Subaru Impreza Turbo Review

Overall Rating

Extraordinary roadholding in all conditions.
Stunning chassis, brilliant acceleration.
Economy can be good when driver is restrained.

Fuel economy can suffer when you floor it too often!

You will never hit the limits of the Subaru Impreza Turbo car on a public road. Hit 3000rpm and ride the massive power/torque rush - but unlike many cars with big power outputs, the stiff chassis can handle it, and the four-wheel-drive grip won't let go.

This car can be economical if the driver keeps the engine
below ~3000rpm and minimises hard acceleration. Difficult, but not impossible!

Only other minor complaints would be the braking (on pre-99 cars with 2-spot front calipers - later cars with the STi "SUBARU" 4-pot fronts are much better), the amount of brake dust on the fronts with the standard pads, and the weak stock headlights. All can be fixed :-)

Members' Comments onChisel.'s Review

• SiPie. on 29th May 2002

  Disagree somewhat with the 'never reach it limits on the road'. Untrue. Can be done easily and after just a few months of owning the standard my99 you start looking for more power etc. then the modding starts if you are serious. Even the 4 pot brakes are v poor and prone to chronic fade if driven hard. My avergae fuel consumption over 9 monhs is 16.4mpg. And the bit about driving conservatively cannot be done. If you want to drive like that .... don't buy an impreza.

• Wilster. on 28th Sep 2002

  Errr, yes you will hit the limits - the famous Impreza understeer - take care in the wet or you will be down the body shop making excuses! Saying that, the last time I pushed hard in the dry the car cornered neutral in third flat out - leaving my passengers stunned and me hungry for more!!

• slafleur on 4th Jun 2004

  Hi all. I think what the man meant here is that you hit the DRIVER's limit way before the car's. Subaru understeer? Yeah, like every "public" car. But if you really know how to drive, you actually want it to understeer to better use the foot lifting trick. What is that? Simple. Take a curve more quickly than what the car can take (or what you THINK it cannot). When you fell the front slide toward the exterior, release the gas pedal completely. Then you'll feel the rear slide and the car will start facing the dierection you want to go (the curve's end). When the curve's end is straight in front of you, hit the gas hard. Why does the understeer help? Because it tells you when to release the gas. Without it, you can misjudge and get off the road.