Hey guys I've been lurking on the site for quite some time and am about to purchase a new vehicle. I've test driven a sport 5m before and it was a joy but i have ran into a new interest with a 2013 subaru impreza base model... its not a wrx or sti but it does have awd which is the selling point.

2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0i, $18,339 - Cars.com

What I'm trying to ask is what would you do and what are your experiences if any with subaru?

Also I do realize they are in a different class.

 

They're pretty different vehicles from a driving perspective. My mother drives a '12 Impreza base 5AT, and I've driven and owned many Fit's.

The power, acceleration and outright grip comparisons easily go to the Impreza. Big plus if you live anywhere snowy or with much rainfall (AWD FTW). However, my lead-footed mom gets in the mid-high 20's mpg in the Subie, versus the mid 30's combined for the Fit's (GD and GE). The Fit's magic seats allow you to really pack in a load, more than the Impreza IIRC. I prefer the Fit's visibility, steering feel/ratio and that it's lighter for chucking around back roads. And their manual transmissions shift nearly as precisely as a Miata. Even though I'm sure the Impreza is faster at the same thing, I prefer the Fit's sprightly charm over the non-WRX Imprezas.

 

thanks for your reply, thats what ive noticed with the fit/impreza comparison I've researched on, is the fit obviously succeeds the mpg even if you have a lead foot and the impreza is hard to reach its 28 average. Also its not as spirited driving. I live in suburbs of chicago and we get alot of snow but i also see alot of fits around here so obviously doesn't seem to stray people away from them.

 

I've owned Subarus, my 07 Fit is my first Honda. I can recommend either. Pick which one suits your needs best. Do you need AWD? If yes the Subbie is the obvious choice. I have an Xterra also, if not the Subbie would be MY choice.

 

The good points of both cars have already been mentioned. I have an '02 WRX 5sp and an '08 Fit AT. Love them both for different reasons. Both are fun to drive depending on your mood. Hard to argue about the Fit in city, grocery and hardware store trips. Nice to let go on open road with the WRX.

You're driving. Your choice. Get one of each. Good luck!

 

Good advice above. Subaru has AWD and is more expensive, less fun, less economy. Fit is great economy, not AWD. 'shrug' I like the Impreza a lot and I'd get one ... if I needed AWD. I had a CRV before and so now I can say, I don't need it. Not even close. So. Fit

 

I was trying to make the exact same decision, and test-drove both cars. I ended up going with the FIT because I don't NEED awd, and the fit was a zippier car... I test drove both with manual transmission, and for me, the FIT was just more fun to drive. And I figured since it was cheaper than the impreza, I could use the extra money to add some mods to the car (so far I've added the center console/armrest, cargo tray, clazzio seat covers, front hood deflector, and had the windows tinted -all for less than I'd have paid extra for the impreza). Another selling point for me was this forum - it was nice to see how much people with fits love their cars. I didn't find the same passion with impreza owners.

OH, also, the impreza base model does not come with cruise control - that really bothered me, as I like to use cruise control on long drives. Another thing that swayed me, was that I wanted a black car - but the impreza black base only comes with a tan interior - I really wanted a grey or black interior, which I could get with the black fit.

I do think they are both great cars, so I am sure you'll be happy with either decision. I'm currently obsessed with my new fit

Good luck!

 

I just traded in my '09 WRX. The AWD was phenomenal - amazing in heavy rain, and really good in the snow with all-season radials (Eage GTs). The guys I know who run snow tires in the winter say that it makes them pretty unstoppable in the snow

 

Subaru makes one of the better AWD systems out there. Much more akin to Acura SH-AWD than Honda Real-time 4WD, although SHAWD just edges out Subaru. Of course, the more sophisticated, the more there is to break .. just like any mechanical system..

But if I needed 4WD, and because I cannot afford a new Acura or Audi, Subaru is nearly as good and much better than any of the competitors that trail it. (Don't ever be fooled into thinking a luxury brand will necessarily have a good AWD system; Toyota/Lexus Nissan/Infinii BMW/Mini all use something very like Honda's simple RT4WD.)

I'd go so far as to put it as:
Acura
Audi
Subaru
Everyone Else
(I sort of left off Jeep and Land Rover, which I don't know enough about to rate since those have no performance focus, and instead are off-road focused).

Although you have to remember that for example, within VW Group or even within Audi, not all AWD is the same type of system. I mean, the Acura RDX recently lost its expensive SHAWD in the redesign, and now has RT4WD. I guess you get what you pay for, unless you pay for an RDX, in which case you don't. All the other Acura AWD models use SHAWD.

Ground clearance is an issue with the Impreza in the snow; much more of a limitation than the AWD which is, as you described well in two words, pretty unstoppable

 

Just a sample of Subaru AWD vs Toyota, Honda and VW... There's many more out there.
Now .

 

i test drove the new impreza hatch before buying my '12 fit sport last year.

the impreza was smooth and felt like a bigger car than it really is. very fluid movements,
but just slow and heavy feel. and add boring to that too vs fit.

 

The fit is definitely more fun to drive around town thats my opinion after owning a bugeye wrx! And MPG is a night and day difference even vs a base impreza

 

That's a good video, I saw that a few years ago. It is informative. They do claim that Honda provides no information about how the system works. That isn't entirely true. They don't provide it in the marketing material, but it is available.

I am also surprised that CRV couldn't climb. That seems like the situation where the CRV WOULD be able to climb. (The CRV more typically fall short when one front wheel has traction and the other has none; this is because the open diff lets the free wheel spin rather than engaging the center diff). They strategically hide the rear wheels, which indicates to me that even Subaru isn't above hiding some key information when it suits their purposes. Or maybe that's a 2WD CRV. Hehehe.

 

There are other posted videos out there that show the rear wheels if you really want to look...