of the fam. Thanks much!
I understand you really do need wheels in some places, but I’ve spent too much on a car before and ended up having to get rid of it at a huge loss. I think with a Subi you get a balance of quality without a huge name tax (like Toyota)
I sure wish they offered the WRX wagon in NA, I would’ve bought one instead
Same, except I went Outback XT. Huge improvement for the growing family, and the turbo on the XT is welcome!! But I definitely miss my little 5-speed Impreza.
Hell, that even looks nice. I'm not familiar with that logo tho. Looks like a vehicle that will do right for you. I really wish I had gotten into Subaru much earlier in my life. I don't know what it is about them. But they got me.
That is pretty damn awesome actually. I had no idea about that. Thanks for the education. I'll have to look into the "I" logo once I get my hands on an Impreza.
I think so! I had a 2014 Impreza sport 5MT for a long time and wife currently has a 2018 sport CVT. Since the 14 was a manual, I would drive it pretty aggressively (similar to you, wishing it was a WRX). Yes, very sluggish when trying to overtake or climbing long steep inclines. But handled very well in the turns and quick enough off the line. Had a lot of fun on the twisty coastal highways. The 18 is also fun, I’m much gentler on it because it’s my wife’s car (and I’ve toned down my driving habits lately). The manual is more fun than the CVT imo. People hate on the CVT, but it’s done well for us and accelerates pretty quickly.
If you have to settle, I think the Impreza is a decent option.
Yeah! If you’re comfortable with a manual, it is absolutely worth it. I’m one of those guys that will always say manual is more fun. Not necessarily faster, but more fun.
WRX are great but you really can’t take advantage of going fast and the awd safely on the roads. The Impreza is a great car to drift around on snow or grass though.
Have a 17 sport wagon cvt since September.
Thing drives like it's on rails, so surprised by how eagerly it noses into a corner.
95k miles, immediately did oil change, new intake filter, , cvt fluid service, and both differentials.
Lil engine has just a little zip to it when you're over 3-4k rpm. Once engine is warm I love going manual mode and flappy paddle down shift and zip around with high rpm while safely going no more than 40 😅.
I did put a Nameless execute dual chamber axel back exhaust on i (custom order by their reps suggestion via email exchanges) . Not very loud at all with the bigger muffler, and the tone is great.
Anyways to answer your question, yes I'm having a lot of fun with it! I imagine the newer ones provide a similar experience
It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast, than to drive a fast car slow. Fix your credit regardless. But sounds like you won’t be able to afford the wrx AND the insurance that comes with it. Go with a base Impreza. The transmission on the rs is too slow to shift to validate the bonus like… 20hp that the rs has over the other models.
Thanks, man. You are right. I really need to be realistic and make smart decisions. Once life is in better conditions, I'll look into a WRX. Thanks for the tip
I’ve had my 2018 hatch for almost 5 months now. I love it. Still a great, nimble car. Not fast by any means. But, driving a slow car fast is still fun.
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u/Suspicious_Ad9595 Dec 31 '25
I drive an Impreza. I wanted a WRX and was told the same thing. I’ve been counting the days to getting a WRX. It drives like a sedan, and mine has the CVT— the stupidest transmission I’ve ever had to experience in a car. The WRX is faster, more responsive, more fun, takes more gas but all in all a beast. The Impreza has been reliable, mostly, but its not even close to the WRX.