Subaru Impreza Interior Review
If the body package isn't enough to convince you that the 2.5 RS has a sporting streak, the view from the driver's seat might drive the point home. Both the steering wheel and shift lever are padded with black, red-stitched leather. The seats are more heavily bolstered than those in a typical subcompact, though they are wide enough that husky people won't feel squeezed. The driver looks at black-on-white gauges, with a prominent speedometer in the center and a tachometer, coolant temperature and fuel gauge to either side.
The Impreza's heating and cooling system operates with simple radial switches to set the temperature and direct airflow. The fan has a slide-type switch, and moves enough air to keep the windows clear on damp, foggy days without excessive noise. Evaluated in terms of distraction-free operation, the stereo is mediocre. The buttons could be larger, but the unit is well-placed and the volume control falls within easy reach of the driver. The sunroof switch sits overhead between two reading lamps.
Access to the Impreza coupe's rear seat could be easier. A toe-operated lever on the front passenger seat moves the seatback all the way forward, but it doesn't slide the entire seat toward the front of the car. Once a passenger climbs in, however, the rear seat is surprisingly spacious. The bottom cushion is narrow, but the back is nicely angled (rather than bolt upright) for a comfortable seating position. There's sufficient legroom and plenty of headroom. In short, the Impreza's rear seat is more accommodating than that in some other coupes that are larger and more expensive.
The trunk is deep and accommodating. However, it lacks a net or some other device to keep gallon jugs or groceries from sliding around.
The Impreza RS has some nice touches. The door pockets are wide enough to hold cassettes. There's a storage bin in the center console, a lockable glovebox and a neat, handy bin in the center of the dash. Press a button: the lid opens and exposes a compartment large enough for sunglasses, a hairbrush and a handful of CDs. The cupholder slides out of the dash from under the center vents and keeps drinks within easy reach of both driver and passenger.
The finish throughout the Impreza is quite good for a sub-$20,000 car. The dark vinyl panels are soft and pliable, and the woven upholstery feels sturdy. It reminded me of curtain fabric, but so does the upholstery in most cars these days.
Subaru Impreza Road Test
In the mid-1980s, a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 8.3 seconds would have been the envy of every pocket-rocket manufacturer in the world. Even today, there are more expensive coupes, and so-called sport sedans, that can't keep up with the Impreza 2.5 RS.
That said, the RS's acceleration isn't quite as lively as we might have expected based on its size and engine power. The discrepancy might be explained by gearing, or by the character of the boxer engine. There's plenty of acceleration-producing torque in the middle of the power band, yet the engine is weak at very low rpm, and it runs out of steam well before its 6200-rpm redline. Gear ratios also contribute. While most cars will reach 60 mph in second gear, the Impreza RS requires an upshift to third just past 50 mph, adding as much as 0.4 second to the O-60 times. Although the RS has shorter throws than a standard Impreza, its shifter isn't the world's most precise, and it's fairly easy to miss a gear in the heat of a spirited drive. Yet overall, with its fat power band in the middle of the rev range, the Impreza RS is more responsive, and more entertaining, than a host of other subcompact automobiles.
Its suspension offers some nice surprises, too. Most small cars tuned to improve handling come with stiff rides. The Impreza RS, on the other hand, is tuned in the tradition of rallying where race courses are often dry creeks or dirt logging trails full of bumps and deep chuckholes. So the Subaru's springs are fairly soft and there's quite a bit of suspension travel. That means a comfortable ride to go with handling that's quite good, once a driver gets familiar with the car.
The Impreza RS leans over quite a bit during hard, sudden cornering, yet weight transfers from side to side progressively, in a controlled fashion. It doesn't flop. The steering is quick, and while it lacks the feel of a sports car, the Impreza RS turns into a corner crisply. Its basic handling characteristic is understeer, or what enthusiast drivers call push. That's a safe, progressive process that intuitively makes a driver slow down if he or she goes into a corner too fast. Yet with all-wheel traction, the RS can safely--and quickly--negotiate corners that might be too much for a standard front-drive subcompact.
Subaru Impreza Lineup
The $19,295 Impreza 2.5 RS is the hot rod of the Impreza lineup. New for the 2000 model year, the 2.5 RS is available in Coupe or Sedan body styles.
The rest of the Impreza line is powered by the sensible 2.2-liter engine. It comprises the $15,895 Impreza L Coupe and Sedan, $16,295 Sport Wagon, $18,095 Outback Sport (not to be confused with the big Outback).
Destination charge adds $495. Optional automatic transmission adds $800.